My Second Life

Miles to go before I sleep

Photo courtesy: ScooNews. In the closing moments of SGEF2024, the organising team is on the stage.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

BY ROBERT FROST

Whose woods these are I think I know.   

His house is in the village though;   

He will not see me stopping here   

To watch his woods fill up with snow.   

My little horse must think it queer   

To stop without a farmhouse near   

Between the woods and frozen lake   

The darkest evening of the year.   

He gives his harness bells a shake   

To ask if there is some mistake.   

The only other sound’s the sweep   

Of easy wind and downy flake.   

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,   

But I have promises to keep,   

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.

Source: https://beta.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42891/stopping-by-woods-on-a-snowy-evening

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Fueled by passion, we are propelled to go on and on, maybe we have an unfinished agenda? How true, as I have a real-life story to share.

On the 8th day of August 2024, I took a flight from the picturesque Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun to my annual pilgrimage to Jaipur, the Global Educators Festival. This event celebrates the lives of our humble teachers and brings together some of the best minds in the country for a brainstorming session.

We landed at Jaipur amidst a downpour and walking down the ramp of my ATR felt the copious drops of joy welcome me to the Pink City, cool and soothing to set the stage for the Annual Conference, embalmed with Gods showering their blessings. At the arrival Jugjiv my reading companion at My Good School and cotraveller from the school days mid-term excursions welcomed me, he had driven down from Delhi with Ashok to synchronise with my arrival!

First things first, I headed off to my sister’s magical bookstore at Rajputana Sheraton - Bookwise - hoping her blessings and the Rakhie thread would empower me to do my best to serve the passionate educators at my level best as the co-chair for the ScooNews Global Educators Festival 2024.

Hugs and an hour of warm memories helped me further feel the magic of relationships, how the bonds of love and emotions make us stand with each other as we move on with miles to go before you sleep!

The evening welcome at Brij Nest and my room on the top floor for two seasons amidst the serene green and the library cafe gave me peace and felt much like being at home, thanks to my friend and co-chair of the SGEF 2024* Ravi Santlani. Meeting passionate educators, young leaders, and entrepreneurs gives you a new high, and you feel much valued #HappyTeachers.

Kick start and fast-forward to 9th and 10th August 2024. Standing on one leg for near 48 hours, and with a desire to do justice to my podium stand, there was little time to even sleep, with adrenaline running high and time simply blurred past at asteriod speed.

My Second Life, why I am here punching furiously on the keyboard, even with a broken finger.

My Second Life

The Conference concluded on the 10th evening, and excited to fly out for a three week stay with my daughter at Singapore, I requested Ashok to drive us - Jugiv and myself - to Delhi at 5 pm sharp. No food in the stomach, two days of sleep depravation and with maybe low energy level, reached the steps up to my home at Delhi at 10 pm. Rushed open the car door, collecting as many of my belongings my arms could carry, trudged up the two floors of my home.

At the landing of my second-floor home, accompanied by Booty, my much-loved street dog, I put my strolly down and almost opened the door, which was partly open. Some friends had left our home after dinner, after a long wait for my arrival. Looking into the eyes of Booty, my heart was full of joy and I decieded to sit on the final step to have a conversation with her. Feet firm on the floor, and head lowered, talking with her, this is all I remember, as maybe blood ran out of my head.

Somersalting down the stairwell, I fell, with the head first hitting the steps and seeing stars, felt a gash on my neck and tumbling down like Jack going down the hill, with no Jill came tubling after! Landing on my back on the third level of the stairwell, hard concrete hitting my body, broken and limp, drenched with sweat and with wet pants, I passed out. That is all I remember.

There was commotion and crowd, neighbours, family and police officers around; I tried to lift my neck, to no avail, broken fingers, and it seemed even a broken back. When I tried to get up, the excruciating pain held me down. As luck would have it, when I was hurtling down the stairwell, Neenu, my wife, was on the phone in the living room and heard the thud of my body hitting the concrete and came rushing out. This was a real blessing, as she was able to drum up support and even call the angels from heaven to do the magic.

An Orthopedic Surgeon was holding my hand and was trying to have a conversation with me; when I regained my senses, I first saw my fingers and grimaced with pain. Would I be able to write ever? How would I live my life as a paraplegic and more? The angel Dr Ravjit Singh, who is our family, did the magic; I set right my fingers first, then another friend brought a stiff collar for the neck. The herculean effort of almost ten people to loosen my body into comfort wear and the love of our staff and family revived me.

The ordeal of the ambulance and what seemed a never ending ride to the hospital, accompanied by friends and relatives, we reached the Emergency ward. Sirens, running feet and commotion added to my fears, would I every be able to get up? With doctors and staff plugging in machines, monitors and the IV line, I was now part of what seemed like a long haul to recovery. I was rushed into the CT scan for a whole-body checkup, and the seven or more minutes in the Scan seemed like a lifetime. I went blank and woke up. To the words of my angel doctor, you will be fine and will walk home soon!

Viola, the following day at 3 am, I walked up the same steps with measured breath, one step at a time, to finally crash on the bed. What followed was a week of rest and a delayed departure to Singapore to be with family, convalesce, and write this post.

Thank you for your love and blessings, seems I have miles to go before I sleep. The love of family and friends never fails us, and if we live with passion, we revel with #JoyOfLearning.

My Vote Of Thanks for your prayers and support and for holding my hand through my darkest hour. Your love, and maybe some unfinished agenda, has given me this second chance to live with you.

Maybe some good deeds in my life saved me, and all thanks to the love and care of my dear ones, this post is yours to read.

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*For more about SGEF 2024, please read my notes: