BIRTH
A blank slate to write a marvelous story and then there are sounds of a baby crying. Sitting in the backseat of a car, pondering with inquisitiveness at the two adults sitting in the front seats with one of them in control of the steering wheel.
LIFE BEGINS
The engine cranks up and the car steadily moves past Mile 0. The Journey Begins!! The baby in the back seat is all smiles looking out of the window and admiring the trees and all the new things he sees. The car drives past mile 3, mile 5 and then Mile 6 as the baby grows into a toddler and then a kid.
The adult in the driver's seat drives through the familiar road, a path they were told is right for them. They notice all these exits that they are driving past, never taking one. They keep following the familiar road, swapping seats at regular intervals. All the exits to unknown roads that were missed fade away into the darkness and the kid arrives at Teenage.
TEENAGE
The teenager in the car looks at everyone driving on the road and grows curious where he would go if he takes one of those exits. The grumpy teenager desires to take one of the exits and explore some new road but the adults in the front seats are still in control of the car and stick to the familiar road.
As the car moves past Mile 16 the teenager is now in the driver's seat with the adults still guiding him along the road. The teenager, as curious as ever, takes some exits and drives through some new roads. As he drives past Mile 18, 19 and then 21, scared of the uncertainty that follows paving a new path, turns back to the well defined road. He is now a young adult.
YOUNG ADULT
The young adult now in full control of the steering wheel with no one in the car to guide him accelerates and moves faster than ever in his new car. He tries to steer away from the main road taking some exits, hitting some dead ends. Still unsure which road is better for him he moves past mile 23 and then mile 25. He notices most of his friends driving on the main road, seemingly cheerful. He gradually steers back to the same old familiar road. All the exits he did not take, all the exits he took but quit too early and returned, now fade into the darkness never to be seen again.
As he moves past Mile 28 and then Mile 30 the passenger seat previously empty has someone sitting in it. The road gradually narrows with a clear view of the horizon and the exits on the road are less frequent now. As he strolls along the road in his car and moves past Mile 31, 32 and 33 there are sounds of a baby crying in the backseat of the car. The journey of Adulthood begins.
ADULTHOOD
As he follows the long road moving faster than ever with uplifting music playing in the car he looks for new roads with exits to take. As he comes closer to an exit the uncertainty attached with changing direction, risking all the good things he already has scares him and he keeps following the same road as it has been a smooth one so far.
As he drives past Mile 35 and then 40 he looks for exits and other paths to take with quiet desperation but now the road has narrowed and the exits are few.
MIDLIFE
As he drives past Mile 43, 45 and then 50 he takes a look at the rearview mirror and all he sees is the road behind him fading away into darkness along with the exits he chose not to take. He moves ahead on the clear road with a view of the horizon.
As he drives past Mile 55, 56 and then 60 the car now a bit rusty slows down as he reflects back on all the different paths that were available to him but he chose not to take OR was too afraid to deviate from the smooth sailing road with familiar cars around him. He now arrives at Old Age.
OLDAGE
As he gradually moves along the same path the car slows down further and as he goes past Mile 65, 68 and then 70 he now finds himself in the backseat of the car while the baby previously in the back seat has now become an adult and has the steering wheel in his hands. Life has come a full circle.
As he looks around from the backseat of the car he notices all the new exits that they are driving past and is still curious about what lies beyond these exits. He wishes to take a new road but he is no longer in control of the direction the car takes as it now has a new driver. He looks back with deep regret at all the roads he did not try while he had the chance.
As the car now moves past Mile 75, 80 and then 85 he now makes peace with the fact that new roads are beyond his control and the main road is the only road forward. The only thing that remains are his memories. He moves on reminiscing all his past achievements.
As he drives past Mile 90 getting closer to Mile 100 a sense of deep regret remains for all the roads not taken. A realization sets in, of a deliberately wasted life.
DEATH
As he drives past Mile 100 he is now closer to the horizon and everything is taken over by the darkness. Then, there are sounds of a baby crying in the back seat. A new life begins!!! with a blank slate but the car still follows the same old familiar road.
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did." - Mark Twain
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