Who am I?

Ravi used to live alone that's what people used to feel but once they would have entered his bachelor pad they would have realized that he was not alone. But the way I am. I love to be ignored. That's how I stay alive.

I hope you guys are curious to know what it takes to hide me? If present in the physical world then it's just doors and windows, if I end up being inside you then just tight lips.

Family and friends seldom visited him as he would be going at there, leaving me alone in the dark to fend for myself while he enjoyed his time there.

But as the years passed, my presence started to diminish. That's what maturity and adulthood does to humans you see! It was matter of time when I truly vanished, once this obscure bachelor pad got transformed into a love birds abode by none other than his wife, Yukti. I am sorry for my tone, but if humans are working on ways to search for ways to add more years to their life then why not I think same for myself? But his wife! She had made him go against me! Can anyone believe it!

It took two years for me to regain my lost vigour. For this revival as much as Ravi contributed so his wife. It was none other than their son, Yug, that's what he was called. He made sure that my presence had no bounds. I was in every nook and corner. No matter how much Ravi, his wife and at times their parents ran after my life. But that little chap, he thwarted all the plans of his elders. Soon Yug was joined by another little chap, Yajur and three of us became best friends. But as time went by Yug and Yajur imbibed some of the animosity against me, which they got from their mother and again I experienced boundaries around me.

From five we became six. No, Ravi and Yukti didn't have another child, it was Ravi's mother. She came to live there after his father passed away. I remember that evening when he had received that fateful call. Without letting everyone know, he held me close to himself. As hours went by, and evening turned into night, in the dark room living room he sat alone. At that moment, my existence thrived more in his mind, in his heart than ever it had been in his home. A compassionate touch from his wife, made my world go whirlwind. Ravi held her closer than he was holding me moments ago. It was first time ever when I had witnessed him wailing and through those wails I got drowned.

In matter of time, Ravi's mother got company of Yukti's mother when her father passed away. Now there were more adults than kids and I ended up being on the loosing side. But that was inside the home, I kept on growing within everyone. As years went by, Yug and Yajur became my new abode as well. I always cherished those kids and never had imagined that one day these kids will learn to make space for me inside them. Should I be happy or sad? I used to wonder. My presence was much more enormous than I had expected, but these kids, they deserved much better. More than my own will to choose the place where I have to live, it is people who decide it more.

Apart from them, there was another person, who unknown to everyone, had made themselves my best breeding ground, Yukti's mother. It started with forgetting things. Things as in normal things, like turning off tap, lights, gas and many more. Until a day came, when she forgot her way to home from temple.

"May be Nani is suffering from Alzheimer", said Yajur. From then on, Yukti and Ravi seldom spent time at their home and more in hospital visits and Yajur turned out to be correct with his guess. Yug, Yajur and Ravi's mother, made sure that I am no where to be seen in the house but they forgot about themselves. Especially Yukti.

Soon there were no more hospital visits. It was the time when Yukti's mother breathed her last. From there on, she became my sole bearer and I was doing great. She was doing great in hiding me. Even Ravi was never as good as she was. But no matter how meticulous she was Ravi and his mother got hinge of me.

Their constant nudging, talking, and asking her things was shaking my throne everyday. The triple attack was breaking my reigns and I had to vanish from there.

In the meantime, Yug got old enough to prepare for his admission to college. I lived less on his study table, more with him. From morning till evening. What used to happen at night? His brother Yajur. Every night when rest of the elders were asleep. His and Yajur's discussion late night discussions make used to make him sway away from me.

A year went by. Yug was able to secure the admission and he moved out. Then my new address was Yajur. That's so what I imagined but even far away, his elder brother would make sure that I never got to stay with him. I was aghast!!

Thus I ended up to linger around house only. No matter how minimal it was. When Yug used to visit home, I would proliferate. But rest of the days, I was obscure.

In matter of time, Yajur too got admission into college and he moved out as well while Yug's student days were about to end and he was ready to step into real adult world.

As both the kids now got busy in making their world, my world kept on collapsing in this house. I was now only present during long holidays or during festivities. To my surprise, Yukti used to be one being appreciative of my presence no matter how much she used to portray her concerns over me. It was one late evening when Ravi came loitering to the room of his kids, the study table where my remnants had been residing since his kids last visit. He looked over it and smiled. That smile was accompanied by a trickle of his tear which splashed over the woody surface of the table.

It was a deja vu. I had witness similar emotion some or the other time. Putting strain on my now weak memory I recalled where I seen these emotion. It was in Ravi's father's eyes when Ravi had moved to his then bachelor pad and now home. This was a sign of start of another season for me.

Now, here I am finding myself torn into two parts. A part of me is there with Yug in his bachelor pad and the other half is with Yajur in his hostel.

It's going to be another cycle, just like life is for all you humans. Before I may end up sounding as repetitive I would like to bid adieu to all, no, wait... I'll end up with Aloha! It's a fantastic word. In Hawaiian, it said both times at the time when we meet and part our ways. Since I may again meet you in some or the other ways, so let's say to one another

Aloha!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

So you still not get it who am I? Let me get my literary hat on!

Unknowingly I turn alive,

and to get rid of me you have to strive,

I don't need water to live,

or sun to thrive,

I am better if ignored,

and best when my existence is denied,

I am sometimes visible,

and sometimes hidden in the crevices of your brain,

If human mind is the greatest boon,

then I turn out to be its greatest bane,

I never end,

I am either more or less,

I am bestowed with a name,

which is spelled as MESS!