A speck of light in the darkness,
is what woke me up.
Strangely enough, I found myself
in an endless dark room.
All around me were shelves,
Shelves of books.
What it’s like beyond this veil?
I knew nothing, absolutely nothing.
Clueless on what’s going on,
A book fell off the shelf.
What needs to be done now?
I didn’t know, honestly.
Suddenly something broke the silence,
My voice, I guess. But no,
certainly mine isn’t that harsh!
“Pick it up, child!”
Oh, it seems like it’s talking to me!
“Pick up what?” asked my baffled self.
“Pick up the fallen book,”
The voice repeated.
I picked it up,
what now to do?
“Who knows except the voice itself!”
I thought.
I waited, and ta-da!
Another order for me.
“Place the book in 5th shelf’s
5th row’s 5th column.”
Oh, a bit of a mouthful!
I went, where I was asked to.
Traced the shelf, only to
Find it completely full.
What now to do, again,
I don’t know. And how could I,
“He hasn’t told me
that thing yet!” I thought.
“Push those books aside,
Let it get a place to reside.”
I pushed them, placed the book,
where it was meant to be.
Guess what? Another book fell.
I knew what now to do!
I picked it up, pushed others aside,
And placed it in the ‘right’ place.
The voice praised me,
I felt rewarded!
But over there another book on the ground.
I thought, “After all it can’t be that easy.”
I picked it up and did the same.
But no matter what I do,
Every time one book on the shelf
meant another one on the floor!
Why wasn’t it working?
I had no time to spare.
Pick, Push and Repeat,
was what, I guess, I did for hours!
That way must be right,
After all, the voice told me so.
The fault must be somewhere in
my efforts, I’m pretty sure!
While I was struggling,
The book in my hand spoke up,
“Why not place me in that empty shelf,
there too, I will be as happy as I’m here.”
Empty shelf? What’s that meant to be?
I looked around, to my surprise,
Endless shelves surround me,
All empty but one!
I reached to one of the empty shelves,
Placed that book there. And ta-da,
light spread all around and
Another moment I was out of that darkness.
Why didn’t I even bother to look beyond,
Beyond what that voice told me?
Pick, Push and repeat,
But why not just think!
Because I guess, it’s me who chose,
His voice-over mine,
His ideas over mine.
That’s how I think we all work, Right?
Before understanding what right is?
We are taught what is right!
Before listening to what the world sounds like?
We are taught what needs to be listened to.
Before feeling what something might feel like,
We are taught what it should feel like.
Before exploring who we are,
We are told who we are meant to be!
Thanks for reading!
