I Wanted To See For Years...

The grass seemed greener that day. My joys knew no bound as I ran on the meadows; my bare feet were eager to touch the grass. The running didn't tire me at all. I ran and ran and ran, happy to feel the grass beneath, caress my feet. The heavens above roared and soon, as I had anticipated, it began to rain.

I have a habit of catching a cold easily, yet, I desired to run and not stop. My wet clothes stuck to my body and as the wind blew, a chilled shock-wave run across my spine. Yet I ran and ran and ran. I circled the meadows over and over again in joy. For a long time in many years, I could enjoy the monsoons the way I would have loved to. Every drop seemed so clear, as if I had never seen the heavens shower ever before. Not that there was anything special, but I wanted to see them for years...

I stopped finally panting for breath. But I wanted to let go of myself, and soon burst into a vocal recitation of one of the songs of Rabindranath Tagore, a person who was next to God in my life. "Bozromanik diye gatha, ashar tomar mala. Tomar shyamal shudhar buke, bidyuteri jwala!"(dedicated to the bengali month named Ashar, when the monsoons strike, the poet adresses the month saying that your garland is of thunderbolts, and you strike the bosoms of the flushing meadows). My joys knew no bound. I could see the different shapes of lightning. I wanted to see them for years...

The rain stopped finally after an hour or so. The field was filled with water almost an inch thick. Frogs seemed the happiest, yet I was happier than them to have seen the monsoons. The sun began to peep through the dark clouds, and soon enough, it was out, fully. It would have made me perspire in other days, but the rain had cooled the environment. I felt the coolness. But then I saw something that I had never seen before. There was a rainbow on the sky, just like I had learned when I was young. It was beautiful in its seven colors. I started from somewhere on the ground; I went near it, but never saw where it started. Yet, I was happy. I wanted to see it for years...

"Rohan! Rohan wake up! Its seven almost!"

I heard my wake up alarm. My hand searched for my glasses. I opened my eyes. It was raining outside. I wish I could see it. I reached my stick and breathed a deep breath. Under the breath, I hummed-"Bozromanik diye gatha, ashar tomar mala. Tomar shyamal shudhar buke, bidyuteri jwala!" I wanted to see for years...