Bag of Memoirs

I have a bag of memoirs

It contains stories from the past

Marksheets of a time when I was lost

and drawings of friends I used to collect

Shirts that had grown dear to me

and testimonials of family

The first tool I ever built

and the last book I had written

Lately, the bag has grown heavy

and I don’t look at it too often

My stories travel with me every day

But the bag stays at its place

So I surround myself with antiques from the past

hoping to live in the glory of days gone by

Some day, I’ll leave these possessions behind

and move on with my stories, and my bag slightly empty

I’ll carry the gifts I received

lest someone someday need reminding

But I shall not burden my shoulders with memories

My soul shall stay full with them

And if a day should come

when my memories leave me by way of a tear

Then I’ll be all the more lighter

I do not mind

I’ll walk along looking for newer pastures

For that is all there is to life

to love a lot, to live gently

and to gracefully let go of things

not meant to be forever

Vishal Gupta

26^th July 2018