Tune In

… I dragged myself along, feeling bored and tired, observing how dreary and lacklustre life had become. Nothing seem new and exciting, I felt like I had done it, been there and I have the T-shirt to show for it. I wondered “where is life?” And “What is the point?”. My little one was with me and she didn’t seem to share my miserable outlook on life. It seemed we were in two different worlds and maybe we were. She has hopping and somersaulting all over the place, tickling me and tickling herself, poking at any and everything she could see. She was sniffing the air and picking all kinds of aromas, wanting to eat this, that and everything. She was laughing so loudly, talking at the top of her voice, all at the same time. She broke out into an off-key singing, totally oblivious of what key she should be singing in, beaming from ear to ear at strangers. In short, she was having a one-person party and enjoying herself. In the same world, same space, all of these were happening at the same time, me in my ‘you know what’ mood and she in her very happy mood. It dawned on me, that the issue was not the world, it was me, it was her, it was every one of us and how we engage with life.

In the very very far distance, from yonder, I then hear an extremely faint sound, a distinct voice, audible, crystal, but still faint, I could not miss it anywhere. It was a lion! “The forest is not silent,” he said, “Tune in, my friend” he added. “I hear nothing” I replied. “Tune in” he insisted. The forest is awash with all kinds of sounds and noises; Twigs snapping, birds chirping, wolf howling, bees buzzing, an owl hooting, duck quacking, water flowing, fish jumping, dogs barking, frogs croaking, snakes hissing, stream bubbling. Elephants, tigers, coyotes, lizards, insects, etc are all in the forest making their noises. Tune In!

As I move my hand towards the dial, the voice of Lion slowly vanished away. I stopped midway and pondered, the choice is truly mine, whether I engage with life or not, whether I tune in to the sounds of the forest or not, the forest is not silent, the voice of Lion might no longer be heard, but the forest is not silent, day or night! I can party with my little one or stand aloof, but the party goes on and that is the way it goes. That is just the way it goes.