Firmament and Felicity

A short note before I begin:

An  essay I wrote in my school years comes back to life in this new Avatar! It was in all probability the year 1999 or 2000 and I wrote this piece on a whim a couple of months before my final exams. I remember it was autumn and I was studying for the exams when all of a sudden an idea struck me and  I got down to work on it before it flew away! I used to count this as my finest piece of work in those days,in fact, I still hold a special affinity towards it. I have refrained from making any modifications to it because I wanted to see how I have evolved over the years,whether I still feel the same about certain things in life,whether I still possess similar longings and desires. The entire essay is just the same as I wrote it years back and I have retained the title too! And yes,I still can strongly identify with the wishes of my younger self.

As I sit by the window, my thirsty eyes eager to catch a glimpse of unadulterated blue among the mighty skyscrapers, I dream. I catch a glimpse of the sky,vast and limitless,golden and blue; I see a bird,its wings spread out to fathom the bounds of the sky; clusters of clouds greet me, grey and threatening,white and refreshing; I see it all and dream. I dream of freedom,of unbridled happiness,of breaking free of all shackles and bondage,of carefree joy.

As twilight approaches, I witness a marvellous change in the colours of the sky. Vibrant hues of red and vermillion mask the softer shades of blue. I see the birds returning to the cosy warmth of their nests and a feeling of longing stirs the depths of my heart - longing for whom,for what,the answer is unknown. But all of a sudden,my mind grows restless,there is an inexplicable feeling of need,of want,of longing and waiting.

The dashing cavalier Night comes forth galloping on seven horses. The sky loses all its colours and turns an all encompassing black. Twinkling stars peep out at me- glittering diamonds in the cape of Night. The gentle moon timidly dispels some of the threatening darkness,its silvery beams are the sole source of light and hope as Night establishes its supremacy. My thoughts are submerged amidst a numbing void,a quaint feeling of emptiness,a realization of having come a step closer to eternity.

An awed and wonder-struck witness that I am to the ever-changing beauties of the firmament,I detect a strong bonding,an uncanny semblance between man's life and Nature. The latter,through the symbolic colours of the sky above,reveal the truth that a common Being,a common Soul exists within man and Nature; that a Divine presence pervades all entities in the Universe. The changing colours of the sky,as if,represent the transformations,the various phases in man's life.

The nascent blue symbolizes the childhood and youth of man - young and tender,with a soft,impressionable heart which has not yet been hardened by the trials and tribulations of life,a mind which dares to dream (like mine).
Red and vermillion represent the strength,experience and knowledge of man as he comes to know life better. The vibrant colours symbolise the radiant happiness that he discovers as he traverses the journey of life. Happiness born out of fulfillment of dreams,achievement of success,an ethereal touch of love- a celebration of life.
Black is supposed to be dull,gloomy,a dead colour. But it can be shiny,glittering,stunning. To the man who,by virtue of his unflagging will and unconquerable will power,triumphs in life, black is the symbol of victory, of power and authority. But to him who fails in life and meekly surrenders his dreams and aspirations in the face of adversity,black signifies hopelessness and melancholy,the cruel death of hopes and dreams,the end of life.

Silently,I marvel at the ever-changing beauty of the sky,at the colours splashed so picturesquely on this great canvas of the Supreme Artist. This rendezvous with Nature's beauty makes me love life,cherish the bouquets of happiness,the droplets of joy that life showers on us when least expected.

In today's cruel, selfish mechanical world, I find no respite, no freedom. I crave to flee from this life that I am compelled to live, follow my heart, live my dreams. A distant land beckons me,visions of that delectable land appear before my eyes only to be engulfed moments later in a blinding mist of reality. But that fleeting contact with my dreamland influences in me a sense of exhilaration. 

The suffocating labyrinth that is today's daily existence makes me seek a tranquil repose,a soothing solace in Nature's bosom. 'A thing of beauty is a joy forever' - I wish to live this truth.

I want to 'live' life,celebrate the journey, relish each moment. I want my epitaph to read 'No regrets,thanks for all the memories. Arrivederci'.

Day is like life,night death. But again,night is the harbinger of dawn- a beginning of new promises. Life..death..and seeds of life sprout again. Like a phoenix rising from its own ashes.

And so life goes on, nothing need to pause, for a spirited spontaneity ensures that nothing remains still.

There is nothing like life, for life constitutes all else. There is nothing so magical like taking in a deep breath of the fresh morning air as the sun casts its benign rays and hear the birds sing and see the roses bloom.

But death does not put an end to this joy, it cannot draw an impregnable curtain over life unless we let it; for death,though a cruel crusader,is the "golden key that opens the palace of eternity".