I want to go home!

Would you not agree that every child when admonished craves for independence; when pampered, yearns for responsibilities; when given pocket money, hungers to make his own money; when given a free ride, pines to drive his own vehicle? Even I too dreamt of the days when I would live the life of an adult.

I reached adulthood faster than I ever imagined; wading my way through broken bones and bruised egos, through joyous days and unforgettable escapades. Before long an opportunity to live by myself came along. I grabbed it with both hands, to know how it would be and to know if I had what it took to live by myself in a different city.

Soon the heroic mission I embarked on seemed to show its true colors. I longed to be with my family, I missed the comfort of my friends, I did not like the food, I craved to be pampered. I missed simple things like the warmth of my nieces’ smile, my pillow, my computer, my music system and all the other things which I felt were too trivial for my existence earlier.

Now, two months into the quest, I detest heading back to my foolish pursuit. I feel like a little toddler being forcibly sent to school. I feel his pain and his trauma of leaving his entire world to go to a place which does not hold much significance. Going to my new home, I feel like I am going to a prison, a world of pretense, where my independence and my joy has been deposited with my landlord. I wail and scream in my head endlessly “I want to go home!”

I guess deep within we all are children, but too haughty to accept it…