Leaving Home's Embrace

I used to find sweet solace in fantasizing about leaving home, Imagining about the deceptive freedom I will have when I'll be on my own. This thought became my escape route while quarrelling with my parents, when I used to misapprehend their words of wisdom for an unpleasant torrent. When the day came to leave for college, Many of the feelings were just as I had expected, except for the ones that were never in my knowledge. I brushed aside the excitement and thrill And unknowingly welcomed pensive thoughts for my heart to fill. I realised then that on their return journey, there would be 1 ticket less, And there wouldn't be anyone to check if my parents are eating well. I then realized that any place with my parents is a safe haven for me Where my problems meet solutions aplenty And my heart and mind find serenity and true liberty As I headed towards the cab, I mentally time travelled, To the times when I had my parents to hold my hands 24*7 And not having them with me would be out of question An unfamiliar wind swept past my ears It wasn't chilly, but cold and brisk enough to dry my sudden tears. My heart grew heavy with an ache and palpitated with a fear Of staying away from people who are to me very dear And of the future ahead which remained unclear As I sat amidst the chilling compartment of Vande Bharat express, I reverted to that little girl once more Who used her mom's dupatta as a blanket Seeking shelter from life's turbulent roar As I went into my hostel I berated myself for being stupid For longing to leave home for freedom As I looked at my parents faces, swelling with joy but still heavy hearted. Parents are the salt of our lives We take them for granted But life becomes tasteless, once of anyone of them, it is deprived. My parents abode is that endless ocean Into which I can carefreely take a leap It hits hard when today, on leaving home this truth dawns with heavy emotion. Departing has shifted my view of what 'home' entails, I pray that they remain healthy and happy, even as life sets different trails. Fulfillment of this wish, my heart's deepest plea, Is enough to bring contentment and make my spirit free.