A Reflection on Life’s Contradictions
By Divya Jyoti Munjal
October is here, yet the heat lingers on,
As though summer refuses to be gone.
Breakfast is ready, the kitchen work is done.
I rest in the cool air, away from the sun.
A little rest before my bath feels just right.
The AC brings comfort, a moment of delight.
Then suddenly, a thought comes my way:
“Oh dear! I forgot to switch on the heater today!”
I smile at the contrast, so simple yet strange.
How quickly our needs and desires change!
One moment, cool air is all that I need;
The next, warm water takes the lead.
We celebrate today with laughter and cheer,
Yet memories of sorrow can still bring a tear.
We spend thousands on hobbies that bring joy our way,
Then count every rupee we spend the next day.
We promise ourselves a diet, healthy and light,
Then savor a lavish meal with delight.
We long for silence when the world feels loud,
Yet miss familiar voices in a bustling crowd.
We wish for change, for something new,
Then hold to the familiar, as we often do.
We treasure some moments and wish they would stay,
While hoping that others would hurry away.
Are these contradictions, or simply our way
Of feeling and living through each passing day?
Must every thought follow a single line?
Must every emotion fit one design?
Perhaps life was never meant to be the same,
With every feeling carrying its own name.
There is room for happiness, and room for pain,
For sunshine to follow the pouring rain.
Each feeling matters, each moment has its place.
Each little contrast adds its own grace.
We need not explain every turn of the heart.
After all, joy and sorrow both play their part.
October is warm, and the AC hums away.
The water grows warmer as I welcome the day.
I smile at the thought that came my way:
Every bit of life matters, come what may.
How This Poem Came to Life
October 8, 2026. It was an ordinary October morning. Breakfast was ready, and I had finished my kitchen work. October had arrived, but the weather was still quite warm. I sat in the AC for a while to cool down before taking a bath.
Suddenly, I remembered that I had forgotten to switch on the water heater. The thought made me smile. Here I was, trying to cool down after working in the kitchen, yet I wanted hot water for my bath!
That small contrast set me thinking about how we humans move between seemingly opposite needs, emotions, and choices. We can be happy one moment and feel sad about something from the past the next. We spend generously on things we love, yet carefully consider small expenses on another day. We plan to follow a healthy diet, only to find ourselves enjoying a lavish meal.
Are these really contradictions, or are they simply part of being human?
I believe life is made up of all these moments, feelings, and choices. We do not have to experience everything in the same way, every day. Each moment has its own place and importance.
Perhaps that is what makes life so interesting. Even an ordinary morning can remind us that there is room for every feeling, every choice, and every little contradiction.