go on, make the best memories.

“Will you come out tonight?” “Let’s go eat something nice” “I want to go dancing” “I just want to go for a walk!” “Please come along with me to the market” “let us go watch this movie”

"umm... okay." 

“No!” I don’t feel well. No! its too hot. No I have work. No I have to cook. No I am busy. No I am sad. No I don’t feel like. And just NO NO NO!

This post goes out to two people. Those 2 who have been taking my craziest tantrums and  the most lame excuses for nearly 2 years now.

We were sitting casually at the bank and talking. Yes, those of you who know, the spot at Vijaya bank.  It was pretty late and I sat there waiting for my sister to come. This girl happens to be a friend, a mentor and someone I have grown up with. We were just sitting discussing our lives and her newly begun work.

“So, what do you plan to do tonight?” came her question.

“Nothing! I may go out with my friends.” I replied. “though I don’t feel like” (it was one of those innumerable times when I yet again didn’t feel like going, more than feel did not realize the worth of going.)

“Hmm... any reason?”

“NO!” I felt no need to explain and she didn’t ask. I was relieved to have escaped her whys and so’s.

“do I tell you something?”

“Yeah.. “I said. Deep inside I was wishing she would not start one of her lectures yet again.

“See, had I met you 3 years back I would have never dreamt of telling you such a thing. But today as I stand at the threshold of a completely new phase of life I want to give you a piece of advice.”

“GO OUT WITH YOUR FRIENDS, each time someone asks you to come along try to find a way to go instead of finding an excuse to escape.” “Learn to say more of YES and less of NO.” “Meet new people” “Don’t shy away.”

“I feel sad in telling you I didn’t enjoy my college years, now looking back I barely have those few friends, no one who would call me years later and remind me of something memorable that we did together. I maintained a high CGPA and always had laudable attendance.  I stayed in the good books of nearly everyone. But now I feel ashamed to have ignored those friends back then. I said so much NO to everybody that there came a stage when no one bothered to even ask. I kept myself involved in my books and bothered only about myself. In short, I missed out on living those four years. I feel guilty for those uncountable times I lied to escape them” “Now I am trying. I will not sideline my work but at the same time I shall remember that there is more to life than just work.”

“I am telling you all this just so that you realize the worth of what you are doing these days, just so that later in life when you sit back and tell people of your tales you will have enough to look back on. Life will never be measured by what all you have achieved, rather by the number of people whose lives you have touched and changed. Those people who count on you. Those who in the end will least remember you.”

“Hello, YES I am coming tonight!” “Please come and pick me up when you guys are ready.” I called up a friend and told so right away.

I had already learnt my lesson. Before it is too late I believe it will be better if I mend my ways.

P.S.- i would like to end with the lines of one of my favorite songs..

So take the photographs
and still frames in your mind.

Hang it on a shelf
In good health and good time.

Tattoos of memories
and dead skin on trial.

For what it's worth,
it was worth all the while.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

♥ ♥ ♥