Bittersweet

by AKRITEE SHRESTHA

FROM ISSUE # 154 (October 2008) | IN THIS ISSUE
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Once upon a time, Pluto was a planet. We were little; it was the age of fairy tales, of dreams that came true and of happily-ever-afters. The world got bigger each day and owing to whatever little we knew, we wavered between delightful contentment and ardent curiosity. Those were the simpler times.

Life's been a lot different lately. The reality all fairy tales, turns out, is only a "work of fiction". Life isn't as simple as just doing what you're told and being good. Dreams do come true and good things do happen to good people- but not all the time. The world is still building up on itself, but it's not always a welcome picture as it once used to be. The people you once looked up to now set your frontiers and living up to people's expectations is a never ending process.

But here's what I know- life might be a lot of other things, but better parts of it comes from waking up to the reality and accepting it. So the world is not perfect, but it is so for a reason. A perfect world would actually mean the end of all possibilities- including those that stretch out farther than our wildest pictures of perfection. Maybe I didn't want to know that I won't have it my way every time, even if I did everything right, maybe I didn't want to find out just yet how harsh reality can sometimes be. Maybe I was better off knowing only about the happy people and the good things- or, maybe not. Because I know now that knowing something won't always make your life easier, but not knowing it could make it harder. I know now that people's expectations are not nearly as important as your own.And I now know that once you stop worrying about the boundaries, it gets easier to get past them.

What awes me is that despite everything, the ever unfolding world still grips me with utter curiosity. It makes me reach out for more; it urges me to not stop dreaming. The task of "coping up" is easier said than done but I stand by what they said about not giving up. No one wants to fail but the thought of not trying scares me. I'd rather take both ups and downs of life as they come than walk a straight path not knowing where exactly I stand. I don't want to sit back and judge the world- I want to be a part of it.

Roosevelt had said, "The real credit goes to the one who at his best knows the high end of triumph and who at his worst, if he fails while daring greatly, knows his place shall never be among those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." I believe him.