A Question that Echoes

 A QUESTION THAT ECHOES

Rewinding the life, for a fun
I go back to the peak of my youth.
Healthy and sportive was I,
with a passion, to enjoy life.

Blessed by the heavens, early in life,
I was placed in job with an assured income.
Fortunate I was too, to gain a partner
to my choice, as I thought.

While enjoying every second of my life,
a very senior colleague with mischief,
Whispered into my ears, a question.
"Are you living or existing"?.

I laughed it off, to answer the question and
he too joined me, enjoying the response.
Patting on my shoulders he told.
"keep it up my lad for ever".

The  question echoes in my ears
Every now and then even today.
May be my mind is anxious  to know
"Am I living or existing".

I  have answered in the affirmative ,
Umpteen times to myself so far.
The time to answer with justification
slightly lengthens, over years.

The meaning of "living" gets redefined
As the enjoyment  shifts from one to other.
Still the question  gets repeated again and again
To justify the existence of the soul in body.

The question that was shot years back,
by a colleague for fun,
Is repeated by my  soul now and then
To justify its existence in me.

I pray the God almighty now
to bestow my mind the strength
to push out the soul from me
Before the answer goes in the negative.