I was sitting on the banks of a river.

 I prefer riverbanks  when I am sad
I prefer seashore when I am happy.

My days in those years never folded in without the blessings of rivers.
Wherever I went I searched for the flowing waters.

While looking at the stream, I feel deep relief.
They are like memories with no strings.
The sooner I reach the shore, the safer I reach my quietude.

One day while I was on my routine stay there, a boy entered there as a silence breaker.
He came with some friends.

I liked his energy level. He looked highly enthusiastic.

I used to see him there afterwards. As expected we became friends. Not just friends, but friends forever. I don’t know what makes our bond stronger. He consider me as his brother.

We talked seamlessly.

I felt sad when one day I saw him sat alone under a tree. His eyes conveyed the uncontrollable distress he was suffering at his heart. He lost his father in his childhood. The entire responsibility came above his thin shoulders. He didn’t get necessary support from his family members.

They tagged his entire efforts in a wallpaper named duty. So he hardly get a descent reception at his home.

One day he told me

“There is some mystery in human relationships. Some bonds never happen though we try our best to make it happen. “

He fell in love with a girl whom he know from his school days. He tried every possible ways to make her feel good. But there also he failed to win a nice attention.

“What was wrong in me?” he asked me.

I couldn’t find anything. In fact I felt that he is the most graceful and lovable man I have ever come across in my short life. His grievances made me more doubtful about human emotions.

We sat near the shore. In his presence I became the listener and he the speaker. I saw the comfort in his eyes when he got someone to hear him. I loved to be the listener whenever he has something to share with me.

One evening we noticed the absence of sparrows. We were friends with them. They shared their viewpoints when we found it difficult to solve the various complexities of human nature. We both loved their presence.

Our search took our attention to the other side of the river. Once it was filled with thick forest. Its density went in decreasing order as if the hair falls during recession time.

We later heard that those trees were going to a paper mill factory nearby. We both felt sad. I felt more sad as I had wasted too much paper during my clerical jobs. 

In my childhood I often laughed at an old man who torn the posters wherever he saw it in walls. We along with adults in that time called him lunatic. Later I realized that he was doing a great job. In my village, people stopped sticking posters due to that old man. As a result the walls looked more beautiful and the paper usage in that regard got minimized.

There is a saying in The Holy Bible

“Judge not, that you be not judged" (Mathew 7:1)

It happened in my life exactly. I might have torn more papers than that old man have done in his entire lifetime. It was my mistake. I was careless. And his activity was a part of his protest to save trees. But I judged him badly.

Any how it was a sudden clash of thunder in my heart to minimize the use of paper.

I went to the river bank again after some years. I felt shocked, I felt upset.
There were no trees, no birds and no river also.

And one thing that made me feel more distressed was that I lost my friend, my comrade, my brother the beautiful river had gifted to me, in my long walk to salvation.

I have gained nothing.
I have earned  nothing.

I lost everything.

I sat on the imaginary banks of that river in my memories.

I cried

“Bring me back my days of sunshine, my days of innocence, my days of love.”

My life in trains had commonly less fair experiences to remember. But
things changed when I started to travel in a weekly train from my village
to the garden city of India. It brought some nice moments and beautiful
coincidences in my life. I think there’s some good women connecting me with
that train. So I preferred it this time also. And my thinking was
absolutely right.

I met four people who touched me in depth with their loving presence during
the journey.

A nun who looked with an eternal charisma, a soldier who loved to live his
life in its fullest, A beautiful girl who loved her life by all means, A
cute little girl who possessed a mesmerizing smile.

I was the first one among them who boarded the train. Our soldier came
second. We started to chat. His attitude towards life impressed me much.
Though he is from a strict and rigid military background, he loves to enjoy
even the small things in life. It was the season of fruits. He went to
spend his short holidays with his parents, grandparents, friends and
villagers. They loved his presence. I felt that he can influence and change
the mood of people very quickly and amazingly.

The nun came while we were taking our food. She sat silently next to us.
While looking at her charismatic face, we felt the flow of positivity and
overwhelming grace. He told me that the life of a nun is so hard. She has
to leave all material things and family life for the sake of her parents in
a very early stage of life. When she becomes grownup, her wings will get
torn so that she won’t be able to fly. Many of them pretend to be graceful.
But by hiding their sorrows and burying their dreams, their eyes will
reveal the real story of their pain to those who are able to see.

But she surprised us with her glorious presence. She spoke less. But her
love towards humanity is so pure and sacred. The glow in her eyes was
enough to captivate not just the downtrodden but the whole living beings.

While we were reading some newspapers and magazines, I noticed a girl who also was reading a magazine. My intuition told me to start a conversation
with her. I know well that my heart never misguides me. But how to begin?
She was in another coach. I felt it will be little bit embarrassing if I
try to intrude. So I thought to wait for the right moment. At that moment I
heard a voice

“I had a love affair during my college period. But unfortunately it failed.
I even thought to suicide also.”

I confirmed that the voice was from our soldier friend. But it was not to
me. Then to whom? I looked forward.

“Wow! It’s she.” I exclaimed while seeing that beautiful girl who was
adored with gorgeousness and elegance.

“Who will cry when you die? Even your parents will stop weeping two or
three days after your death. Suicide is not an option for anything. You
have to love yourself first.”

Her words of consolation to our soldier made me feel that she is not just
beautiful outside but tremendously beautiful inside also.

I felt the wait is over. I must speak with her.

She is modern in her ways and views.
She’s truly human in her heart.
She’s so pure in her feelings.
I felt sad when she shared her feelings.

“The thinking of people still has to be changed. The male chauvinists tried
to irritate me during my college days.”

She has just completed her graduation. I wondered why these men are
wandering behind our women and their dressing patterns with cruel X-ray
eyes.

I remembered an incident I had during a bus journey. Two men were sitting
in the front row of my seat.

One man said “Damn this stupid wind, it never helps in emergencies.”

He was ogling at a girl who stood in the corridor of the bus. Her chiffon
loose skirt was lifted up by the crazy wind. But it never went beyond her
beautiful legs.

The other one said “Don’t worry man.”

He took a magazine from his bag and gave it to him. He then told him
“This will provide what you’re looking for.”

I don’t know whether he got satisfied with the visuals of that magazine or
not as my stop had arrived before that. And I hope the girl along with her
skirt might have reached home safely.

While speaking with her, we reached her station. I felt elated with her
magnificent presence. The people who missed her beauty of heart are the
unlucky ones.

I asked myself “She was there from the beginning of my journey. But why I
came late to open a talk with her?”

But my heart is more optimistic than me. It told “Feel better that I never
missed to talk with her”

“How tall this man is!” the words came from a cute little girl. She felt
shy while knowing that I overheard her words about me.

To see her mesmerizing smile when she becomes shy is amazingly a beautiful
feel. It was full of innocence and serenity. She was with her parents to
enjoy her school vacation. She belongs to a traditional and highly orthodox
family. I felt it’s better for her to stay in her childhood state forever.
Now she can roam like a beautiful bird. Now she’s free to see and hear what she loves. But when she become mature, like the other girls in her
community, a taboo will come in force, a ban will cut her freedom of
expression.

While saying farewell to my soldier friend, my eyes fell on the title of a
book written by Robin Sharma. It was moving in a moving book stall. I
stopped the shopkeeper and read the title

“Who will cry when you die?”

I picked it quickly as if someone inside me was asking me to do so. I went
through the starting pages. My heart stood still when I read another
question from the author.

“How many lives will you touch while you have the privilege to walk this
planet?” I started to read downwards. The author was saying

“The days slip into weeks, the weeks slip into months and the months slip
into years. Pretty soon it’s all over and you are left with nothing more
than a heart filled with regret over a life half lived.”

I recollected her words. She spoke about the importance of loving
ourselves. I know she didn’t tell any new ideas to me. But her way of
presentation, her innocence, her love towards life inspired me to meditate
those life lessons again.

I have no idea that how many lives can I touch before I say bye to this
planet, but one thing I'm concerning is that I must have to touch my life,
I must need to love my life.

Then only it will become possible for me to live a life fully lived.

I’m totally grateful to those four friends who enlightened me with their
delighting energies. I don’t know whether I can meet them again, but I’m
sure our vibrations will meet, our frequencies will connect. Wherever they
go, I wish they will be blessed with a beautiful life.

Some journeys are not just journeys. It will change the quality of our
life. I remembered a saying

“A man is recognized not by the number of years he spent here but by the
quality and richness of life he lived here.”

[image: Photo: My life in trains had commonly less fair experiences to
remember. But things changed when I started to travel in a weekly train
from my village to the capital city of India. It brought some nice moments
and beautiful coincidences in my life. I think there’s some good omen
connecting me with that train. So I preferred it this time also. And my
thinking was absolutely right. I met four people who touched me in depth
with their loving presence during the journey. A nun who looked with an
eternal charisma, a soldier who loved to live his life in its fullest, A
beautiful girl who loved her life by all means, A cute little girl who
possessed a mesmerizing smile. I was the first one among them who boarded
the train. Our soldier came second. We started to chat. His attitude
towards life impressed me much. Though he is from a strict and rigid
military background, he loves to enjoy even the small things in life. It
was the season of fruits. He went to spend his short holidays with his
parents, grandparents, friends and villagers. They loved his presence. I
felt that he can influence and change the mood of people very quickly and
amazingly. The nun came while we were taking our food. She sat silently
next to us. While looking at her charismatic face, we felt the flow of
positivity and overwhelming grace. He told me that the life of a nun is so
hard. She has to leave all material things and family life for the sake of
her parents in a very early stage of life. When she becomes grownup, her
wings will get torn so that she won’t be able to fly. Many of them pretend
to be graceful. But by hiding their sorrows and burying their dreams, their
eyes will reveal the real story of their pain to those who are able to see.
But she surprised us with her glorious presence. She spoke less. But her
love towards humanity is so pure and sacred. The glow in her eyes was
enough to captivate not just the downtrodden but the whole living beings.
While we were reading some newspapers and magazines, I noticed a girl who
also was reading a magazine. My intuition told me to start a conversation
with her. I know well that my heart never misguides me. But how to begin?
She was in another coach. I felt it will be little bit embarrassing if I
try to intrude. So I thought to wait for the right moment. At that moment I
heard a voice “I had a love affair during my college period. But
unfortunately it failed. I even thought to suicide also.” I confirmed that
the voice was from our soldier friend. But it was not to me. Then to whom?
I looked forward. “Wow! It’s she.” I exclaimed while seeing that beautiful
girl who was adored with gorgeousness and elegance. “Who will cry when you
die? Even your parents will stop weeping two or three days after your
death. Suicide is not an option for anything. You have to love yourself
first.” Her words of consolation to our soldier made me feel that she is
not just beautiful outside but tremendously beautiful inside also. I felt
the wait is over. I must speak with her. She is modern in her ways and
views. She’s truly human in her heart. She’s so pure in her feelings. I
felt sad when she shared her feelings. “The thinking of people still has to
be changed. The male chauvinists tried to irritate me during my college
days.” She has just completed her graduation. I wondered why these men are
wandering behind our women and their dressing patterns with cruel X-ray
eyes. I remembered an incident I had during a bus journey. Two men were
sitting in the front row of my seat. One man said “Damn this stupid wind,
it never helps in emergencies.” He was ogling at a girl who stood in the
corridor of the bus. Her chiffon loose skirt was lifted up by the crazy
wind. But it never went beyond her beautiful legs. The other one said
“Don’t worry man.” He took a magazine from his bag and gave it to him. He
then told him “This will provide what you’re looking for.” I don’t know
whether he got satisfied with the visuals of that magazine or not as my
stop had arrived before that. And I hope the girl along with her skirt
might have reached home safely. While speaking with her, we reached her
station. I felt elated with her magnificent presence. The people who missed
her beauty of heart are the unlucky ones. I asked myself “She was there
from the beginning of my journey. But why I came late to open a talk with
her?” But my heart is more optimistic than me. It told “Feel better that I
never missed to talk with her” “How tall this man is!” the words came from
a cute little girl. She felt shy while knowing that I overheard her words
about me. To see her mesmerizing smile when she becomes shy is amazingly a beautiful feel. It was full of innocence and serenity. She was with herparents to enjoy her school vacation. She belongs to a traditional and
highly orthodox family. I felt it’s better for her to stay in her childhood
state forever. Now she can roam like a beautiful bird. Now she’s free to
see and hear what she loves. But when she become mature, like the other
girls in her community, a taboo will come in force, a ban will cut her
freedom of expression. While saying farewell to my soldier friend, my eyes
fell on the title of a book written by Robin Sharma. It was moving in a
moving book stall. I stopped the shopkeeper and read the title “Who will
cry when you die?” I picked it quickly as if someone inside me was asking
me to do so. I went through the starting pages. My heart stood still when I
read another question from the author. “How many lives will you touch while you have the privilege to walk this planet?” I started to read downwards.
The author was saying “The days slip into weeks, the weeks slip into months and the months slip into years. Pretty soon it’s all over and you are left with nothing more than a heart filled with regret over a life half lived.”
I recollected her words. She spoke about the importance of loving
ourselves. I know she didn’t tell any new ideas to me. But her way of
presentation, her innocence, her love towards life inspired me to meditate
those life lessons again. I have no idea that how many lives can I touch
before I say bye to this planet, but one thing I'm concerning is that I
must have to touch my life, I must need to love my life. Then only it will
become possible for me to live a life fully lived. I’m totally grateful to
those four friends who enlightened me with their delighting energies. I
don’t know whether I can meet them again, but I’m sure our vibrations will
meet, our frequencies will connect. Wherever they go, I wish they will be
blessed with a beautiful life. Some journeys are not just journeys. It will
change the quality of our life. I remembered a saying “A man is recognized
not by the number of years he spent here but by the quality and richness of
life he lived here.”

I remember how it used to be
when nothing else matter but you and me
music, country roads, and future dreams.

I miss you, I wish you could see
although you are here, I miss you and me.

I remember when you said how happy I made you
and you really meant it...now, it's just a phrase
you say without thinking.

I miss those days when you'd call just to say "hi"
or "I love you"...the days it was so hard
just to say good-bye for a while.

I remember how wonderful it felt the first time
you held me in your arms-and how after all those
years you still made my heart melt.

I miss the old you- and the old me
The old us that could just sit and talk for hours
and never run out of things to say.

I remember when time simply stood still-
when in each other's arms is the only place
we wanted to be...forever.

I miss us as I remember how it used to be...
when nothing else matter but you and me.