When I was born, I had no intellect of any kind.
There were no shadows in my heart and no impressions on my mind.
When I reached the age of senses, I looked around.
I saw strangers whom I liked to touch, see and hear their sound.
Few years passed and I was into the zest of life, when everything was fresh and alive.
Not sure why, but I found some people so dear to me, not necessarily near to me.
I just loved to give them, wanted to help them and see them happy.
I just loved to have them.
Time marched and then came the age of intelligence.
It came with its own apprehensions;
Willingness to like people around me was still there, but too many questions.
I believe I started judging people, or rather analyzing their presence around me.
I was not shy or selfish or opportunistic but turning strangers into friends was no more fun as it used to be.
Now after so long when I am sitting alone, catching up on life,
I am thinking about people I met so far.
People whom I wanted to touch, see and hear as a child.
People with whom I wanted to share my thoughts and things when I was a teen.
People whom I liked but could not hold onto, people who liked me but then I was not so keen.
People who are now friends for life, but with whom I am not in touch anymore.
People with whom I interact often, but they are as strange as they were before.
I am thinking about faces with no names, and names with no faces.
People without whom life was once unimaginable once, but now lost without any traces.
So many people I have interacted with, so many faces fresh in mind.
Good, not so good, cool, not so cool, friends, strangers, close, far; faces of all kind.
As all these thoughts are settling down, they are leaving me with the thoughts of people who bring me smiles.
People with whom I am planning to walk my last miles.
People who bring pleasure in the things I do everyday and who make my life exciting.
People who make tomorrows to come more inviting.
Arpit Gattani - 11/07/2000
