Aaj jab main apni purani photographs dekhta hoon…
Toh mujhe sirf apna chehra badalta hua nahi dikhta.
Mujhe alag-alag log dikhte hain.
Ek chhota sa ladka…
Jise lagta tha ki mummy-papa kabhi galat ho hi nahi sakte.
Ek teenager…
Jise lagta tha ki duniya uske khilaaf hai.
Ek college student…
Jo sochta tha ki degree milte hi life set ho jayegi.
Ek employee…
Jo salary ko success samajhta tha.
Ek beta…
Jo har Sunday ghar phone karne ka plan banata tha, lekin kabhi kabhi Wednesday tak bhi call nahi kar pata tha.
Aur aaj…
42 saal ki umar mein…
Main in sab logon ko dekhkar sirf ek hi baat sochta hoon…
Ye sab main hi tha.
Aur inmein se kisi ko bhi future ka bilkul andaaza nahi tha.
Bachpan mein mujhe lagta tha…
Bade log kabhi confuse nahi hote.
Papa har decision itni aasani se kaise le lete hain?
Mummy ko har problem ka solution kaise pata hota hai?
School ka homework mushkil lagta tha.
Mujhe lagta tha…
Bas bada ho jaun…
Phir life easy ho jayegi.
Aaj haste hue sochta hoon…
Bachpan kitna innocent tha.
Humein lagta tha age answers deti hai.
Sach toh ye hai…
Age sirf naye questions deti hai.
Main jab 10 saal ka tha…
Tab meri duniya sirf chaar jagah tak simit thi.
Ghar.
School.
Cricket ground.
Aur nani ka ghar.
Us waqt mujhe lagta tha…
Yehi poori duniya hai.
Kaun jaanta tha ki ek din airports bhi routine ban jayenge…
Aur ghar sirf ek festival destination.
15 saal ki age mein mujhe lagta tha…
Main sabse zyada samajhdar hoon.
Papa old-school hain.
Teachers outdated hain.
Life ke baare mein mujhe sab pata hai.
Us version ko aaj dekhkar hansi bhi aati hai…
Aur pyaar bhi.
Kyunki overconfidence bhi ek age hoti hai.
Aur shayad zaroori bhi.
18 saal ki age mein main pehli baar ghar se bahar nikla.
Us din mujhe laga…
Ab asli life shuru hogi.
Mujhe nahi pata tha…
Asli life shuru nahi hoti.
Woh dheere-dheere banti hai.
Har din.
Har aadat.
Har insaan.
Har galti ke saath.
College wala main…
Sabse loud version tha.
Sabse zyada hasta tha.
Sabse zyada photos leta tha.
Sabse zyada plans banata tha.
Aur sabse kam future ke baare mein sochta tha.
Us waqt lagta tha…
Ye dosti zindagi bhar chalegi.
Aaj bhi chal rahi hai…
Bas WhatsApp group mein.
Aur kabhi kabhi birthday wishes tak simit hokar.
25 saal ki age mein…
Mera pehla business card bana.
Us chhote se card ko maine wallet mein is tarah sambhal kar rakha…
Jaise duniya ka sabse bada award mil gaya ho.
Designation dekhkar lagta tha…
Ab main successful ho gaya.
Phir agle saal kisi aur ka designation bada dekhkar samajh aa gaya…
Success ka scale roz badalta rehta hai.
30 saal ki age mein…
Main paise kamane mein itna busy ho gaya…
Ki mujhe realise hi nahi hua…
Papa ki chalne ki speed dheere ho gayi hai.
Mummy ke baalon mein safedi badh gayi hai.
Aur ghar ke drawing room ka sofa…
Wahi purana hai.
Bas us par baithne wale log thode aur buddhe ho gaye hain.
35 saal ki age mein…
Ek din mirror ke saamne khada tha.
Aur mujhe pehli baar laga…
Main bilkul Papa jaisa dikhne laga hoon.
Bachpan mein jaisa kabhi banna nahi chahta tha…
Life ne dheere-dheere waise hi bana diya.
Aur sach kahun…
Mujhe is baat ka bilkul afsos nahi hai.
Aaj 42 saal ki age mein…
Mujhe lagta hai…
Life ne mujhe kisi classroom mein nahi badla.
Usne mujhe versions mein badla.
Har version ne kuch khoya.
Har version ne kuch paaya.
Har version ne kuch galat samjha.
Aur har version ne agle version ko thoda aur behtar bana diya.
Isliye jab main peeche mudkar dekhta hoon…
Toh mujhe apni mistakes nahi dikhti.
Mujhe apne teachers dikhte hain.
Aur unmein sabse pehla teacher…
Main khud tha.
Ye memoir usi safar ka record hai.
Baaki zindagi…
Abhi bhi likhi ja rahi hai.
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