What is it about college campuses that makes one believe that life is never a struggle but only an array of opportunities? What is it about the romance of friendship that makes us believe that friends are forever and ever and ever? What is it about the magical age of youth that one feels time is endless and happiness always permanent?
These thoughts and more stroked my heart after a rendezvous’ with a couple of old college mates two days ago. Life had taken us away and each one had drifted in his or her own path .As we gossiped, image after image crumbled. The reality today was no longer fresh as rose. The dew drops had dissipated and what was left was a barren desert.
And my thoughts gently floated back over to the campus. I could see the young boys and girls laughing, playing, running, screaming, crying, consoling, fighting and making up and fighting again. The hostels stood mute testimony to our vows and promises.
The wonderful bonds of friendships that developed mainly due to a 24/7 proximity and were generated by default were our lifelines. Friendships that grew because we shared a room or friendships that grew because we had common friends or friendships that grew because we shared the same passions or hobbies. Like the Pied Piper, the Campus led all of together on a journey that we shared and finally flung us all out of its gate only to be drowned by Time.
Today we didn’t know where these friends were. Though some of them were on Facebook or Orkut, the bonds were no longer there. Some of them didn’t want to be contacted. Some of them were not traceable. But what pinched the most was the closest of friends didn’t know each other was.
As the conversation moved ahead I clung on to my memories not wanting any more to disappear. I rummaged through old photographs just to ensure that my world rebuilt itself in my mind and was just as I had left it.
Kagaz ke kuch tukdon mein yaadein hain humaari
Unhe kaagaz mein hi rehne do
Jo duniya chod aaye hum woh aaj nahin hain humaari
Unhe palkon mein hi rehne do
5 comments:
Wonderful.. I did share the same feelings.. but never had the intellect to compare it to a pied piper.
PRIYA.....I ABSOLUTELY AGREE 2 WAT U SHARED............THNX TO U THAT U MADE MY DAY WITH SO MUCH OF FUN AND NOSTALGIA............
well one is not sure were the piper led the kids,we were thrown to a promised world.Depth of friendship known only when parted,what we thought was true may be a fallacy and vice-versa.nothing much to say........nostalgia.
I like. And agree.
The years when friends were everything to us. Over the years we realise that some friendships were never meant to be and while others sustain the test of time. The fact is we, in those school/college days, we tend place too much energy and focus and tireless hope into these relationships in the belief that they would last forever. But in the end, these experiences - good and bad - and memories - both beautiful and painful make us what we are today.
Yes, I miss the days I was in college. Carefree time and no worries of the world.
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