Stuck in a Moment

An Introduction:

It was in an English language class that I was given the opportunity to write a narrative piece based on any song of my choice. The popular Irish band U2 came to mind. As I gave the topic more thought, the song With or without you seemed to stick with me. This seemed to be the perfect song to outline a tragic love story.

So I began writing my story with only an outline in my head. And as I listened to the song repetitively (to the extent of me actually memorising the lyrics!) it brought out an overwhelming sense of emotion. The song illustrates a beautiful story by itself but I chose to interpret the song in a way that I believe nuanced the song even more. I wrote it in first person only in order to be able to relate it to myself, to be able to feel the emotion and describe it accurately and effectively. The song is emotionally involving, and the only way for me to write a story on these lines was by trying to live the song.

Interestingly enough, in this work of mine I refute my own belief of ‘letting things go’. I believe in not clinging on to any emotion of sadness and letting things be the way they are because whether we like it or not life will always surprise us as puts everything in its proverbial place. To me clinging on to something is a waste of time and I believe that life is too short to waste it on clinging onto emotions that we do not enjoy. However, my story describes a person clinging on to his emotions and who does not allow himself to move on. He is stuck in a moment that he is not willing to get out of. Hence, keeping in mind my personal outlook to a part of life , my narrator’s emotions allowed me to view things in a fresh perspective.

I hope you enjoy this piece that allowed me to showcase my creativity as a writer and my love for music.

May peace be with you!

Ishaan Pujari

Stuck in a Moment

The magic of death overcomes all. Something I never dwelled on until someone , someone who meant the heavens, the earth and every soul to me, was hunted down by the calm and unbeatable clenches of death.

As I watched the stone set in her eyes while the sand covered her casket, I felt as though I had nothing left to live for. I could vicariously feel her death. The melancholy that engulfed me heart seemed as though I were crying enough for the earth. With a sleight of hand and twist of fate she left me. My heart was weak and wasn’t able to live without her. I waited for days to see whether she would come back somehow. I couldn’t accept the fact that she had left me lonely. I waited in pain, as though I were waiting to gain enlightenment by sitting on a bed of nails.

As the hours brushed by, I only thought of the moments we spent together. Life was almost like living in a storm. She had given me the best of her, but all I wanted was more. The greed for more never hit me until she left me behind. Only now do I realise that without her I cannot live, but the greed to want more didn’t end with her life. The greed kept me back and made me wait for her. Wait for something I knew I wasn’t going to get.

However love, a weapon by nature, brings happiness to people who possess it. It becomes a weapon only when lost. Which is why I now, not only lost the lady of my life but also the love. The love too died with her. That love pierced my heart and a sense of sadness took over my body. That sadness spread like a plague inside, and burned like the fire in London. It would not allow me to live the life I did. I found myself conflicted, unable to understand.

But the deafening silence in my heart was over lapped by the moving beat of time. I realised that she had to go. She had given herself away, back to nature, back to life in a dimension man does not know. She had nothing left to win and nothing to lose. She had served her time in this place we call earth. I had finally understood and accepted.

I knew it was time to say my final goodbye to her. I walked to the shore nearby, and as I could see the storm approaching on the horizon, I whispered to her softly, “I can’t live with or without you.”