Adaptation..............

As the parched Earth looks up at the sky for mercy; we tend to get restless by the heat of the season. The story remains the same----unbearable humidity, profuse sweating and drained energies. Life becomes absolutely paralysed and we pray to God every single day (rather curse him many times) for it to rain. The clouds too seem to elude us and show their importance as though they have also turned out to be some Sarkari babus who need “some motivation” to do their work!

But when it rains, it seems heaven is pouring (wish with heaven raining, we have some saints falling on ground too; we seldom see them on Earth now)! When rains start, they are all the same; be it back home in Haryana or in this strange city where I have come to work (Not that I am a stranger to Patna anymore!). Its all the same, same freshness in the surroundings, newness to life…………The trees washed up with leaves all smiling like an urchin who has had bath after a “few” days! The satisfied fragrance of Earth which soaks itself in the love of Clouds; all of the cracks healed up in one big wash. Its all the same, same filling up of puddles on the road, muddy streets and garbage stinking at the sides of the road (a sight to watch that sure is!).

I peep out of the window and smile to myself. It is raining! As the thought brings with it the relief from heat, it also brings along a line of thought! What to wear, how to reach office etc. White is a complete No…….who is going to wash off those mud stains????? Next comes the sandals-I cant wear my favourite shoes or socks now! My dear laptop too wears a ‘raincoat’ as it gets ready to go to work. As I hurriedly enter into an auto rickshaw, water drips from the edge of its roof and I am wet from one side (seems like I have jumped half into a swimming pool). I reach office later than usual, taking rain as an excuse!

On my way I see men with garbage trucks lifting the garbage from the sides, lest it should stink like dead! Vegetable sellers can be seen sitting on the pavements with colourful umbrellas and plastic sheets to shield from rain. That is how we adapt! Adaptation is what brings challenge to life. Had we not decided to adapt, we would have to still live as cavemen! Rain or Monsoon, adaptation is the way to life in this competitive yet beautiful world!