A man lives in a cruel world. He lives in constant fear of failure and the even larger fear of social rejection. He wants to conform to the expectations of his peers but he cries when he's alone. The worst off are those of us who are misplaced by harsh strokes of fortune - it is impossible to set yourself right in the ocean of humanity. Some people are born to suffer. Others suffer when they take steps to come closer to the ones they love. For some, you can hardly say where they went wrong.
You may claim to need only some money, you may say you wish to study for eternity or that you have the luxury to do what you like. How many of us can say that there isn't a repressed dream buried under a mountain of denial and a fair sprinkling of "success"? How many of us have the courage to face a truly horrid reality - that we have lost almost all what we once desired?
Some people, then, are set in the right direction. The others paddle frantically to catch the right current. God bless them all.
I always wondered when I'd get to use the posh sounding Latinized version of RIP. I didn't know life could be so cruel. I wasn't intending to write an eulogy but today I found myself feeling something which Prateek told me about.
You may claim to need only some money, you may say you wish to study for eternity or that you have the luxury to do what you like. How many of us can say that there isn't a repressed dream buried under a mountain of denial and a fair sprinkling of "success"? How many of us have the courage to face a truly horrid reality - that we have lost almost all what we once desired?
Some people, then, are set in the right direction. The others paddle frantically to catch the right current. God bless them all.
I always wondered when I'd get to use the posh sounding Latinized version of RIP. I didn't know life could be so cruel. I wasn't intending to write an eulogy but today I found myself feeling something which Prateek told me about.
There are others far more qualified to speak of Prateek. There were his department batch mates, his quizzing partners, several boisterous personalities and surely many more outside the realms of Roorkee.
Prateek was a friend. He wore a smile on his face at all times. He had a garb of contentment and satisfaction. He was a great quizzer. That's all I know. And that's what I'll ever know.
But more than that, today I could feel that suffocation - that panic at facing an ugly maze of uncertainty and helplessness. And then, that dark and depressing reality of life - time moves on and all you can do is flail at the dreams which were most alluring. Which were lovely to contemplate and which were soothing to the senses. Those which brought a cool and calming breeze to an overloaded forehead. And then they were gone forever.
Imagine being prisoner to this damning indictment of life.
Prateek was a friend. He wore a smile on his face at all times. He had a garb of contentment and satisfaction. He was a great quizzer. That's all I know. And that's what I'll ever know.
But more than that, today I could feel that suffocation - that panic at facing an ugly maze of uncertainty and helplessness. And then, that dark and depressing reality of life - time moves on and all you can do is flail at the dreams which were most alluring. Which were lovely to contemplate and which were soothing to the senses. Those which brought a cool and calming breeze to an overloaded forehead. And then they were gone forever.
Imagine being prisoner to this damning indictment of life.
The last chat I had with Prateek was when he contacted me on Whatsapp. Here's a transcript,
19:47, 6 Dec 2012 - +91 84 39 695120: You too frust with work ?
-Prateek
21:15, 6 Dec 2012 - *: Yeah man. A lot of times
21:38, 6 Dec 2012 - +91 84 39 695120: I can understand . Life is short man. Do what you want yo
21:38, 6 Dec 2012 - +91 84 39 695120: To*
While I agree with you that there were/are others who could speak of Prateek more surely...even I didn't know him too well. But the dismal part is that not even his deptt-mates knew what was happening. I had asked two of them whom I remember he used to hang out with most frequently.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me wonder, whatever is the use of FB or whatsapp or anything for that matter...if you don't have real friends to talk to! He was alone just the same, it seems.
Baridhi
It's hard to really say anything without jumping into the realm of speculation. And it's impossible to know his state of mind. Perhaps, we should avoid doing that too.
DeleteIt's just a terrible, tragic loss that makes us all so much poorer.