THE TRUTH OF LIFE

The scenery seemed to pass slowly as we moved forward. My coffee was getting cold, so I drank all of it in a single sip. The train leaned slightly on the tracks and voices from the stations echoed in three different languages, making me annoyed. For the first time since taking my seat I had become aware of the conversations around me; phrases by elder ones, hushed words uttered by a group and silent words by the newlywed couple. The anxiety started and made me rub my chin. I was thankful as a discarded newspaper was lying on the seat opposite me. It took me two more minutes to decide whether to pick that paper or to leave it as it was. Finally I grabbed it and began reading, as passing time was always easier when I had something to read. I eventually came to a small article on fourth page. I paused, reread it and something was stuck in my mind.

The article was written in simple, matter of fact manner, with a bold heading Accident blew the family. It said- a young couple with a two year old child were returning from a party, their car pulled up outside their home. Mother and son got out of the car and went inside as father had to park the car. He got into the car and started reverse driving; the child came back through the front door and toddled towards the car. Father reversed without seeing, tragedy happened.  Mother could not stand up to the loss of her son and committed suicide. Below that article was a photo, three figures standing closely and smiling brightly, I could not recognize myself in that image.

Tears found their way from my eyes. I couldn't help it. Everything flashed in my memory like reels of picture and I closed my eyes for a moment. The image of a family photograph taken by a stranger the year before appeared in my mind, never fading or dissolving. Three figures standing closely, smiling brightly, and that brightness reached their eyes. Those captured moments were the happiest ones of my life. That incident changed everything and I still felt the guilt for the sin that I had committed.

 I started to shiver as the truth was difficult to shallow and again I observed my surrounding briefly, they were busy in their own world. I took the old photo out of my shirt pocket and stared at it, that smile was no more on my face. A dull sun brightened the compartment. Putting the photo again in my pocket, I looked out of the window and thought life was full of surprises-in one moment it can take you to the height of eternity and then the next it can shatter you.  

“Don’t turn your face away. 

Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know.

Open your eyes to the truth. It’s all around you.

Don’t deny what the eyes to your soul have revealed to you.”