OVER A CHOCOLATE DOUGHNUT

There are times when it’s best to just go with the flow. Although one cannot control fate, it is necessary to comprehend, accept, and learn to go on.
Go on just like this……
After school hours, the cake shop across was visibly bustling. There, the jellies tasted amazing. Desserts were also said to be good, however, at that point, I wasn’t a fan of pastries. It was the vibrant jelly that impressed me. However, maneuvering through the crowd was always an enormous undertaking, akin to the stampede scene in ‘The Lion King.’ That man sold more than was necessary and made insane money with his charming voice. Naturally, I could only make a purchase when my mother arrived to pick me up. She would reluctantly buy them for me again. I took a stroll down that memory lane a few days ago and decided to check if that shop was still open.
However, what’s standing tall now is a hospital, humming with the constant sound of ambulances and patients. Too busy to use the sidewalk at all. How draining! I pondered. I told myself that I was from another era. All things considered; our era was the finest—though my father claims his was superior.
Change is a constant, and just like how things and places change, people do. We meet so many men and women in every walk of life, and even though you only talk to them for a minute or two, some of them have such a profound impression. However, some people have a bad influence and enter your life for a few days or years. The alternative would be that you would never want to see them in your life again. It is those individuals who would have demonstrated to you what hell on Earth looks like. Although we tend to suffer by taking their taunts very seriously, is this really required? That’s the question we must ask ourselves. Why take the burden of their complexities and insecurities? Why truly waste time on not showcasing our potential by brooding about them?
It only makes me think of Arjuna, who heeded to Krishna’s instructions like a devout student. Even though he and his divine companion occasionally disagreed, Arjuna consistently pursued the Dharma path. Arjuna was deeply saddened by Abhimanyu’s passing during the Kurukshetra war. He was aware that the Kaurava Jayadratha had killed him by manipulating him. He desired retribution and promised to murder Jayadratha on the battlefield the next day. If he was unable to do so, he was going to kill himself. The Kaurava quarters were informed of this. They were at first terrified by such an appeal, but they made a plan to defeat his mission.
Jayadratha was given unbreakable protection on the battlefield the following day. Two ranks of soldiers were arranged in front of him, and Drona and Kripa, the two best archers, stood next to him. Just consider what more Jayadratha might possibly require! It’s no secret that Arjuna was losing and that there wasn’t much time left. However, he didn’t fully let go of his determination to succeed. Regardless, he was committed to his work.
We also encounter situations similar to these. We can all quickly relate to this, I’m sure of it. We neglect to emphasize persistence over an abrupt, spectacular triumph, which makes us feel that all of our efforts is useless. We let go of the work we started, left partially completed, believing that we are not capable of achieving the desired results. But wait, Arjuna is in for a surprise as well. Krishna casts a veil of darkness across the sun, nearly concealing it. Bewildered by the abrupt change in circumstances, the Kaurava troops started to divide, making way for Arjuna to see. At the command of Krishna, Arjuna shot Jayadratha, killing him once and for all.
Krishna’s divine grace answered Arjuna’s cry once more. If some of us contend that Krishna acted in a biased manner, then it speaks volumes about our limited comprehension of him. Krishna was just concerned at that moment with his friend’s determination and focus. Regardless of the tallest giants’ backing for the opposing side, ‘I refuse to give up’ was Arjuna’s determination. In the end, Arjuna got the victory.
As I sit here writing with a chocolate doughnut at my side, keep in mind that things, people, and places change with time. Your morals, ethics, honesty, perseverance, focus, and, of course, your faith in God are the things that really shouldn’t change. Never compromise your originality to win someone over. Always keep in mind that God is the only true judge you will ever have to deal with in your life.

ANITHA CHAKRAVARTHY SRIRAM