What's so different about this place?
Why does it bring me here all the time?
What magical spell has it cast on me?
I had all these questions (and several more) when I parked my bike in the parking area of my favourite place: The beach of Alibag.
My previous visit to this place had come after a very turbulent time (
A cup of sanity), and I had thought I would never see such a demanding term again. But then I took Consumer Behaviour as an elective course, and I was proved completely wrong! Term 3 was more hectic than even the placement term. Much much more hectic, and maybe rewarding too. :)
Anyways, like always, I wear my cloak of invisibility (read: Headphones) and start walking on the platform that is adjacent to the main beach, while looking at the progression of the evening in the sky.
It looks very different every time. I see different shades of blue in the sky, covered with a unique set of clouds everytime. Then there are followed by different shades of orange, and red, then different shades of grey and then black. Black decorated by the same set of stars but in a different way all the time. Sometimes, there is a full moon, showing off its luminance and overpowering the other stars in its vicinity and sometimes it's just a cluster of beautiful stars, while the white ball of light is nowhere to see.
The land beneath this everchanging sky has also not remained constant over the period 10 odd years. First, it was just plain, straight strip of beach with several small rocks arranged in a random fashion on one end and the blueness of the water on the other end. Then, the government suddenly decided that they want to construct a good pathway and a set of platforms on the beach, and they eventually did (but they demolished my favourite spot in the process) Artificial yellow street lamps started competing with natural white moonlight. You never understand when this competition gets converted into a cooperation and gives the beach a beautiful hue of gold; a shade that blurs the line between heaven and earth!
But then the government (actually, the civil body looking after the city, and thus, the beach too) showed what it is best at showing: Apathy! They didn't take much care of the masterpiece they had built (I wonder how). So, the golden shade has faded now, as some lamps don't work. And half of the platforms is buried under the sand now, cause the sea claimed the territory that has been taken from him during the construction of this platform.
Yes, the sea: the third factor involved in these inexplicable and everchanging set of equations. Has it remained constant? Not at all. It never remains still for even a millisecond of time. Sometimes roaring and embracing the beach with its tides, and sometimes retreating and saying a sad goodbye to the sand, trying to hold it in its hands, but failing, and failing miserably. This series of love and tragedy continue forever, but the way it unfolds always feels different.
And then there's me: the fourth factor, the one on the RHS of these equations, the one who has always been confronted by life with different problems every the time. And I have always tried to interpret these three factors in some way to suit those problems. Sometimes, its a heartbreak, a void in the heart, that can't be filled with gallons of water available in that ocean, but still, the somehow it feels less empty in the vicinity of the sea. Sometimes, it's a bad dream and the afterthoughts of it, which can not be cured by even the golden bliss, but yes, a walk on that bliss really helps. And sometimes it's just the lack of inspiration, which is not a problem at all when I meet these three factors playing together; not factors actually, but my friends, inviting me to play with them, tell them my stories, and let me listen to theirs!
Everything changes, on LHS, and so does the RHS too, which is being held by me.
When somebody told you, that change is the only constant, then he was telling you the biggest secret of the life. Situations are not going to be similar throughout your life, they are going to be very different. The context will be different, so will be the set of expectations you face them with and the availability of the resources too. And most importantly, the people who will be on the RHS of their respective equations are going to change with these situations too; and so are you!
So, when you next time say that XYZ has changed, remember that you see XYZ, but not the factors on his LHS that changed him. Also, when you feel about something in a different way, you can simply guess that your factors are changing too!
But the beauty of this entire process is, you can always change a person or yourself by changing some underlying factors.
Don't like the extra Kgs you have put on? run and control your diet. Coz these factors affect your weight and you know it.
Don't understand the difficult lesson taught in the class? Talk to that instructor and study. You know the factors here too.
A girl said no to you? Well, try to find the factors on LHS again and see if you can change them!
Couldn't crack CAT? Or the interview you wanted so badly to go right? Don't worry, you can change the result in future. You have enough power to change it.
Change is the only constant, they say; but they forget to tell you that, change is brought by people like you and me, the ones who have enough courage to change the relevant factors!