There were two friends, who were very close. One day they decided to go to the top of the hill far from their village. They decided to take their own separate ways and to meet on the top. One of them just crossed their village when he saw a beautiful lake he never saw before. He saw hundreds of birds were there with so many colors and varieties. He was stunned seeing this. He sat near the lake side for hours enjoying this. The mist covering the lake, the birds, the smell of the fresh water, the grass everything was so complete together that he enjoyed a lot spending hours there. Then he resumed his journey. After walking for some time, he saw a vast field with greenery all around. There was a big tree at the centre. He walked through the alleys and took rest under the tree. He relished the fruit of that tree. Then he hit the road again. He was very happy seeing all these that he never saw. When he started, he never expected he would see all these amazing things around him. He did not realize when he reached the top of the hill. His heart was filled with the fragrance of the memories of all those moments he spent while reaching here to his destination. His friend who started the journey along with him reached here long back and was waiting for him. When he started his journey, he came across the lake but he had to reach his destination soon so he ignored that. All he wanted was to reach the top of the hill. When he saw the other friend he asked “come dear, see from here we can see the whole village and beyond. Do you know we have a beautiful lake down there, and also a vast farmland and a big tree also? See from here.” The other friend smiled and said, “Yes my friend I know as I came through them. I am out of words to describe how beautiful they are. How sweet the water of the lake was! How dreamy the mist over the lake looked like! How soothing the tree shed was!
The other friend was thinking why he is not happy even when he reached the top before his friend. He saw the entire village from here including the lake, tree, farm from the top but still he was not happy. He asked this to a sage passing by. He said “my boy, You both reached the top. Sooner or later we all reach our destination. Thus reaching your destination is not special. What is special is the journey leading to our destination. You started your journey but actually, you did not have any journey at all. All the way, you were only running to reach the top. You ignored the beauty of the journey. That is why when you reached the top you felt blank even after reaching first where as your friend could not make it before you, as that was not why he started. He enjoyed the journey. He created his own sweet memories all the way that gives him the happiness when he reaches the destination. This happiness one can’t create only by reaching the top. These memories of his will give him happiness for the rest of his life. He had a real journey my son.”
In life taking birth and then dying is not a new exceptional event. It is common for all of us. With birth, we start our journey that ends when we die. Sooner or later, we all reach our destination. What matters is how we shape our journey in this course of life. Is it like a rat race where we ignore all the beauties of life and just run to reach the top or we relish all the moments to create an unforgettable memory of the journey of life? We choose the course of life. The way we choose shapes up the journey for us. We are not a racing machine here, but a traveler. Wish we all have a unforgettable journey in this course of life. There is a difference between seeing the lake from top than going down there to drink the water by yourself.
