This summer vacation, during a visit to Vadodara, I was determined not to let my walking routine suffer. The sprawling ONGC campus seemed the perfect place to continue my daily ritual. With the timer activated and pedometer ticking, I set off, target firmly in mind.
Event Context
Before me unfolded a breathtaking spectacle: A pride of peacocks, wandering freely across the landscape. They strode about with effortless grace, their iridescent plumage catching the sunlight, utterly indifferent to the humans around them. The sight was so enchanting that my measured pace gradually slowed to a halt.
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Yet, at my age, I can perhaps afford the occasional detour from a rigid routine. After all, as WH Davies reminds us, What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?
Sometimes, a peacock is reason enough to pause.
The writer is an associate professor of English at SD College, Ambala Cantt and can be reached at [email protected]
Player Focus
Reflecting on those evening walks, I realise how closely they mirror life itself. We often imagine distractions come only in glittering, attractive forms—pleasure, admiration, or the temptations that beckon us away from our goals. But sometimes they come disguised as worries, doubts, fears, or the constant urge to seek what is missing. Like those unseen peacocks hidden among the leaves, these anxieties occupy our minds and divert us from the path we set out to follow.
This is particularly true for today’s youth, who live in a world overflowing with digital noise—social media notifications, endless streams of information, and the relentless pursuit of instant gratification. Every day presents countless opportunities to drift away from long-term aspirations. The challenge is not merely to recognise distractions, but to cultivate the internal quiet required to stay focused despite them.
It brings to mind Robert Frost’s immortal lines:
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
Match Outlook
A few metres down the path skirting the golf course, however, my disciplined resolve met an unexpected challenge.
The next day, I set out with renewed determination. Having allowed myself to be distracted the previous evening, I resolved not to let their regal presence derail my mission again. My focus, I told myself, would remain firmly on the walk and the ticking watch.
Nature, it seemed, had other plans.
To my utter surprise, not a single peacock was in sight. Perhaps I had started my walk later than usual, or perhaps the birds had retired early. The pathways that had teemed with their majestic presence now appeared strangely empty.
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Yet, the peacocks had not really vanished. Their incessant calls echoed from the treetops and, ironically, their absence proved even more distracting than their presence. Time and again, my eyes wandered upwards, trying to trace the source of those familiar cries. Hidden among the dense foliage, the birds blended seamlessly with their surroundings—masters of camouflage despite their flamboyant reputation. Before long, I realised I was losing focus all over again, not to the sight of the peacocks, but to the challenge of spotting them.
