“How happy is the blameless vestal’s lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each pray’r accepted, and each wish resign’d”
This particular quote by A. Pope often comes to my mind, whenever I see unbridled and pure emotion.
Sometimes, I am reminded of this quote as I watch how the little boy in my neighborhood invents all sorts of imaginary games and characters as he plays by himself. Sometimes I fear he would grow desolate and feel lonely often. Sometimes, I feel it is just right that he spends a lot of time with himself (not alone, mind you). It could prepare him for the world that in most certainty is coming to fruition.
Sometimes, I am reminded of this quote while looking at the street dog (maybe) enjoying his afternoon siesta under the shade of a cycle cart behind our office kitchen, while flocks of humans scurry around to down their meals before the next round of work commences. I wonder, what must these dogs and these creatures think, if at all. How can we be humans, but enjoy the life like a dog does?
Never am I reminded of this quote when I see a face, the face of a grown up. To me, they lost their graces long ago. Some, while some haven't yet realized it, and perhaps they never will, but there is no avoiding this phase.
I believe, and perhaps research also points towards the same direction, that when we are elated, we do not stop and ponder, we are living. In those moments alone, we become the 'blameless vestals'. It is in the sombre moments, often after the high, maybe at night when we sit alone under the sky, or by a lamp shade, or a longer retrospect do we realize that we really lived. In those fleeting moments we see what we had, and hope, that we will catch the bull by the horn next time, and not by its tail.
