Summit

Somebody had once told me that one should'nt climb a mountain and stand on the  summit.because once you reach the summit, you have to go down.

And no one likes to come down from the summit.

So the logical solution is to stay some distance away from the summit and view it from afar. Admire it from the distance.

Because that summit is just an illusion we cant seem to get our head around.

Ask anyone who has been on the metamorphical summit about how it actually feels. They wont say much, except for giving a smug or shy smile.. Most summit occupants have either of the following features: confidence,modesty or arrogance.
But
Is the summit as secure as we think it is?

People tend to forget that the summit is  just a tip , ensuring that there isnt enough space for too many people to get a secure footing on.

Which means....
One wrong shift in your footing, and down you go.

And i have seen what happens to people when they lose their footing.

I have seen Natasha slapping the boy who took her position in the summit.

I have heard my little sister Ana who came second in class howl in anguish all night.

I have seen Portia being triggered to slice her left wrist hours after the results came out.

I have seen Anil smuggling chits to the examination hall, so that he could get top marks in his exams and regain his footing on the summit.

And i have also seen him getting caught in the act.

Now as i sit and ponder over the summit and its meaning and its worth, i sneak a peak at my best friend who's on her third glass of Antiquity Blue, trying to forget her loss of the summit position.

I am a silent spectator. Nothing i say or do scratches the layer of indifference she has wrapped up herself in since we saw the semester examination scoresheet.

It was her reaction to the slip from the top position which lead me to write this down.

That lovely spot on the summit actually comes with a price. You lose yourself, you lose your defining characteristics, you lose your confidence,and sometimes,your sanity.

So what is the point in participating in the mad chase of  trying to get to the top , only to come hurtling down in disgrace?There are too few of us who can maintain their footing.

As i struggle to put a passed out,sweaty,unhappy girl into bed, i decide i'd rather be miles away from the summit,keeping my distance,no longer in awe of the illusive security of the peak spot.