We have all played Snakes and ladders, the indoor game that kept us spell bound; with the ladder that took us to a lofty point and the venomous snake that brought us crashing down.This happens in real life quite often. 

‘When the going gets tough the tough get going’   goes the clichéd adage. What happens to the tough when the going gets easy? This question comes to my mind whenever I have the time to ponder over life’s dicey ways.

“Do not put on the thinking cap. It doesn’t suit you”, says my better half, equipped with a very keen foresight. He is extremely cautious and tense when the vacant and pensive mood hits me for that’s the time when the formidable task of running the household falls on him, right from the mundane task of buying groceries to feeding the dogs. While I mull over the Maya of the labyrinthine, existential world, he juggles with the role reversal. 

Having traversed a long way in my own life and vicariously too; by looking at other people's adventures, I came to terms with my ulcers and dyspepsia. The ability to see humour in different dimensions brings relief and untangles many problems. Below are some tricky situations life throws at you while you ride the roller coaster.

1. Life is quirky:

When you are young, energetic, with jumping hormones; your bank account is awry. You get married, have a genial, compatible partner and in-laws that don’t snoop, you get busy raising kids. The crazy spiral of school fees, books, coaching and growing up tantrums, leave you exhausted, with no money  in sight to enjoy that perfect yet elusive get- away resort. The kids finally settled, the in-laws resting in eternal sleep, the bank account finally beaming with a positive aura, you ought to be sighing with relief at the roller coaster ride being over. Hold that dyspeptic sigh!  Cross your arthritic fingers! You weren’t born to live in the comfort zone. For just then the rupee hit an abysmal low. Some wise person cogently pointed out to the faulty vaastu of the  rupee symbol. The time has come when even those equipped with tough rhinoceros hide will be hit by raging bull of hyper –inflation, T.D.S ,V.A.T. and what not.

2.Life is quixotic:

 Just when the middle class prudery was going through a drastic makeover, you wanted to wear the cow boy style jeans, the global warming cast its sizzling glances on your plans and made you stick to the humble  kurta-pyjama. The spicy culinary delights that you always wanted to savour in style, in the best restaurant, loses it’s zing, because your bowels have lost their joie de vivre. The narcissistic desire to hit the gymnasium for the bulging biceps or envious curves has to be given up for that ticking biological clock that tells you that Pranayam is safer. Salsa is better as a dip with a packet of crunchy chips and definitely not as a dance style; the osteoporosis will ensure that bones snap, crackle and flop. 

3. Life is dynamic:

With the bikes whizzing past and the traffic menacing, you realize you are unable to procure your daily bread. To cross the road you need the skills of the trapeze artist or a nimble ballet dancer to get a toe hold of space. The disarming smile of the young owner of the neighbor-hood   grocery store solves your problem of being run over.”Madam, we have 24 hours home delivery.” Thank God! Maybe I will live to enjoy senior citizen benefits sitting at home and also take  e-shopping, e-banking, e-billing etc.

4. Life is a cocoon:

There is nothing better than to drowse on a comfortable couch with the T.V. beaming its killer serials unceasingly. The paranoia of the dangers lurking in the outside world infest your mind and weary; you slumber while the world goes on at a frenzied pace. The moment sleep had begun to unravel the tangled grey cells, the call bell shrieks, heralding in  the maid,  a courier or some unwanted salesman. You may grind your teeth in dismay but restful sleep is not for the ordinary mortals. It is partial to those who lead charmed lives, having attendants with a magic wand, making unwanted things disappear with a sleight of hand.

5.Life is a platter:

It comes in all shapes and sizes, half, full or overflowing with goodies. The beauty lies in piling your own, looking covetously at your neighbour’s  plate and siphoning off as much from the well laden banquet. All our life was spent in conditioning ourselves to be book smart, following the beaten track while the platter was seized by the street smart, used to breaking the rules. 

In short, the essence of life is in learning that there is a lot of unlearning to be done. Let’s erase, refresh and rewrite our narrative . 

Salute!! To Life, with all its Lila.