Aditi Mishra | + Follow Poet |
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Experiences

"What have you done with the experiences that life gave you?"
That's a question which people often ask,
at different points in my life and I wonder
if I really have an answer. 

Should there should be a record 
of experiences, mistakes and moments, 
often assumed that I would have one, 
from which I could bestow a few lessons
upon those who seek advice from me, 
from which I could prevent myself 
to make mistakes in brand new situations
every time I face them.

I won't deny that I have tried doing
all that I mentioned above.
Alas! I realized that I remained confined
within a sphere of those experiences, 
lined by the walls of my prejudiced lessons, 
which could act as nothing but sermons to others; 
the effects of which I couldn't comprehend. 

Oh was it fair to burden them
with my experiences when 
they could learn from their own

Shall I remain a novice on my path, 
with the faded impressions of my journey, 
but open enough to meet situations
like an inexperienced traveler? 
Perhaps that would have reason enough 
to let myself walk to destinations 
I know nothing about, 
perhaps it would be fair to rejoice 
when I find them.

I smile at my story when they narrate theirs, 
lend them my own legend and laugh at it, 
because so much more awaits me and them too.
May be I could just use my experiences, 
neither to let others be swayed by them, 
nor to warn them of the distraught turns, 
but to stay by their side when they find those turns, 
because that is how journeys are supposed to be.

"What have you done with your experiences?" 
"I have just created stories from them to laugh at, 
when others get tired of the turns they fear. 
And then I walk ahead, so do others, 
like stories are supposed to be, 
like journeys are meant to be. 
Who am I? 
Not a preacher, just a traveler, a novice."

June 30, 2020

Copyright © Aditi Mishra | Year Posted 2020

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