Not Fair

I was a thoughtful child. Whenever, I saw a tall glass building, I used to think how interesting, amazing and perfect the life of the people inside it would be. I even heard they had computers and 'Er' written in front of their names. Oh so cool ! I exclaimed with my mouth open in awe. Here I was just living a simple child's life but their life would be so more exciting, I thought and shook my head saying 'Not fair' in mind.

My life was simple. School was our office, we had to be in our formals (read "Uniform"). We basically had to nod heads in agreement, study and learn new things, wait for games period, wake up early for Saturday classes and handle the Parent – Teacher's meeting. I had a big fear of losing my friends due to the change of sections during promotion to the next higher standard  We friends used to pray that we, our best friends and crushes belong to the same section. We still do the same, albeit in a different way now. Even now also the boss is always right, we too wait for weekends and get through our appraisals. We too fear losing our friends when we look for better opportunities elsewhere. 

But this is a different world where the same innocence, the warmth, the happiness, the spirit is missing. Oh how I miss the healthy competition among friends, racing paper boats, chasing butterflies, the sweet news of a Rainy day holiday, a ride on my Dad's scooter and the peaceful sleep with no worry of the future. But still I wondered, how the life of engineers would be so much more amazing. I wished to grow up fast to experience all that. And now that I have become one, I still am not able to figure out. I must have missed out on something. I landed in a different planet where there is so much of unhealthy competition, jealousy and so less sympathy and compassion. It is more about money and matter than people and experiences.

In pursuit of things like money, respect, ego and proving other people wrong, many of us forget to do the things we love or even love the things we do. Now whenever I see a child looking in awe at my office, I pray in my mind - "Don't fall for this alluring trap, Champ !". On seeing children who are happy and full of life, I recall how my colleagues and me shook our heads in unison mumbling 'Not fair'. There is no going back but if we value the things that matter and bring back some lost values from our childhood, we can still live life as it is supposed to be – happily, fearlessly, hopefully, playfully and passionately.