The Long Journey Back Home

I had stepped out of my parental home when I was young at seventeen years old
I was ambitious enough to pursue my education goals and thought myself very bold
I was keen to join the crowd, achieve my qualifications and keen to join the fold
I never knew what it meant to live alone and the first impressions came across as cold

I spent time interacting with faculty and students about various areas of my interest
I soon realized the ways of the world where you get glorified till such time you are the best
It does not take long for you to be put down and all your achievements start to gather dust
It tests your mental resilience and ensures you develop a thick hide that is always put to test

I never realized the passage of time and one fine day I successfully got my qualifications
I was fortunate enough to be ranked in the merit list that at time got me some attention
I got an opportunity to interview with some of the best companies and underwent evaluation
I was lucky enough to get multiple offers and chose the one with the maximum attraction

My corporate career took off at a pace and I could never differentiate between day and night
I only realized the same when one fine day when I left early I could actually watch the sun set
I reflected on that event and asked myself a critical question as regards the path that I chose
I consulted seniors who reminded me that thorns grow below before one gets the beautiful rose

I took off on a journey, took a sabbatical, reflected on what was my true purpose in life
I started travelling across the country, took up the road less taken in true sense of the term
I got drawn towards wild life and more or less had resolved to make my decision firm
I unfortunately attracted a lethal worm that needed me to be flexible and rework my dream

I decided to enrol for a education program that seemed to fulfil some of my seeming gaps
I went through the program that was intensely competitive that could also land me in a trap
I began to appreciate the difference between the on-lookers and those who truly gave a clap
I began to be more discerning about what motivated me and what contributed to energy sap

I again got attracted to a different career option that needed me to relocate to another city
I still could not go back to my city of birth and to me that was still a concern if not feel of pity
I delivered well in my assignments and continued to get more and more responsibility
I was told that I could dream of life on the fast track based on my competence and ability

I had to travel across cities, and gained valuable frequent flier loyalty miles with airlines
I used to catch the first flight of the day and land up late at night but had no reason to whine
I also got to stay in the best of hotels and got used to top hotels where I could wine and dine
I always used to consider that I am fortunate enough to have got this exposure in my prime

I used to interact with my parents when I had time and on hindsight when I had their need
I used to think they never could understand my world and they belonged to a different breed
I did not think of taking breaks and spending time with my parents thinking about their need
I now realize that I was selfish in my approach and had failed to realize my pursuits of greed

One fine morning I got a call from my home and my first impulse was to later attend the call
The caller persisted and I got up from my bed and with a sense of irritation picked up the call
I was told that my father’s life was serious and the doctor had advised immediate admission
I actually asked the caller whether it needed my attention since I had a project submission


I guess it may not have taken my caller to absorb the utter lack of empathy in my attitude
He turned more explicit and asked me to have more resilience and demonstrate fortitude
He candidly spoke about my father’s passing away and that too after a prolonged illness
He spoke about my father’s caring approach and his desire to give me no further stress

My life came crashing down in a couple of moments and I was at a complete loss of words
I never knew what hit me in those moments as if my life had collapsed like a pack of cards
I never knew how to face my mother who may perceive me to be highly selfish, cold and hard
I lost track of where I was and what I had to do and only knew that I had to reach home fast

I was going back home after about five years when I was focused on my corporate dreams
I only used to occasionally speak to my parents and that too sometimes gathered steam
I had never much enquired about their health and well-being that I assumed was fine
I always thought that what was not spoken as an issue did not deserve attention and time

I never knew what was going to be my reaction as I estimated there would be a crowd
I suddenly realized that despite being in a crisis I still was focused on my social image
I seemed to have been caught in a trap that I so consciously wanted to avoid getting caught
All my efforts of the past and lessons that I had learnt apparently finally amounted to naught

My mother’s first reaction despite her loss was asking about my welfare and health
Those words opened my eyes and I realized the value of love as the true measure of wealth
All the material pleasures that I had enjoyed were nothing but just superficial entrapment
I could only thank my father who even through his demise made me take a life-long commitment!