What is happening !!

I was born and brought up in a small town, with friends and relatives in every lane. Parties always happened at home, we didn't have culture to go to restaurants for food. Life was too simple. Infrastructure and medical facilities were very minimal. Family income was also limited. There was only one park in the town. When water logged on streets during rainy season, we used to make paper boats and sail them in the water. Once, the high school boys and some of our neighbors even took a boat into the paddy fields in our water logged farms and they enjoyed sailing there, as if in a massive river. When strikes happened, we were happy about the unexpected school vacation. Once, there was no electricity for almost a month in our colony because the transformer had burnt down, can't even imagine how we survived, but can't recall any uncomfort as well - that we might have experienced in that period. We ate fresh fruits and vegetables straight from the market, power cut was a frequent routine and in sweaty summer days, we used to head to our roofs where we would camp out at night in the cool breeze, and compete in counting the stars with a dozen cousins - and have a nice peaceful sleep gazing at them. 

Life has come a long way. I live in a big city now and earn much more than what my entire family managed to ,put together. We have power backup, continuous water supply, and all other material comforts that count in life. But at times, I feel more stressed and unhappy than ever before. I don't get to see the starts - because I don't have time to , the sky is full of dust and there is no roof to lie down on. The lanes are not water logged, but they are traffic clogged. There is no fresh air, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables right from the backyard garden. Many relatives are there - but there is no time to meet. Parties happen at restaurants and its more of a showoff of money than real pleasure. People who counted in life got scattered - some left behind, some moved ahead, some are near and some far - but the dynamics have changed so much.

Sometimes I get to seriously wonder if this is the life we had all carved for. If we had remained in that small town for the better, if we had changed it for the better, if we could have harmonized the natural surrounding of our birth place with better modern facilities that we all carve for - it would have been what we all imagine as 'heaven'. Will I get that heaven in this lifetime? Sounds ironical - don't we have to die to be in heaven? But is this life in any form better than being dead...... and we live on!!! :)