What really matters...

Forever running, panting, gasping,
struggling to keep on the feet,
wobbling limbs, tired of the race,
with all but a mirage called goal,
where the eyes set, even though
it seems to flow in the vision, like the smoke
clouding the reason of its non-existence...

Long long run, a marathon, an endurance trip,
around the long winding paths, taking so many
hours out of life chasing that mirage or the dream...

While running, once I paused,
rather someone stopped me,
asked me to stop panting,
catch a breath, have a drink,
and look around, and there,
in that instant, I saw, what eluded me,
due to my chase...

Around me, before me, behind me,
beside me, above me, below me,
I saw, there was such abundance,
abundance of love and abundance of
friendship, abundance of beauty, and
of harmony.. Tranquil, reposing onlooking
audience,which suddenly felt more dear,
more important than the petty goal...
Goal diminished, it became more of a mirage now,
than it had ever been...

I had their sympathies,
and I had their love,
but then again came a doubt,
would it have existed, if I were
not in this chase, and then I realised,
there is a long long way to go...

So I got up, smiled,
and started running again,
but this time around, taking note of what
I have and what is around me,
lest goal never attained,
the race seem worthless,
I realised,
there is the journey,
and journey is what matters...

© Karthik Adithya Singaraju