Showing posts with label short story. Show all posts
Showing posts with label short story. Show all posts

Saturday, October 4, 2014

The Spider and the Wall

Once upon a time there was spider. Lets call him Silly. Now one day, Silly the spider fell from his web, down on the floor. So Silly crawled towards the nearest wall and started climbing it.

Silly must have just gotten some two feet above when he missed a step(well spiders have 8 legs, one of them is bound to go wrong!) and fell back down again. But Silly was not in the least perturbed by his fall, he began his endeavor all over again. And this time Silly managed to go beyond 5 feet and he could see his web glistening. Eagerly he sped his way up, little aware of another drop waiting him. And drop he did. This drop left him disoriented but not disheartened. And again he began his arduous labor. Each time he fell and each time he tried again, till it was 99 times that the spider had failed his climb.

When Silly started his 100th attempt, he was extremely hopeful, since one of his ancestors had been successful the 100th time. And this time the spider climbed with determination, strength and most importantly HOPE! Before Silly knew it, he was already half way up the wall feeling exhilarated. But as fate would have it, he fell yet again. Crestfallen and beaten the spider just lay on the ground wondering why didn't his efforts succeed.

And while he lay there, his eyes fell on the adjoining wall. This wall too provided support to his web, since his web was built in a corner made by these two walls. Slowly the tired spider got up, and crept near the wall. A little reluctantly he began to climb it. He found something different in this wall. This wall was easier to climb, his legs were sticking well on its surface. Silly began his ascent more confidently and with new found rigor. And sometime later he was back in this web; happy, content and full of knowledge (knowledge at least about the walls.).

So many times in life we try to climb walls that were never meant for us.



Tuesday, May 22, 2012

God at the steering wheel


God was at the steering wheel, and I by His side. We were driving through the life road, and there came a steep descend, I said to Him,

“Oh come on God! We really don’t want to go down THAT road, I can’t even see where it ends. And its so steep…”

To which God replied,

“I am driving, you will be safe. It may look very steep, but I know exactly how to drive through this road, and besides you only said you don’t know where this steep road ends, wouldn’t it be fun to figure it out? Just sit back and relax! Let me drive you through it…”


Adamant as I was, I wasn’t going to let go that easily.

“But I just ate you know, I don’t think I am ready for a steep descent, how about we drive through a different way? I am surely gonna puke if we roll down this slope…”

“Why don’t you believe me when I say that it just ‘looks’ steep. You will be safe with me, and I promise that you will find a fantastic place at the end of the road…. And dear muffin, I am GOD, are you really threatening me with a bit of puke???”

He laughed after saying that, but I wasn’t remotely amused. There were so many other ways we could go, why go down that stupid steep road? I had to do something, could not let Him drive through that road.

I cried, I sobbed, I wailed. 

“I don’t want to go down that road! I just don’t, don’t, don’t! Why are you doing this to me? Why won’t you just let me drive through in peace? Why this road Lord, why this road?” 

He just smiled and promised me an amazing ride. So we began our journey, down the steep slope, the panic within me rising…

He began the journey, and I felt the g-force pull me down, I was very frightened, I tried to grab the steering wheel to steer away, the car swirled wildly. All the way down the road I tried to control the steering wheel and take charge, oh the stubborn God of mine wouldn't let me.

In the process I got mildly bruised too. And my anger was rising increasingly, when suddenly the car came to a halt and a beautiful place met my eyes. Oh there were fountains and trees with birds singing in them, the laughter of children playing around the rosemary bushes and the air had a mild fragrance in it.

I was mesmerized. I turned to God to thank Him, when I saw He was looking at my bruises, I realized at that moment that I had made my journey unnecessarily uncomfortable by trying to take control of the wheel.

When God is at the wheel, make sure He has the freedom to steer the way He wants to too, and do trust His driving skills!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Pebbles in the Pond


She was sitting under a tree, throwing pebbles into the pond, still brooding over the events that took place earlier that day. Plonk! Plonk! Plonk! Went the pebbles into the pond, each time creating a ripple in the calm water, her thoughts echoing an entirely different chaos.

He should not have yelled at me like that! So what if he’s my elder brother. I’ve grown old too now, I am not a baby anymore…

Plonk! Plonk! Plonk…!

And how dare he call me an idiot? I am not an idiot! I am as intelligent as he is, may be more! And what happened was an accident…

Plonk! Plonk! Plonk! Plonk! Plonk! Plonk…! 

I know he’s always had this hatred for me. Momma’s blue eyed boy! Why is he always trying to put me down!!! We are just a few years apart anyway. Why does he have to act so superior?

Plonk! Plonk! Plonk! Plonk! Plonk! Plonk! Plonk! Plonk! Plonk! Plonk! Plonk! Plonk…!!!

I was insulted. I am ALWAYS insulted by him. This time, he’s going to pay for it! This time I will make him regret yelling at me! I will show him I am equal in all respects to him. This time…

SSPLASHHHH!!!!

She was wet; the big splash brought her back to reality. Droplets had formed on her face; her hair and dress were wet too. For a while she was confused. She had no idea who made the splash. With anger in her eyes she looked here and there to locate the source of the splash. She found no one. Slowly her eyes fell on her own palm. The one which was throwing pebbles in the pond. It now held a big stone. SHE had made the splash!

While brooding over her brother, she never realized when her hand began picking and chucking larger stones in the pond. With each passing thought her hand was grabbing a bigger pebble, till it turned into grabbing stones.

How often do we let, small grudges, misgivings and self pity to take a big ugly form by brooding over it, by unnecessarily dwelling on it?

Anger, ego, jealousy, self pity, pride, malice, vengeance, vanity all begin at pebbles, and we only realize their hazardousness once we are drenched by a big splash. Do you want to curb it at pebbles? Or are you waiting to get wet?