Time to stand and stare

"What is this life if full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare".

How many times have I kept repeating the above lines which resonates with a craving to have a bit of time to be able to enjoy the little of joys of life! Life has a way of catching up and tying each of us down to our routines in such a way that we are unable to look beyond our noses, our daily routines, responsibilities and problems. Life stops being “life” and deteriorates into being nothing more a day to day existence, a monotonous grind.

The past couple of years have wrought a lot of changes in mine. Life has not been what it used to be - in more ways than one. My life which would start out with going to work, doing housework, running errands on my scooter, visiting friends - a hectic pace to put it in short ..... till I was laid up with a severe spinal problem. I was unable to go to work any more or do very much on my own at home. Had to enlist the help of domestic staff to ensure groceries and vegetables were bought, cooking was done, the house was maintained in presentable state .....

BUT there were a lot of other things that changed too. Along with my routine, my activities and my perspective of life underwent a radical change. Firstly I changed from an A type personality to a B type and for that I have no regrets.

Life has grounded me physically for a while, but it has put me in a position where I can say (with due apologies to the poet W.H. Davies) : "I enjoy this life with nary a care, I have plenty of time to stand and stare". And what I see when I stare, hear when I listen has filled me with a joy which nothing else, no riches on earth could provide me with.

This has been the time when I have experimented with writing – something which I always fancied doing, but never had the time or ideas for. I have witnessed some glorious sunsets, observed the various flowers and trees around me. This year has also brought a host of birds to my doorstep and I have enjoyed the sheer bliss of listening to their tantalizing calls, running to the window or balcony to spot them. And I have seen the most beautiful birds outside of picture books and National Geographic. I have had the opportunity to bring out my camera and capture these moments for posterity. I was able to be at home, bring my mom to stay with me and look after her for a couple of years. I got to improve my computer skills, sign onto a few websites, make a lot of new friends ..... These are the friends I chat with almost every day, friends who make me laugh and help keep my spirits up.

This time has taught me to be cheerful and patient. It has really opened my eyes and made me realize from my heart that every adversity is a mixed blessing. When God closes one door, he opens another. Both have to go hand in hand - you lose something, you gain another. And believe me, there is a huge difference between hearing this said, believing in it and really and truly experiencing it.

So I am really grateful to have been put through the grinder to learn these important lessons in life. I am grateful that I had to stop work for a while, otherwise I would never have had the time or energy to stand and stare.