My teacher once asked
a short simple question.
She had asked,
"What do you want to be?"
Raised arms answered her query.
Open palms each belonging to excitable children.

Wide little eyes looked up at her.
Hands began to flail in the air...
Ever so hopeful of being chosen.
So that they could voice their aspirations.
So that they could begin to share.

One by one,
they each was given the opportunity.
Turn by turn,
boastful were some
while others spoke quiet and shyly.

Then the teacher stopped short.
Not before expressing her delight.
She was in awe of such young minds...
Having had such great wings
to eventually take flight.

Then she explained...
What she had initially meant.
Confused looks all around including me.
She rephrased the question,
"What kind of person...
Do you want to be?"

There was silence.
No arms shot up to meet the subject.
I don't recall having raised mine,
but I remember telling the teacher...
An answer (I was confident), she wouldn't expect.

I stood at my desk,
proud and tall...
And told the teacher
that I wished to be a person...
Well loved by all.

She smiled and I did too.
I felt it was a good answer.
She nodded to signal for me to take my seat again.
She paused before speaking,
and not a moment later.

She said,
"That would be nice.
To be loved by all.
But that's close to impossible.
A big wish for someone so small."

I had heard her words clearly...
However I didn't understand.
My brows furrowed...
And I was deep in thought...
Still I couldn't comprehend.

28 years later...
Here I sit,
looking back to that time in the past.
How time flies...
It simply ticked away...
All too fast.

Till just then I was still that boy...
Who tried hard to please.
I wanted to prove that it wasn't impossible.
You can be loved by everyone,
and you can do it with ease.

But now I have learnt.
Now I have found meaning
and understanding in my teacher's wisdom.
It took me a while but...
I know now...
That wishes and reality don't work in tandem.

You can choose to care and love,
everyone you see.
But to expect everyone to love you the same...
Is sheer
impossibility.

When all hope has been given up
You sit down to cry
There is a spark left...
Some hope a tiny bit
But who would pay attention to that small bit
Because in the real world there is no second chances
You have to make them yourself
And with that,that small tiny spark got going and caught on fire
And before you know it, it became a huge bonfire
It only takes a spark
And when that spark catches on
It's like a wildfire
But if you keep it tamed then it can be used for good
If you let it run wild then that spark could bit by bit break
Down people's confidence and hope
Be the spark that grows
Don't become a careless wildfire

Struggling down this journey,
this journey they call life.
Wanting to cry, wanting to stop,
this journey, this strife.

Can't walk, so keep crawling,
even if its too hard,
can't be brave, so keep moving,
or the journey will leave you scarred.

Its hard to see the light,
when you're surrounded by dark,
its hard to see the point,
in the end, you'll leave your mark.

Don't think, just do,
keep forging on ahead,
Don't worry, just move,
pretend its in your head.

Life is a journey,
it just doesn't want to stop,
so get up, keep moving,
otherwise, you'll flop.

This journey is full,
of hurdles and tears,
but in the end, its over,
with smiles and cheers.

So keep moving, don't stop,
this journey will be a thrill,
and when you're down, just think,
"If I don't do it...who will?"

I hate hating you
and
I love loving you

But sometimes,

I love hating you
and
I hate loving you

But most of the times

**No matter how much I hate loving you
I still love loving you