Age and Perception

As a child aged 10-12 years of age, I was always intimidated by such rosy, cheerful and glowing paths and was confident that life would continue to be a similar experience as it was at that age.
At age 11, all I handled was eating, playing, studying and sleeping. No decisions used to be made from my end. No tensions, no heartbreaks. My books and friends were my constant companions, and all we did was laugh, break up and make up soon after.

Life was rolling by and soon this path surrounded by luscious green and orange fauna started shedding thus giving away all the coolness that it would actually encompass or at least pretend to give to a person treading upon such a path.

I was one of them.

Entered teens, and realized how actual rosy a life could seem but was not in reality! I would still admire the above painting, but would blink with moist eyes, and wished that such paths would exist. By that time treachery, heartaches, loss, failure were common terms along with some occasional goofing around. Decisions were made solely by me blame it on the age I was, that I refused to listen to my parents and would prefer to do the opposite of what they wished or desired. But still deep in my heart I wanted to tread that path, but it no longer existed!

With, "Why" questions I continued the journey of life.

Came Adulthood and such a path would be jeered upon just by the sight of it. The loud scoffs with friends of the same age group that such posters look good in the living room, but not in reality was an everyday dialog.

Middle age has come and with the gray hair came the wisdom of life that there is more to it than just a 9-8pm job, education to kids, summer holidays. There is a line that can be drawn between wants and needs, and the precise definition of happiness evolved along with it. Now when I would look at this poster; I smile. The smile is intense and penetrating into the wrinkles of my cheeks as eyes get narrow cause of the intensity of the smile while my nose adjusts the frame of my spectacles.
"aha! " I remark with enthusiasm as I sip some water to keep that throat from getting hoarse and continue, "This is the path I had envisioned in my teens, and adulthood." Pause for a brief second while tapping my fingers on the couch and continue, "I have managed to tread upon it in my 50's." I say while wiping my moist eyes as they give in to the pride I exhibit.

There are eyes watching over me, and they are of the adult age-group. Thus, are curious by what I mean since they don't see such a path around in their neighborhood, so "how, where you go for a walk or what is the name of that road that has such a scenery" are the questions that are popped up!

With the inquisitive minds comes an equally subdued response from me, "I walk this road every morning, and every evening prior to going to bed."

"huh!"

Then pours my wisdom, but I have to be concise and precise just to create curiosity in them.

"I walk this path every day in my mind!"

Now the onlookers are somewhat puzzled and wonder what era was I born that makes me walk such a beautiful path in "my" mind.

As I walk on any path in my life, I create this way cause of my mindset.

With my mind, my positivity helps create this beautiful, luscious way that is serene and delicious and radiates only happiness cause of the beauty that it is portraying. Now I still have my share of struggles, I still face failures on a day to day basis, I have health issues, I have pain, I have sorrow, but this path that I have created is unique and its just mine since I have created it, and is my space, my motivation to keep going no matter what!

We all want a life that we dream of. But it is not possible to meet these two dots cause of the many ifs and buts that arise out of nowhere. But, we can always create or live in a place that is as beautiful as that picture and be able to count our blessings. More so, since its the mindset that makes us walk a mile.
Even a bigger will be living a content life, and will reach out to people when in need even though there is a hole in his pocket. And if asked how and why. He will be content.

This picture has helped me mature, seasoned as a person whom I want to be, and if I have not been able to achieve what I aspired. I have learned to mellow down my ambitions and carve another path and make a life out of it.

Mindset is powerful. The attitude that goes in creating such a path needs a lot of courage, yet a tone to let go when things go your way. However, hard work and the uphill momentum will eventually help us unfold another path that will be as beautiful as the one you had actually dreamt of.

In short, keep dreaming and striving for the best, America cause this kind of path belongs to all of us, and if we continue with this mental makeup. We all will eventually make our surroundings beautiful.