The Lone Wanderer

         

As I sat on the terrace holding my glass of scotch under the star studded sky, it dawned on me how much I missed gazing at the stars every night like I did when I was a kid. There was actually no time in the hustles and bustles of city life, the maddening crowd, tight schedules and deadly deadlines. One doesn’t have moments to embrace the divineness of life. There’s no time to appreciate the grandeur of the mighty sky or the stretches of the beautiful green. Not a minute to spare, to unwind in the mystical allure of nature.

What are we busy pursuing in life so much that we are actually missing living life. When I plan my future, I end up not living the present too. Doesn’t my inner self deserve the solitude once in a while to relish the sublime beauty of this universe? Bogged by these thoughts, I decided to embark on a journey to find myself again, to forget the worldly pursuits though temporarily and to explore the unexplored and what better a day than the New Year morning.

I hurriedly rushed in, worked through my almirah, packed my bag and lay on the bed in a hurry to get a good night’s sleep before I leave. “Tomorrow is going to be an eventful day”, I thought to myself. However hard I tried I couldn’t sleep, I lay tossing and turning in the bed till it was morning and I practically welcomed the sun. As I shifted the curtains aside, the splendid sun rays made their way in the room, beautiful hues or red, orange and yellow. I was awestruck. Such beauty, such tranquillity I was missing all this while.

I freshened up quickly, loaded my bag pack in the car and off I went to a nearby trekking area around 18 kms from the city, the one I used to visit with my dad. All the memories of my childhood created a clear picture in my head. Oh how I longed for Dad to be there just this one more time! I did not know if I could do this all alone, cover the steep terrain, jump through puddles of muddy water and all that I did as a kid. I was soon to find out.

This time I was a lonely wanderer embarking on a journey to find myself. With every step I took, I felt my weight shedding. I was more in control of my thoughts. I had no idea where I was heading to with no GPS guiding me. Here, it was my heart I was to follow. I panted for some time. I was out of breath after climbing a little. Partly the climb and partly my guilt was responsible for this. I had returned to these magnanimous mountains after 30 years. They stood waiting for me exactly where I had left them. So vast and grand spread all around to where I could see but still I had chosen to ignore them.

But they welcomed me with open arms. Where ever I turned, it was a picturesque sight. I saw birds flying in the sky. I sat on a rock to spend some time in their company. There was a sort of symmetry in their unsymmetrical formation. They flew far and wide but came back at dusk to spend the night in their home. “When was the last time I was home?” I didn’t remember. That big courtyard, the earthen lamps, that mango tree mother used to water every morning, I needed to visit all of them.

Lost in my thoughts I started moving forward. I realised, I wasn’t alone. I had company. A group of youngsters came trekking near me. We exchanged pleasantries. I clicked a few pictures for them. They offered me to join them but I humbly declined. This was time I had promised myself last night. They left after sometime and so did I.

  

                                                    image courtesy TripAdvisor

I took a few sips of water, wore my hat as the sun rose above me and started walking ahead humming a few of my favourite numbers. Towards my left was the valley while all along the path on my left, I saw tender twigs with sun kissed dew on their fragile leaves growing wildly. They moved in tandem with the breeze offering no resistance. Colourful butterflies hovered over them. I stood there mesmerised. I needed time to absorb the beauty of this endless landscape in such a majestic state.

I sat there under a tree and deciding to answer the call of my grumbling tummy took out the box of peanut butter sandwiches and cheese croquets. As I ate, a herd of cattle flocked around me. They were beautiful, jet black goats with glistening eyes and tiny feet. We all ate together and later we played together. I caressed their soft silk coat, stroking each of them gently and they moved their ears happily. Nature had sent these companions for me. I don’t know how many hours I spent up there with my beautiful friends but for sure knew it was time to make a move as my eyes dwelt on the lake below. It was getting dark. The once rippling water from the stream lay at peace as it reached the lake for that was its destination. Now it could relax in the shallows. The sun shone clearly on the water, its reflection so pure and illuminating, as if introspecting itself after a day of work. I saw those birds again heading home this time. My dear companions also started moving downward.

I believe it was time for me too to make a move. A move forward… After all it’s a New Dawn!