The life of Sky

Sitting atop in his small cosy hill cottage, Sky was gazing up at the stars on a quiet, breezy evening after a long & tiring day. Sky grows Apples, Pears and Peaches in his Orchard and is mostly a happy man, except sometimes he gets into a sombre mood, triggered by some perceived lack in his life. Having travelled extensively with his father from whom he inherited the Orchards and business, he matured a bit early in his life. In a family of three, Sky had a challenging childhood. He was mostly home-schooled due to frequent relocations that the ‘then-struggling’ family business demanded. The business stabilized and grew and the family did well, but this adversity opened an opportunity for Sky to read and understand life as closely as most kids coloured their art books. As they say, the more you experience life, the wiser you get. Sky had experienced more of every bit in life hence was reaching to that higher level. These bouts of gloomy somberness were maybe a precursor to what Sky was just about to experience and realise.

Life is now abundant. There is nothing that he desires which he can’t get. Having chased enough, achieved enough and experienced enough, there are times when Sky feels a lack, still. While this is a good sign for him, it makes him wonder often what is now left and what is he still looking for. It’s certain, he feels a lack and is looking for something.

Earlier in the day, just when he was having Apples and Peaches packed for the shipment, One slightly unripe fruit caught his attention. The packing attendant promptly picked the unripe fruit and put it aside. While this was a routine and daily process that Sky witnessed, today it caught his attention deeply and it hung there for long. All through while he was driving back, the thought kept coming back to him.

Rocking on his chair now, just when he fixed his gaze on a star, the thought resurfaced. It seemed the image of the unripe Apple had magnified and as though the fruit wanted to talk to him.

Apple: “Why did you keep me aside?”, asked the Apple. Sky: ‘Well, your time wasn’t right then, hence’, replied Sky. Apple: “Ah! and tomorrow?” Sky: ‘You’ll be there’ Apple: “Hmm! so you are deciding for me, when my time is right?” This was a moment of realization for Sky. Since he had gone through so many adverse situations in life, every single time when he was challenged, the sense of lack surfaced. He became so used~to that feeling of lack, it became a part of his subconscious. Despite him being fulfilled and living a life of abundance, the lack stayed. It’s like, he had practised it so well that he had mastered the art of ‘feeling the lack’ and it came naturally to him. This moment he realised, everything was complete, always. His time is right now, his time was right then and will be right, always. He didn’t need anyone ever to tell him that time wasn’t right. Just like the Apple, there may have been situations when he wasn’t ripe enough, but that didn’t make him any less good.

Apple: “Are you counting me in tomorrow?” Sky: ‘Of course. You are good to go’ Apple: “Do I need to ask you to add me to the pack” Sky: ‘Well NO. I can see that you are good. You deserve to be there’ Apple: “Hmm! Cool” Apple: “What If I don’t ripen that way you want me to? Would I still be good?” Sky: ‘Definitely Yes! You’ll be as good. You will be good no matter how you much you ripen. This is because the marketplace is huge and vast enough. You’ll always have those wanting you, just the way you are’ The second realization, no matter ‘how’ and ‘what’ you are, the measure of ‘your being’ and existence is far larger and immense than any gap that you see between yourself and anybody else. It’s futile to compare yourself and your journey with someone else’s. No matter what the difference be, it’s too minuscule and insignificant compared to the greatness of your being and existence. Stop fretting on insignificant differences and enjoy your being and self. Don’t force yourself to fit into someone else’s expectations. It’s no good, there is no point doing so. Forced fitments are compromises and Life is too good to be lived through a compromise. The universe is too abundant and vast to embrace you, just as you ARE.

Sky was still. The star that anchored his gaze had grown brighter and that ‘search of the unknown’ that weighed on his mind constantly, seemed gone. Now, there was no lack. Sky was complete, as he was, he is and will always be.

Peace to all 🙂