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Lost in the woods

It was a Hot October morning when I set out to my newly discovered hobby, studying the jungle life.

This time the target was the woods near my native place on NH17.

These woods are quiet familiar as when we were kids we would have crossed them several times to reach our picnic spot hidden inside these jungles.

Though there isn't much wildlife left there now, the feel of being inside the woods wasn't less.

As I had been there a few times in past I knew the way...

My confidence was boasted when I found few familiar land marks... And then after the small munching break, I took a left turn...

And I had reached where I shouldn't have... and I was lost in the woods.

The place where I had reached wasn't the one I was expecting to reach. I had reached near a pond which I never knew existed.

And As expected I saw the first wildlife sign - the pugmarks. I was shivering with scare.

And then there was a movement in the nearby and there came a wolf & her newborns.

It was a real scary moment of my life. I was dead sure that now I won’t be going back to my world.

I started thinking about the incomplete tasks, assignments & my dog Rickie.

Same time I recollected Robert Frost's lines -

"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."

For first and only time in my life I started praying God to save my life.

I wondered to myself about the reckless driving practices that I followed sometimes,

About times when I jumped off a cliff to swim the river, about times when I trekked the Himalayas.

And the moment came and passed the wolves drank the water and went away. They didn't even pay any attention to me.

I was surprised. All I could think was probably the prayers were really answered.

I decided to go back the same way I had entered, every way looked just the same.

I was confused what to do next.

I kept walking for some more time; soon I saw some smoke rising in the sky.

It was a good sign indicating human dwelling and I decided to keep the faith and reach there.

And I was right. I had found the way out for the jungle safely.

I sincerely thank God for teaching me the value of life with this simple incidence.

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