Once upon a
time in a far off jungle lived a cub. Due to unknown circumstances, since early
childhood, he got separated from his mother. However, he found shelter in the
most unexpected places, and continued his life living with a herd of deer.
The deer treated
that cub like family and it grew up believing it was a deer. He learned
to bleat and eat grass, but without his staple diet of meat he atrophied; He barely
looked like one of his own kind. It made the herd feel miserable. They
tried their level best to nurture the malnourished baby tiger and eventually he
got used to deer milk & grazing the land and had grown to become a strong young
tiger.
One day, an old
male tiger chanced upon the herd and the deer scattered. The young tiger remained
rooted at his position. The big male was surprised to find a young tiger living
with a herd of deer, and with curiosity he questioned the young tiger.
The young one’s
reply was simply, “I am a deer!”
The old tiger
got mortified and swatted him a couple of times.
He dragged the
young tiger to a nearby pond and asked him to look at his own reflection.
The young
tiger gave a chary in the direction of his so called family; the herd of deer. Well,
they were quite far away. Probably they were all scared due to the presence of
the old tiger.
He smiled at the
old tiger.
The old one
got exasperated and shouted;
“Huh! You
idiot! Is this funny? What makes you laugh???”
Without any
warning, the young tiger let out a blood chilling roar.
The old one
was flabbergasted but quickly recovered from the shock to ask: I wanted to…
Young tiger: Hang
on big bro! I know what is in your mind. But if you could please come closer, I
would like to show you something.
The old tiger’s
interest peaked and he came closer.
Young
tiger: Can you see the herd of deer over there?
Old Tiger: O
Yes.
Young Tiger: They
sheltered and fed me when I was left to fend for myself. They treated me as one
of their own and took care of me in the best way they could.
Old Tiger: So
what? Forget the past. You have grown handsomely into an adult tiger. Let’s go
and eat some of those scrawny fellas.
Young Tiger: That’s
the fundamental difference between you and me. Life is not a chronological
issue, but a psychosomatic one, in which we question the values and paradigms
we are living by. I don’t have to look into that pond to understand what I am...
I know what I am.
But can you
see that cute doe standing on that rock? She looks gloomy and petrified.
You know
why? She loves me and is worried since I am not back with the group.
I mean the
world for her.
Old Tiger: Have you gone insane? Why are
you screwing up your life for a mere doe and this bloody herd? Let me kill that
doe first…
A slight growl
escaped the young tiger…
Young Tiger:
You will never appreciate. But am
warning you big bro…although I am on a vegetarian diet, I still have enough power
to tear you and your ego apart.
Old Tiger: I
don’t understand what you want to prove. What will you accomplish in this
manner?
Young Tiger: its
better that you mind your business and never ever look at this herd.
With another
roar, the young tiger happily ran to the herd. The herd celebrated as they saw
him coming back alive.His beloved rushed recklessly towards him and planted
a kiss.
Both grinned.
N.B: At
times situations larger than self-esteem that wants to come through, to demand realism
in the way we live. But are we supposed to sail towards that foreseeable ending…that
“certain exit” festooned with some stupid terms and condition?
Indeed life
is not a chronological issue, but a psychosomatic one, in which we question the
values and paradigms we are living by…