The Chocolate Box

Imagine yourself being stranded in a forbidden and lonely but vast desert.After a lot of wandering with the sand dunes you are intolerably thirsty and hungry.There is no oasis with water and date palms to save your life.When you have almost decided to give up your life you find an old and rusty lamp,you rub it with all eagerness and joy.You are ready with your wishes.A Genie appears like how it happens in any other normal tale.

But here is a twist,this Genie is a little different.He is one of his kind.He looks at you and says”Master,your wish is not my command!I have only one thing to give you.But trust me you will never feel thirsty and hungry again.Here is a box of chocolates.And you have to eat just one,only one.You have to choose what you want.That will be enough to live in this desert and how well you live will depend on what you choose.Each one is different,be very careful.Give the rest of them to the wanderers who come along your way”

The deal seems exciting,you nod and the genie vanishes like a cloud.Suddenly out of nowhere there are a hundred wanderers surrounding the chocolate box waiting just like you to pick their share.Now comes the difficult part.What will happen to each chocolate?Who will get them?How will they get them?Will these wanderers battle it out?Will they throw their hands up and walk away?Who are these people after all?

The probabilities are these wanderers including you belong to the following clubs,there is no strict division between them,sometimes they do overlap.But on a larger perspective this is how they appear to each other and the world:

The Blind Pack: These are the wanderers who make a random pick without any thought.They are not bothered about how the chocolate looks or tastes like.They are fine with anything that comes in their share.Most of us do this,don’t we?If someone comes to us with a box of chocolates,don’t we just pick one irrespective of what we desire?

The Wise Thinkers: These are the wanderers who look at each chocolate closely and ponder a lot to select the best amongst all,the box has a few flavours and colours that they have tried before.Some look extremely good,some appear completely detestable and some are totally new.And finally they pick up something that they are familiar with,they are happy and content.Many of us belong to this group as well.

The Lucky Flukes: These are the wanderers who are in a world of their own.No hunger or thirst bothers them.Sometimes they just dare and choose something new.There are times when someone else has to pick their share and give it to them.But despite all this it turns out to be a lot better than they least expect.They end up with the best chocolate ever.

The Poor Fishes: These are the wanderers who fear chocolates but cannot stay hungry and thirsty.They  choose just because they have to.The ill fated ones that they are,they end up with the worst taste on their tongues ever.They just wish that they never get to chose anything in their life again.

The Hapless Misers: These are the wanderers who forget the Genie’s condition and eye on the entire box.They fight and rage wars.But before they eat,even their share from the box gets either passed on or destroyed.The world out there is filled with many hungry vultures of this kind.

The Brave Blue Chips: These are the wanderers who are found occassionally.Fortune is bestowed upon them and also they work hard to keep it safe.They know which is the best for them in the chocolate box.They take their share and distribute the rest to the others, they also help them to make a choice.They remember the Genie and are truly grateful to him for giving the chocolate box and saving their life.It is because of these people that the Genie does not mind appearing again.

Chances are that these wanderers can have shades of more than one category listed above.But sooner or later they have to make a decision about which chocolate to eat,or else it is not possible to survive in the desert.The box of chocolates will empty soon,some wanderers may get the right ones while some may not.Some compromise,some fight and some give up.

You might wonder what this CHOCOLATE BOX story is all about.Here is a little exercise for your hearts and brains.Our world is a desert full of wanderers.Now think of the people around you,friends and strangers alike.Imagine they are sitting together in front of you in a huge carton just like a box of chocolates.Each person in your box has something beautiful in store for you but what you want is only one true love.How and whom do you choose?Quite a task,isn’t it? But do you get to do this over and over again?

Remember what Mr.Forrest Gump says "Life is like a box of chocolates.You never know what you're gonna get."He is partly true.Look at this box of yours closely,there are people in there who are actually carrying true love for you.You know them but just that it is hard to choose.God is the Genie who has given us this box.He might seem a little stingy in this issue but he wants us to make a choice,just one but a fair one.

Many factors decide whether the one person whom we pick for ourselves brings true love or not.Even if we end up with someone who has brought some or more,a whole lot of effort is required from both ends to sustain all the truth that exists in this love.Over a period of time it might turn stronger than before or may even fade away.But the tragedy of todays love is it breaks up before it builds up.No wonder we raise this question “Will true love ever happen again?”

So what defines true love?There is no fitting description.Love is a basic sense of belonging.We love someone based on our wants and needs.Everyone has a share of love to give and take.It might not make us complete and perfect forever in a blink.It requires an ardent selfless effort.And then arrives the truth in love,the feeling is just phenomenal.

We people are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle,true love exists between the pieces right next to each other who are made to fit perfectly.Each piece shares a bond with the next to make a wonderful picture called life.Irrespective of sadness or happiness,poverty or richness,life or death each relationship grows on the values which we attach to them.The picture may mess up if we try to change the position of even any one of those pieces.

Like seasons love goes through phases,a cycle of ups and downs.It is what made you go downhill and how strong you stay during that period which decides whether you can rise up or not.Meanwhile what if you find love in another person who is truer and makes you feel much better?Or there is no chance that the love of your past is going to come back,what do you do then?

This is a rare ordeal,not everyone gets back to the same Chocolate Box Story after a grave loss.No matter what red glasses we put on and stare at the world,we yearn for only that someone special.For it requires a lifetime to shape and build one’s first love to call it truly true,leave thinking about the second.There are some amongst us for whom love is as easy as eating a pie.They compliment with anyone so very well that they do not have the need to ask for anything more,but this does not mean that their love is not true.They are the happy go lucky and blessed exceptions.

If you lose once and happen to fortunately find the same or better truth in love again,consider yourself double lucky.Because most of us are intuitive and perplexed humans who carry feelings and memories despite living in a very pretentious world.Complete justice is not impossible but hard to give for the second time.True love comes to us ‘naturally’ and ‘rarely’ just once,a bittersweet truth.

Here is a quote by Bob Marley,do read it with patience like you have all the time in this world and I am sure you shall feel this was worth your attention at the end:

 "Only once in your life,I truly believe,you find someone who can completely turn your world around.You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more.You share hopes for the future,dreams that will never come true,goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you.When something wonderful happens,you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement.They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself.Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful.There is never any pressure,jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around.You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are.The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note,song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever.Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again.Colours seem brighter and more brilliant.Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all.A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face.In their presence,there’s no need for continuous conversation,but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby.Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you.You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do.Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky,gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon.You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart,you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible.You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you.You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end.Life seems completely different,exciting and worthwhile.Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life."

PS: 

THE CHOCOLATE BOX is FOR the topic.

So which club do you belong to?Let me know:-)

Happy Valentines to you all!

Share some love EVERY DAY:-)

-R.

This post has been published as a part of THE GREAT DEBATERS
Topic: IS FALLING IN LOVE A ONE TIME AFFAIR ;the first edition of the Bloggers Debate; If you like this post then FAVE it  here and read other entries as well

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