I was looking at that cut on the backpack, and looked at the backpack itself. It is decorated with painting that look like some five year old got its hands on it, but I know when and why each one of the paintings on it came. I made them, I know when and why I made them. I made them to remind me of the great time I am having and the travels that gave me sense of adventure and awe, through which the backpack was there. Now, I can not use my backpack as the strap has come off and the zips wont come together. It made me sad to look at it. I kept trying to hold the pieces together, but all my efforts went to waste and despair hit.
Looking at my desperate attempt, my mother suggested - "Just buy a new one. Why do you carry such a dilapidated bag anyways?". How do you answer that, why do I have worn jeans, why I wont throw away the tattered floaters and why cant I buy a new backpack. In the past years I have traveled a lot, and these have accompanied me. I know them like the back of my hand, I have learnt each and every seam of the jean and it is now my second skin. My floaters now are finally adapted to my feet. And then there is my backpack. When I bought it years back the shopkeeper told me the weight limit and the sturdiness and gave a timeline till which the bag would last. The timeline passed a year back and I was happy that it had no issues. I have surpassed the weight limit and tested the bag under severe conditions. All the essential items that the bag has, is all I need to survive anywhere. I could live out of the backpack.
Now I am in a dilemma that has also caused much disturbance to me. Do I need a new bag, do I want to leave this bag? While my mothers suggestion is very logical, it makes me wonder how is it that most of the things are so replaceable now. I have hardly seen people getting things repaired. If anything is not functional people just go ahead and replace it with a new one. Have we come to a point in our lives, where it is easier to just replace non-functional entities than to try to mend the broken pieces? Does this extend beyond the material realm of things to even the relationships, career and life itself?
Each and everything is a bit more complex than before. The phone was a simpler circuit than the hidden software driven smartness of the all powerful handheld device (I cant just call it a phone anymore, it is much more). To attempt to fix it in case it ever breaks down is to undertake hell. The simple ball point pen, a refill costs as much as a new pen, but the casing is dumped. Where does it stop, does it even stop? If a relationship breaks, will you replace the person in your life?
I am afraid to know the answer. But today I am not willing to let go of my bag. I will make an honest attempt at mending it. And guess what, in the remote corner of the locality I live in, I found a little shop.
She repaired it, and now it feels better than before. I am now ready for a new adventure with my old mates.
Looking at my desperate attempt, my mother suggested - "Just buy a new one. Why do you carry such a dilapidated bag anyways?". How do you answer that, why do I have worn jeans, why I wont throw away the tattered floaters and why cant I buy a new backpack. In the past years I have traveled a lot, and these have accompanied me. I know them like the back of my hand, I have learnt each and every seam of the jean and it is now my second skin. My floaters now are finally adapted to my feet. And then there is my backpack. When I bought it years back the shopkeeper told me the weight limit and the sturdiness and gave a timeline till which the bag would last. The timeline passed a year back and I was happy that it had no issues. I have surpassed the weight limit and tested the bag under severe conditions. All the essential items that the bag has, is all I need to survive anywhere. I could live out of the backpack.
Now I am in a dilemma that has also caused much disturbance to me. Do I need a new bag, do I want to leave this bag? While my mothers suggestion is very logical, it makes me wonder how is it that most of the things are so replaceable now. I have hardly seen people getting things repaired. If anything is not functional people just go ahead and replace it with a new one. Have we come to a point in our lives, where it is easier to just replace non-functional entities than to try to mend the broken pieces? Does this extend beyond the material realm of things to even the relationships, career and life itself?
Each and everything is a bit more complex than before. The phone was a simpler circuit than the hidden software driven smartness of the all powerful handheld device (I cant just call it a phone anymore, it is much more). To attempt to fix it in case it ever breaks down is to undertake hell. The simple ball point pen, a refill costs as much as a new pen, but the casing is dumped. Where does it stop, does it even stop? If a relationship breaks, will you replace the person in your life?
I am afraid to know the answer. But today I am not willing to let go of my bag. I will make an honest attempt at mending it. And guess what, in the remote corner of the locality I live in, I found a little shop.
She repaired it, and now it feels better than before. I am now ready for a new adventure with my old mates.
