IF THE HIGHWAY IS BLOCKED, FIND THE BY-LANES...













Pic.: Anima D'Cunha
Every time I reflect on the famous statement (made very popular by John Lennon in his song, ‘Beautiful/Darling Boy’) – ‘Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans,”… Yes, let me tell you, very honestly, that a lot of my stress gets eased out… And, yes, it makes me smile, too.

I wrote about my plan, last night, to attend the b’day party of one of my students. It was his 18th b’day; and, some days ago, when I was in the midst of something, his dad had called me to invite. “Sure, I will be there with my wife to wish the young-man,” I had promised.

So, as I wrote in my yesterday’s Post, I picked that inspiring book by Yuvraj Singh (‘The Test Of My Life’) to gift the b’day boy. At 9 sharp, when we reached the hotel where the party was planned, we read on the board: ‘Mundan party of ……’!


The first thing we did was to check if the hotel we had come to was the right one.

Then, we checked with the reception lady if any b’day party was planned in the same hotel at that time.

“No sir,” she clarified.

The next thing I did was a call to the b’day boy’s father...

 “Sir, the party was held on 16th!”

We both collapsed on the seats next to us!

“How did this happen?” I asked myself, “I heard 18th!”

“It was 18th b’day,” my wife got it right now, “the party was on 16th… You heard it wrong.”

Luckily, we were laughing at our stupidity… “It happens sometimes... It is okay… The world is not a perfect place… We are not perfect beings… No point blaming any one…” Yes, I found consoling myself… “Just go with the flow… Enjoy life as it unfolds before you.”

For quite sometime, we were planning to dine at a particular restaurant; but, due to one reason or other, it could not materialize. I instantly suggested to my wife that we did it last night… She was more than happy.

The next moment, we were there!

Had a good time?

Yes sir… A very, very good time.



The book – the gift – is still with me. I shall be presenting it to my dear student when I will meet him one of these days…

Yuvraj had his own ‘huge plans’… But, when cancer knocked him down, could he think of them? Life took that nasty turn for him… leaving him to fight it out… Luckily, he survived… Luckily, he is able to dream again… and he is able to share his story with us…

That’s how the Life is… That’s how all our ‘big plans’ are… If the highway is blocked, find the service road, the sideways, the by-lanes… any road, any lane which can take you ‘there’…

As much as you love your sexy car, love the breakdowns, too…

Else, be ready for the real breakdown!

John Lennon sings to his little boy:

“Before you cross the street
Take my hand…
Life is what happens to you
While you're busy making other plans…”



GERALD D’CUNHA

Comments

Anonymous said…
Powerful post! - Lalchand
October 19, 2013 at 3:50 PM
CA POOJA GUPTA said…
In my end is my beginning..Gerry Sir, nothing in life is neatly packaged! Thats what I've experienced:):))
October 20, 2013 at 10:29 PM
Kunal Sanil said…
Nicely conveyed sir in the Post. Thanks. ... Kunal Sanil
October 21, 2013 at 10:09 AM
Nista Gupta said…
In life, as long as we move towards our right direction, any route will do> Nishta Gupta
October 21, 2013 at 6:13 PM
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