Endure!

The winds swept everything that dared to stand in its way, mercilessly uprooting age old trees that had children swinging on their branches and birds coming back home in the evening to their loved ones chirping away at them. Funny how huge trees of epic proportions that had seen so many generations pass by and had been in the background of a zillion selfies were just toppled over like a house of cards.
Merciless indeed, countless nests destroyed by a mere sweep. Birds that could and had learned to fly could do so when the lightning struck and made a loud bang but those that were yet to fly stayed helpless in their nests, eggs didn’t feel any difference i guess, i still dispute in my mind if eggs have thoughts. Huh, do they?

Last year there was the young couple that had laid beside this tree on a small blanket watching the tiny clouds in the summer sky, the curious squirrels peering at them from a distance. They had carved their names with a plus between them on the bark and drew a heart around it, they walked away happy smiling at each other. A few weeks ago the same girl had come and laid her hand on the carving shed a tear and walked away with sunken shoulders and a long face.
The winds were howling like a raging pack of wolves on the hunt. Racing through everything in sight. The torrential rains made it even worse for anyone who sought solace in such times of chaos. A dark shiny new highway was built cutting through the hills and the raindrops bounced over the asphalt and created a dense white mist about four feet high. The sun was setting and in the dim lights each and every leaf fluttered vigorously as if trying harder and harder to separate itself from the branches they grew out of. Just like teenagers of these days trying to rebel against their parents.

Storms have always had a reputation. Flying trees and debris is always lethal to anyone that dares tread out on such days.

Then came the night. As dark as it gets when you close your eyes and intermittent flashes of lightning like a skilled photographer from above is taking pictures of his creation (or destruction ?)

Everything looked white for a moment in that flash every leaf every tree every pole of light along the highway that had managed to stay upright so far. I wonder what the little squirrels were unto and where they managed to elope as their home was oh so easily toppled over.

When the sun lurked through the fading clouds the next morning there were landslides on the highway. The mighty hill too had had too much last night that it had to shed a layer that had loosened itself. It slid comfortably down on the road and came to a standstill.

The birds immediately came out of where ever they had managed to shelter and were chirping away. I wonder if in happiness of survival or in vain.
However there was a surprise that caught my eye the next morning. There was something miraculous that had happened and it opened my eyes in a n instance. The trees, the lampposts, the telephone lines and anything that once stood up had fallen. But the humble grass that was everywhere was unscathed. Neither it grew tall nor had roots deep down and spread around. It had been grazed upon by cattle and deer alike. But it managed to grow back some more tiny leaves every time it got a chance. No matter how hard the storm had tried and failed the grass simply waved itself and bowed down as if to respect the change that was coming its way.

And such is life I assume. Just a few days ago i said this to some one. Change is inevitable and everything that stands in its way will only be uprooted but everything else that managed to be flexible and welcomes that change with humility survives to see another day. we must also remember, that storms make trees take deeper roots. Just as we grow old our teeth so stubborn, fall off but our flexible tongue manages to remain with us till our last breath.

There will be times when you will face the strongest of hurricanes and turmoils in life but remember no storm lasts forever, soon there will be sunshine.

 

so just hang in there!

The Waterman!