Sometimes Silly Sometimes Sweet #Mirage

Mirage 

( published in Anthology)

by

https://www.verseskindlerpublication.com

In the counselor's office, 19-year-old T.J. sat in silence, his gaze fixed on the wall as he waited for his turn. Draped in worn-out blue overalls, he bore little resemblance to the once handsome and hopeful teenager he used to be. The weighty framed quote adorning the waiting room wall seemed to bore into his very soul. A sharp, shooting pain pierced his head, causing his hands to tremble and agonizing spasms to wrack his abdomen. Desperate for aid, he looked around but found no one willing to lend a hand. Yet, such distressing scenes were a common sight in the rehabilitation center.

His impulsive decisions, like abruptly dropping out of school because he found the curriculum ordinary and rejecting the traditional family system as outdated, led him to a life of seclusion. While seemingly liberating at first, these decisions soon revealed their true cost. He found himself isolated, his friends disappearing as soon as his money ran out, and his optimism waning. The freedom he sought turned into a struggle for survival. To him, it meant living by the creed of "Ask no questions. Expect no replies. Do as you choose. Live as you desire." 

T.J. lacked formal training, specific skills, or outstanding talent. His friends disappeared when his money ran out, and eventually, his optimism waned. The free-spirited individual endured days without food, resorting to begging outside temples, sharing meals with monks, and sleeping on the beach. It seemed like nothing came without a cost.

Some employed him in exchange for money, while others for personal favors. T.J. found himself in roles that undermined his self-respect and bruised his sense of dignity. He struggled to find a balance between survival and maintaining his integrity. The more he strived to liberate himself, the more forcefully he was pulled back. He realized that nothing in life comes without a cost.

 It was too late for T.J. to realize that the boundaries of his home had unexpectedly granted him greater autonomy. Within the walls of the rehabilitation center, he found himself feeling anything but liberated, instead feeling bound by the consequences of his decisions. 

The quote on the wall read -

"You are free to choose, 

But you are never free from the consequences of your choice."

A universal paradox.