Carla had always been goal-oriented. She always planned where she wanted to go, what she wanted to achieve and how to get there. She always saw the destination and planned it so that she could head right there.
Ashrya believed in living everyday like your last. She believed in experiencing every moment to the fullest. She felt that life would bring her to where she wanted or needed to go thus all she needed to do was flow with life.
One day, Carla and Ashrya had a chat. It came to the point where they were discussing on their outlook in life.
“I don’t get it Ashrya. How can you take things so easy? How can you lead life in such an aimless manner? Do you know where you are going to be in five years time or what kind of life you desire to lead?” Carla exclaimed.
“That’s exactly what I mean. I don’t know what is going to happen in five year time so why think so much about it? Why plan so much? Heck I don’t even know what’s going to happen tomorrow.” Ashrya replied.
Carla retorted, “Have you ever thought ten years down the road, you are just nobody with a measly salary while all your friends have gone somewhere in life? How will you ever reach your destination if you don’t know where the destination is? How do you feel happy when you don’t even know what you want?”
“Carla, you can plan the best plan in the world but if life stops tomorrow, all these grand plans will go nowhere. If life takes a different turn, your plans will have to change. Why not have a little faith in life and where it will lead you. Let go and try living the moment.”
“I am afraid I will take a wrong turn and end up nowhere,” Carla whispered.
“Carla, to you, finding and reaching that destination is what makes you happy. Enjoying the ride there is what makes me happy. You spend so much time trying to get there you forget to stop and smell the flowers. You spend so much effort looking ahead, you forget to look at what you have, the now and the present. I believe life will bring you to wherever you are meant to be at. Even if you don’t like where you are now, it’s just part of the journey. You are at wherever you are at whenever you are because you were meant to be there.”
Ashrya stopped for a moment and prepared to leave as she had to go back home.
Ashrya asked with a smile “Carla, you have always lived to plan, so when are you planning to live?”
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1 comment:
da jie, i totally love the last line.. esp the part "when are you planning to live?". i think it's a question many of us should ask ourselves. we're so trapped in the plans we have planned for the future that we forgot about living the present.
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