Sands of Time

Rajesh had been sitting on a wheel chair in the waiting area with a painful leg after getting an X-Ray of his ankle done. He was hoping for everything to be just alright as he had an upcoming presentation today and thereafter he had to travel for an important business meet. Rajesh had hurt his ankle as he had slipped and fallen over a flight of stairs early in the morning. So, now he sat at the hospital grumbling to himself about his idea of losing weight by running up and down the stairs that had struck him three days ago.

"Seema" Rajesh called out to his wife
"Hmmm.." she replied while scrolling through her phone "Just a minute, let me call the maid so i can ask her to come later."

Seema got up and moved to the corridor as she made the call. Leaving Rajesh once again with his thoughts. Rajesh had been implementing his idea of running up and down the stairs and the past two days had somewhat gone well for him as he had been able to achieve this target. So, he was looking forward to a more fit and agile version of himself in a few days.

Meanwhile Seema had finished talking over the phone so she came back and sat next to him.

"Ya now tell me... what were you going to say?"
"I don't think it should be something serious. It's painful but I think crepe bandage will do the charm."
"Hmm.." she nodded in an non-approving way.
"Why did I come up with the stupid idea? There are other ways to lose weight."
"The problem is not as much with the idea as it is with the fact that you were running down the stairs wearing your bathroom slippers. So you slipped, fell and ended up hurting yourself."

Their conversation got interrupted by the hospital attendant walking into the waiting room. The attendant had come to take Rajesh to the doctor's room. "It's your turn." He said and moved Rajesh to the doctor's room.

When they entered the doctor was having a look at the X-ray picture of Rajesh's foot.

The doctor turned towards Rajesh and Seema and said, "Its clearly a fracture of the ankle joint. But the broken bone segments are not displaced so we shall put a cast and after a few days of rest Rajesh can resume his work."
"Doctor, I actually had a very important day at work today and also an upcoming travel. Both are very important." Said Rajesh somewhat with a broken heart as to how could this be happening to him and that too at such a critical juncture in his work life.
The doctor looked at him blankly and said "Oh.. but this is more important. I am afraid you would have to cancel your plans."
"I understand but is there a way I could do it anyways." Rajesh replied
"Sorry.." said the doctor.
"Take him to M-OT." The doctor told the attendant who was moving Rajesh's wheel chair.

Rajesh was taken by the nursing assistant into the M-OT and came out with a blue plaster cast over his leg. After purchasing the medicines that the doctor had prescribed Seema drove back home with Rajesh.

Rajesh was very worried and somewhat inconsolable about the sudden change of plans for the next few days owing to his fractured ankle.

Meanwhile the kids were off to school and Seema had already taken leave for a day. Rajesh settled in after much counselling and consoling by Seema that it's a matter of a few days and they have no other way he could attend the meeting.

For Rajesh the day passed sleeping under the effect of the medication he was receiving.

The next day was a holiday so Seema and the kids were home. It was after a very long time that Rajesh was home with his family on a holiday. Since the past 3 years his days and nights had passed totally absorbed by official work and work trips.

Rajesh rested on the bed and the kids were playing around him asking some participation from him now and then. By the evening he had helped the kids with drawing, played board games, been a referee when they fought, enjoyed meals with them, shared their laughter and so much more.

The next day again passed enjoying morning tea with Seema, receiving the kids when they were back from school, shared meals with them, heard their stories about the day, enjoying the small moments of joy he had missed. As the day had progressed Rajesh had realized what he had been missing out on. This forced holiday was proving to be more of an eye opener.

Sometimes while we try to match up our pace in life to certain goals, we get blinded by ambition and loose out on what's in our hands. Sands of time just flow past you; while you see it everyday but there is nothing that can stop it. So while we still have the moment in hand we must not let the small joys in life get ignored by our ambitious pursuits in life. Life is all about enjoying the smaller things while paving our way towards greater joys. At the end of it all, what matters are the moments that we could contribute to, the moments that brought us joy, the moments that are spent enjoying our present. Because the present is all we have in hand; the past and future are never in our reach and never shall be in our hands. Enjoy the moments while you still can.

The sands of time will always just flow by....