A rose grows,
Persistent to the trouble around it.

And if not,
It withers down, and grows again,

All on a new day.

And I’ve always thought about how much,

We resembled roses.

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.

Outside my window, lays a world to wonder and explore
from the kissing couples to the newborn babies
from the opera house to the art museum
from the candy shops to the freshly baked bakeries
the list goes on and on....
from sunrise to sunset, there's so much to explore
it's a pity, that we can't explore it all.....

Someday the sun will stop shining.
Someday the oceans will be polluted.
Someday humanity will be pushed to the brink of extinction.
Someday Earth itself will cease to exist.
But that doesn't mean all hope will be lost.
Find a new sun,
Find a new ocean,
Find a new planet.
These are things I know humanity will do.
Why?
Because Humanity likes to look at Fate and laugh,
Humanity can overcome any challenge.
Yes, Humanity hates each other.
And I know there will never be a true day where we don't hate another human being.
But when Humanity is challenged by death.
We will band together,
and we will rise to the stars.

We sat together.
We drank to our youth
and feasted on the present.
What once wasn't,
rapidly grew to form
a future keen.

We sat together.
We counted each one.
Silently wishing permanence
into a band.
What once brought tomorrow,
now only fades into
the mournings of yesterdays.

We sit together...
But our hearts are wedged far apart.
What once flourished...
Now only ***** weakly in stale winds,
conscious but unalive.