Journey of Life

Aribam Surjeet Sharma *

As you walk down on the journey of life
Some days will be sunny, some days gloomy.
At certain moments, the caressing touch
Of the soft loving hand of good fortune;
At other moments, the cold chilling touch
Of the hard icy hand of misfortune.

When you're in fortune's cozy company,
Hundreds of hands may chase you here and there
To get hold of your hand for a handshake;
But, when you're in misfortune's company,
Those very hands may run away from you
As if chased by you from pillar to post.

When you're in fortune's cozy company
Hundreds of helping hands may bang your door
Scrambling to force upon you help unasked
But when you're in misfortune's company,
Hardly a helping hand may knock your door
Even if you shout yourself hoarse for help

When you're in fortune's cozy company
Hundreds of smiling faces may greet you
Whenever you pass people in the street.
But when you're in misfortune's company,
Hardly a face may even acknowledge you
Whenever you pass people in the street.

All of these may be unfolded to you
As you walk down on the journey of life
As the twist and turns of a great story
Is unfolded as you keep reading it.
Then it will dawn on you nobody wants
To be near one shadowed by misfortune

But, misfortune has got a silver lining--
To separate your true friends from false ones
As a sieve separates fine grains from coarse ones.
When misfortune casts its shadow on you,
The few left at your side are your true friends.
Everything in life has a purpose.