Close Yet So Far

By Neha Katakwar

"I have fallen for the moon!"

The little girl said to her mother.

"It brings peace and contentment to my soul,

Absolutely like none other!"

The lady smirked,

Looking at the innocence of her little girl.

And continued listening,

to what her baby hates about that 'luminous pearl'.

"I have to wait whole day

to get a glimpse of it mommy,

Can I just go and bring it to our home?

Please, don't stop me!"

She laughed and put her to sleep!

Little did she know

that it was not just a crazy statement,

but something too deep!

The girl woke up in the morning and waited for the night,

And rushed towards the moon on seeing its sight.

She ran and ran and ran,

Through the stones, pits and bushes,

But doesn't feel closer

To the destination she wishes!

Heavy breathes and shaky legs,

Made her took a little pause.

Shore of an ocean was where she reached,

Far far away from her home it was!

Being unaware of the term called "Reflection",

She started to swim in the forward direction!

"My family taught me to never give up,

I am tired and weak,

but Wait my moon, I am coming to you

let me speed up!"

After killing a lot of time,

She cried and screamed in the middle of the ocean.

"It's a goddamn lie,

How can I fail even after so much devotion!?"

Mind whispered-

"Swim a little more, try a little harder dude!"

"No, shut up! This is exactly how I wanna conclude!"

"Isn't it an easier option - to give up?"

Her mind interrupts.

"No, what's actually easier is to not swim,

and stay in the middle of the ocean!

Anticipate the moment when I no longer feel any emotion.

The moment when my soul moves out of the body and flies,

Leaving me with just an option to say everyone goodbyes!"

"So,

With my aching heart and body's pain,

Let me cover such a long distance again!

Not to move forward towards that illusion,

But to swim backward to the home with a clear vision!"

"And then, I would sit in my backyard with a cup full of coffee and a little bit of experience, and giggle over the irony-

How moving forward actually requires swimming back to the shore!

How choosing an easier option sometimes requires your strength a lot more!

And,

Inspite of how weak you feel after covering such a long distance,

It has just improved your endurance,

greater than ever before!!"

By Neha Katakwar