It was a loud thunder that woke me up from deep slumber at midnight one
day. I opened my eyes with great difficulty, looked around and tried to get
my bearings right. While I was still half asleep, there was another thunder
followed by lightning and I was wide awake. I looked around the bedroom and
found it pitch dark and closed my eyes again. A gentle touch from the window
curtains which were taking a flight due to the heavy wind blowing from outside
prevented me from going back to sleep. I got up from the bed, located the bed
light and switched it on. It didn’t respond and I realized that there is power
failure. While still sitting on the bed I tried to focus my eyes on the
surroundings and could not see anything. A loud sound from the backyard made me
jump up and I walked towards the door intuitively. To go to the backyard, I
have to go through the living room, dining hall and kitchen which are crowded
with sofas, chairs and tables and I started picturising the layout mentally.
The inner Compass. Under
the normal circumstances, it would not have been possible to negotiate these
obstacles in pitch darkness. However, I made my way through them as if I was
wearing night binoculars. I was amazed that I did neither bump into any furniture
nor hit against a wall. I walked as one who knows the layout as one’s back of
the hand and felt very comfortable in reaching the door to the backyard.
I went into the backyard and
found that a branch of the mango tree broke and fell to the ground which was
the cause of the sound. Since there was nothing I could do in the thunder and
storm, I made my way to the portico and sat in a chair. My eyes closed slowly
and I turned into my inner self.
I found myself asking “How could
you walk through all the above obstacles in pitch darkness? What helped you
walk from bedroom to backyard as if you had a light in your hands?”
“It was easy” I replied.
“I knew the terrain well. It is registered in my mind and I do not require any
light to take me through a place which I know well; even in the face of
darkness and obstacles”
Wisdom Dawns upon me. “Well
said” my inner self appreciated and went on “let
us apply this to our lives; while going through life, many of us grope in the
darkness in broad daylight and some of us walk through darkness as if it was
daylight. Those who have made distinct plans in their lives and traversed the
path mentally are very confident of embarking upon the journey at any time of
the day or night; hail or storm; obstacles or hurdles. For those who fail to
tap into their potential grope in daylight as well; the path is a blur for
them; every small obstacle comes in their way and the destination and destiny
elude them”.
“How do you rate me?” I
asked and pat came the reply “Daylight on a Dark Night” leaving
me to decipher the meaning and relationship.
