It was evening time and Jack was heading towards home just then he saw bar right across the street. The bright lights attracted him as if they were inviting him to come and have a drink. Jack couldn’t resist the temptation and continued walking towards the bar instead of home.
He entered the bar and sat on the stool next to the bartender. Bartender smile, “Sir, what would you like to have?” Jack said, “The usual.” Bartender filled a pitcher of beer and moved it towards Jack.
Jack after having one after another was now disoriented to time, place, and person. He was like translated into some beer land where there were just pitchers of beer all around. It was time to close the bar and the bartender looked towards the assistant, as if he was saying “Just check out on him, is he in sense of walking to his home or we will have to assist him?”
Assistant tapped on Jack’s shoulder. Jack moved his head around with his droopy eyes looked at assistant and said, “Yeh, I know it is time to go now.” He got up from his seat and started walking towards the door. Opened it and went out. It was pitch dark now.
Somehow Jack reached home. He just opened the lock and went straight to the bed and passed out.
Next day, he woke up at 11 o’clock in the morning. When he saw the time he got worried as he had meeting in the office early morning at 8 a.m. He had missed it. Quickly, he called the office. Jennie, his secretary, picked up the phone and she said, “Sir, client waited for an hour and then went back. The deal is canceled.” Jack was totally shattered by what Jennie had told him.
Jack after thinking for some time just went to the phone when he kept his black dairy. He picked it up and started to find out the address once someone had given him. It was of Stephen Jones. He was the one who could help him.
Jack was attending rehab for intoxication, but to no avail. He was a very bad drinker, sometimes binging and not able to recover for many days. Because of this habit he had lost several jobs, people could not recognize him socially, tagged him as drunkard. Jack knew he had to leave this habit but where to start and how to start as he was also into rehab but it was no use. He couldn’t resist the temptation last night and again had gone to the bar for a drink and as a result suffered a loss at his job.
He knew Stephen Jones was the only person who could help him. He just picked up that black book and turned some pages, found his address. Jack quickly got ready to go. Stephen’s place was quite far from where he was living. He packed his bags and got in the car and headed towards his place.
The concrete had vanished and the greens had started on both sides of the highway. He took left turn and he saw a little cottage near the river. He knew he was heading right way. Just little bit far from cottage he stopped. He got out from the car and started walking towards the cottage. Just then he noticed some sound as if someone was chopping firewood.
He went towards the back of the cottage and he saw an old man wearing brown shirt and white pajamas was chopping firewood with his back towards Jack. Just then the man said, “I was expecting you Jack !!” Jack was astonished as to how he knew his name, but not too astonished because he had heard from the people that Stephen was having some powers. He could feel the presence of other people.
Jack just stood there and Stephen turned and said “I know why you have come here.” Jack said, “I want to leave it at any cost. Tell me what do I have to do for it.” Stephen said, “Just pick up this firewood for me and put in the cottage, would you, then we will talk on this.” Jack followed what Stephen had said and went into the cottage with firewood.
It was night now. Jack and Stephen were sitting on the table having their dinner. Stephen said, “Finish your food and go to bed. Tomorrow you and me have to do lot of work in jungle. Be ready for it.” Nodding his head Jack responded as he was pretty exhausted. He went to bed early that day.
Next day morning Jack woke up. He stood up and freshened himself and went out of the cottage and there was Stephen sitting down on the grass meditating. He just kept looking at him. There was a sort of halo around Stephen. Jack was not able to understand what was it. He just called “Stephen, I am ready. Let’s go.” Stephen opened his eyes and just smiled.
Both of them headed towards the woods. After they had walked for quite some time, there came a Bannayan tree and no sooner Jack could say a thing Stephen just went and clinged on to the tree. Jack paused for a while and then looked at Stephen, he thought that he will get down on his own but he didn’t. He was just clinging to it as if the little monkey baby clings to his mother.
Jack said, “Stephen why don’t you just leave this tree, so that we can walk on and do the things we came for.” Stephen said, “What ! do you think I am holding on to this tree. It is the tree who is not leaving me.” Jack said, “What the heck are you talking about? Tree is not leaving you? This can’t be. How a tree can hold you back. It is you who is clinging to it not the tree.” As soon as Jack said this Stephen left the tree and was standing in front of Jack. He said Jack that is the answer to you problem, “It is you who are clinging to alcohol and not alcohol to you.” He said, “You are as strong as your will. The stronger the will, more stronger you are able to resist.”
Habits are nothing but part of human nature. Unknowingly, we tend to develop some good ones and bad ones, but it is up to our will whether to leave it or stay with it. Let a habit be habit and not a need or else you are completely destroyed. When it becomes a need then you can’t see anything beyond it. It camouflages your mind, your will, your inner strength and makes you useless, worthless soul just a walking blob, nothing more than that.
It is just up to you what you want to be as, “You are as strong as your will.”
Layal's Perspective 