117. Quick Shake

My body, mind and intellect are at loggerheads again.

I know it is not the right time for this to happen. My problem is : there is never a right time for it to happen. Every time I excuse myself on this point, they become adamant. Especially at this hour, I have no control over them. I do not have a wrist watch or a wall clock. But somehow I can always guess time approximately correctly. This must be around 1.30 in the morning, I know.

The windowpanes are making noise. The bed is behaving as if it is contemplating to hurriedly initiate a Rock Dance. The dogs are barking. The crows and kites are engaged in producing frightening calls. People are shouting loudly. First I thought I must be dreaming. But I realize that it is an Earthquake. My intellect orders me to RUSH DOWN – ‘Safety First’ is the right approach in such situations.

However, mind rejects the suggestion of the intellect. (I know, I should not do this!) It decides to ‘experience’ what is happening. The body and mind have their own conflict, but when intellect arrives in the picture, the body always associates with the mind. Like politicians, nobody is a permanent enemy of the other in my own world too.

I am awake, but not frightened. I am not panicking. I am not running away. It is foolish of me to act in this way, but I can’t help. I am listening to the trembling Earth. I think she is saying something, but can’t make out what it is.

The tremor lasts only for few seconds. Two seconds? Three seconds? I am not sure. It ends as if before it began.

I stretch my hand towards my mobile handset to see what time it is. It is 2.00 in the morning. The silence falls – that means not much damage done by this.

I always wonder about Earth. In a way, she is bound by Natural Law, Governed by unknown Forces. Who decided that the Earth should move round the Sun? Who decided that Life should evolve on the Earth? Did the Earth had her choice or she - like all of us - is just a part of the Cycle? In this way we are similar to Earth – we get what we did not ask for and we have the responsibility to carry it on well.

Sometimes I wonder that like me (and you of course), whether Earth too has a mind and an intellect along with her material existence. No, I don’t mean to say that Earthquakes happen to punish bad people, or that is the way of the Earth to take revenge. I don’t think Earth is that MEAN. It must be something like - she is trying to throw her binding in some way, maybe she is just yawning or stretching herself a bit .. who knows?

Does Earth too have a Goal to achieve? Does she have a plan to move on? Is she bothered about her destruction? Does she have hopes? Does she aim to reach somewhere? What is her destiny? Will she be destroyed one day? Then what will happen? From where she came and to where she would go? Does she experience the feelings of happiness, joy and pain? Maybe not measurable on human scale – but on HER scale? Does she speak? Does she have a language? Does she feel lonely? Does she dream? How does she face the boredom? What inspires her to carry such a burden of humanity and other species? Do they mean anything to her or not at all?

Sounds like human life ..... isn’t it?

***********

I start towards my office at 9.00 a.m. – seven hours after the Tremor.

The moment I put my feet on the ground (I live on the second floor) – I ask the Earth (speaking to oneself is a sign of madness, but I have always been that Mad!),

“Are you OK? What happened? ”

Earth smiles listlessly. But she is clearly amused.

“I am perfectly alright my child. HOW ARE YOU?” she asks smilingly.

“I am fine. That was a Quick Shake indeed,” I tell her.

Earth smiles at me. I smile at her.

I move on.

With an assurance: that in Life and in Death, the Earth is going to be with me.

I will never be alone.

My destiny is part of Her destiny, though Her destiny includes many more such tiny destinies.

We may explore it together, or we may explore it separately – but explore we will.

And where we reach is not important, how we travel is important!

To make best of what we have is the right approach to make a right beginning.

The Quick Shake clearly destroyed something in me ... and gave way for new things!