The Celebration Called Life

Life -the very word denotes liveliness, positivity, celebration. The spirit of celebration is imbued in life. On looking back, I feel that both my father and mother meant to teach us this- life is celebration. Even a cursary glance down the memory lane reveals how the celebratory moods were not confined to just the festivals of Diwali, Holi but 'Halwa' would be cooked or sweets were brought on all special days like Lohri, Republic Day,  Baisakhi, Independence Day.  On a rainy day the question hurled to us, the kids was: 'jal thal hoga ki nahi' and incase of heavy rain, mangoes' box marked thankfulness to Him  and sharing of joy with family. The kind of celebration would be different but the spirit was common- sharing happiness with gratitude. Even good weather, pleasant evening,  a cloudy morning, a drizzle in June or a starry night used to be suffice to kick off the spirit of gaiety. On the other hand the usage of a good word in language spoken or written, a marksheet with distinction in subject of English (rest of the subjects didn't matter), the narration of an appreciation by a teacher in the class (with emphasis on 'Kataria') would call for a 'chhaal' (jump) by Pitaji and 'inaam'(prize) of rupees ten. A neatly written letter, a good cup of tea, an impactful oration too could mean a call for the Celebration. 

I often wonder that with passage of time the spirit of celebration should go up or wane? In case of my parents it always went up howsoever long or short their life span was. Why a heartful guffaw oft makes us wonder as to when was it last that I had such a hearty laugh? Why every celebration would choke the throat or cause a lump? Why every joyous moment makes one cross the fingers so involuntarily and spontaneously? Why a silent prayer would always be there in a family gathering or seeing all enjoying with sense of abandonment?  May be the scarcity and scant ness of the moments of celebration makes us contemplative in face of joy and happiness. But who has caused this scarcity? God has always been abundantly kind and benevolent then how come we, the lesser mortals have 'chosen' to limit the supply of joy to ourselves? The fear of the unknown has always been there since times immemorial, then why do we deny ourselves the small pleasures, the joy of giving and sharing, the spirit of empathy and generosity?

Having lived all the years that each one of us has, the best is for sure yet to come. We only have to let go, take a chance, shrug off the fears of uncertain tomorrow and move a step forward, come out in the open, use our steps to play to the tune of our heart and there it is -the joy of living! 

Three years ago when I bought a bicycle for myself, it gave me the joy even the buying of a car could not give, for cycling ( after thirty three years of having left it ) meant being in the open and letting myself go the way I used to when I was eight years old!  

Today I gathered my guts to go for scuba diving. It was a difficult decision but I thought if I who has always been afraid of water, could do scuba diving, I could do anything. And there I was under the surface into the deep sea near Havelock mesmerised to see the acqua life, the varied coloured fish, jelly fish, the soft looking awesome rocks, the pebbles-all representing life as a whole. It was like being in another world with no choice but to let go once inside the sea. The calmness and the colourfulness I encountered gave me a feel of being in deep meditation when even the consciousness of breathing became non existent. When I came out, it was like having been to a wonderland of fairies !

Thank you, God, for making me feel happy, healthy and positive to partake in celebration called life.