If winter has come, can spring be far behind?

This article was first published in Jhankaar 2012, the annual printed literature of MBICEM in February 2012.

On a wintry morning as I sit staring at my facebook wall, I think about my blog. I haven’t had a new blog entry in two weeks! I come across Shelley’s famous poem’s last lines- If winter has come, can spring be far behind? Can I try writing a blog entry on this topic? I take up the challenge. 

Photo Credit: Sahil Ahuja; Location: Fatehpur Sikri

This was a common comprehension passage in the English exams in school. Being well aware of the literary meaning behind the lines, I struggle to force my mind to think out-of-the-box, to give the lines a creative new meaning.

As I look out of the window, I see a squirrel jump on the branches of the tree nearby. I am reminded of a recent animation film I saw. The squirrels by their nature tend to “store nuts for the winter”. They know that winter is going to be harsh- they may not find food. And so, they plan for sustenance months in advance. Winter has come, dear squirrel, spring can’t be far now.

Talking about food, I am reminded of the huge inflation crisis that food grains have seen in our country over the past year. Onion prices escalated. Tomatoes were rotting as the cold storages were filled with potatoes. All this was while the government proclaimed that it had saved enough for a wintry time ahead.

At the same time there was this old man with a white cap struggling to make India a corruption free country. Anna Hazare- a man I salute solely for his perseverance and unbreakable determination. He was able to influence crores of Indians to such an extent that even the government was forced to be on second thoughts. After all, the concern of the government was the issue, not the man. This is the roughest time that the democratic setup of the country has faced in 60 years. But yes, there is hope. There is a belief in every Indian that we are heading to better governance. If not today, at least tomorrow we shall surely have a corruption-free country. After all, if winter has come, can spring be far behind?

Going by the literary and basic meaning of the lines, I wonder- will the upcoming spring be the last one we ever witness? If Nostradamus and the Mayans are to be believed, then probably yes. If not, then well, we will be geared up for the next winter like the squirrels, waiting for the spring of 2013… won’t we?