Then and now

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

* Where are those days when I would spend all the time in the noon staring at the eagles in the sky circling as if in slow motion?They used to take about an hour to circle in and out of our view of the sky.I look up now and there ain't even half the number of eagles there used to be.

* When I could just pick up my trusty catapult and shoot pebble after pebble , the exact same spot on the tree without being shouted at by anyone.Now I neither have a caterpillar nor do I go 30 seconds without washing my hands as soon as I pick up a pebble.

* When I could just pick up my bicycle in the evening and ride off to somewhere someplace where the wheels took me.Now,I think twice before kick-starting my bike wondering how much of my dad's money I am burning.

* When elders meant - respect, hurry, busy-for-me, worried, hard work , my-source-of-coffee , force-me-to-eat , never-understand-me , NEVER-GROW-UP-TO-BE-ONE!!!

* When betta seemed to be so far away and I would promise myself - I will definitely go to the betta at least once a year when I grow up.Now so many trees on the hill thank me and my buddies.

* When fantasy land meant- fantasy land.It had gummi bears, wendy the witch or Ritchie Rich and lots of cool stuff or magical things.Now its a lush green meadow, a bubbling brook and my dreamgirl.

* When 2 AM meant I'm in the middle of my daily quota of deep sleep and probably a dream and NOT the last person of the day I am bugging on the chat.