Friday, February 6, 2009

Life is not a race

I had a hectic week and was generally chilling out . Was during the week, flitting in and out of home on official tours. Thought of writing a post and give vent to lingering conversations within myself. Until I read this one which lightened my being.

This poem was written by a terminally ill young girl in a New York Hospital.

SLOW DANCE
Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down
Don't dance so fast
Time is short
The music won't last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask ‘How are you’?
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast
Time is short
The music won't last.

Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste, not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say, "Hi"
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast
Time is short
The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

Insightful and touching. I thought I should learn and share this lesson.

16 comments:

Saritha said...

So touching.I hope the girls gets well soon.
Really we dont have to time do what we are supposed to do

nsiyer said...

Thanks Varunavi.I share your views.

Kavi said...

in the melee of finishing seeing all the paintings within closing time, the visitor to the museaum didnt see each enough to understand and appreciate !

Such are our lives today. thoughtful !

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

You touched my heart with this one nsiyer.

You are very insightful and have an amazing heart. Bless your girls, I hope they get better soon.

nsiyer said...

Thanks Kavi for the metaphoical way of conveying the meaning.

nsiyer said...

Thanks MMM & RS.
I have a son and daughter who also read your postings. They are very fine. Thanks for the comments.

priya said...

Very touching post, Sir.

The poem truly reflects the lives we're leading. Quick, fast paced and materialistic.

the poem immediately reminded me of what you wrote to me on a similar post of mine... 'Be with the ice-cream, when you are eating the ice-cream'

wishing the little girl a beautiful life!

nsiyer said...

Thanks Priya.Yes, but we need to learn and practise.

Giri Vasan Guinness said...

Very insightful. Excellent poem. We always keep running in life chasing something.

Happiness is just behind us, a stone throw away trying to reach us.

But we never allow it to catch up. The fear of unknown and security from nothing make us run like a mad.

The poem just tells us what many of us are doing. "Running away from happiness".

Lazyani said...

We all know it , don't we? Yet tomorrow morning the rat race will resume with a gusto.

Why does one have to fall ill or be hit with misfortune to realise this basic truth of life????????

Why can't we just slow down-- just for the heck of it????????

Sucharita Sarkar said...

What a meaningful poem. Life is not about the big goals and the important destinations, but it is in the little joys of the journey to that destination. And unless we stop and smell the roses on the way, we one day realise that the destination is an empty shell without the simple joys of the journey.

nsiyer said...

Thanks Giri for your valuable comments.

nsiyer said...

Thanks Lazyani. I totally agree that we should change.

nsiyer said...

Thanks Sucharita. Well said - the journey is what life is all about.

Anonymous said...

Amazing a little girl has been able to see the world the way she has.

It really sheds some light on "Being present".

Vish Iyer said...

After I read this ; it reminded me of our school days when we read a poem titled' LEISURE' and it had these words 'What is this Life full of care.. we have no time to stand and stare'. Whenever I have said it to my kids I have thought of our school friends and fun times.

Then I used to add another one which I think I have heard from you A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever' (poet- John Keats).

Keep writing so that we all can enjoy.