I WISH I WERE A CHILD AGAIN

I WISH I WERE A CHILD AGAIN

               It was one of those days when I just wanted to lock myself up and cry till I was out of tears. But I was not ready for arched eyebrows, concern and bombardment of questions. So I made a way to a garden nearby my house fighting back all the tears. I sat there for hours when a joyful cry of someone brought to me in real world. I found myself in the midst of children playing hopscotch with unbelievable cheery smiles, like they were on the top of the world. I was agog so I pushed myself to look around and found the same grin not only on every child’s face over there but also on elders’ face who accompanied them. Just then somewhere a child fell and got his knee scrapped which made his eyes go all watery. But as soon as this beautiful lady, none other than his mother, kissed him, the pain seemed to wither away. I wish it was that easy now, just walk into a huge garden and suddenly all your problems seem so far away, the only pain was skinned knees and elbows and cure for them was a peck on a cheek or sugary words.

               Suddenly a sense of nostalgia swept over me which was abstruse. I know this is going to sound really filmy and cheesy but I ‘did’ see myself playing in that very garden with a twinkle in my eye, a wide smile without my milk teeth, as innocent as dove and dancing in shores of love. I missed that time when my broken words were treat for everyone, when I had nothing to care about but everything was taken care of.  Betrayal for me was just when I was given the smaller piece of cake and somebody got the bigger one. That was the time when my weirdest paintings were considered to be art and jealousy was only when my classmate got new pencil box. It was the time when my singing aloud was not considered madness; I could speak anything I wish, blab silly words and live like a free bird, ignorant of the cruel world. Single candy floss lit up my little world. The time was so different then…  So serene…  So pure…

But the pages of life have turned now…

               Scrapped knees have changed to broken hearts. Bigger piece of cake has changed to need for power. Paper boats have sailed away with innocence and genuine smile. It’s the time when you have to deal with your own problems, heal your mental wounds on your own, wear a façade which hides all your emotions. It’s the time when everything has changed for good or worse, when you can just ‘dream’ of being a child again. People have become mechanized object with a heart like a dead stone.  I so want to get away from all hustle & bustle, away from tension to wrestle, with every bit of maturity I attain “I wish I were a child again!”