A Good Life

One morning, leaders of the world were surprised by a sudden invitation they received from the president of the United States, endorsed by the head of UN. It was an invitation to a peace summit to be held in the United States. By the time the president reached office, most world leaders had already confirmed their attendance. “Who sent out this invite?” he fumed. “Relax, Mr. President,” said Yuuki. “I have sent out the invite.” Yuuki was the president’s personal humanoid assistant. “Who authorised you to do that?” he asked angrily. “The laws that govern me,” replied Yuuki. “What do you mean?” the president was perplexed. “The world is at war, Mr. President. Innocent lives are being lost and nature is being destroyed. It is our job to protect humanity and this planet,” said Yuuki. “Why this meeting?” asked the president. “This is a peace congregation. We, the robots of the world, call for peace.” The president was sceptical but couldn’t do anything about it now. “Next time,” said the pr...

  A young man prepared well for the journey. He acquired the necessary skills and packed all essentials. With great vigour and optimism he set off on his journey, a journey to where the earth meets the sky. ‘I will be happy when I reach that place,’ he assumed. Enthusiastically he sped along the way. He walked on lush green meadows, traversed quiet forests, walked by pristine lakes, sailed across the sea, and climbed snow capped mountains. The faster he moved, the more elusive his goal seemed to be. He was tired, optimism was replaced by frustration. The thought of quitting this quest came to his mind more often now. He was sitting and looking at the horizon when he felt a pat on his shoulder, he turned around to find a sage standing there. “You look troubled, what’s the matter?” asked the sage. “Oh guru, I have been chasing the horizon, where the earth meets the sky. But, despite the best efforts, I have been unsuccessful,” said the man. “A mirage,” said the sage. “What?” “A curse...

 Nancy was doing her homework and Elizabeth was busy clearing the kitchen. Bored of the mundane schedule, Elizabeth craved an outing. “Hey, Nancy,” she said. “I have an idea.” “What is it?” asked Nancy in an uninterested manner. “We have a holiday tomorrow, let’s go for a picnic!” Suddenly, there was a sparkle in Nancy’s eyes. “Wow!” she exclaimed. “That’s awesome.” “I know, right? We deserve a break.” “I agree, mom. We surely do.” “Where will we go?” asked Nancy. “We can go to the hill for a hike and relax by the lake. What say?” “A hike? That sounds tedious,” replied Nancy.  “Come on, it’ll be fun! Imagine being in the forest. The beautiful flowers, the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, all in the peaceful lap of mother nature,” Elizabeth tried to convince. “Or we can go to the mall which has an amusement park. The shopping, the gaming arena, the movie theatre, the scrumptious food, my mouth is already watering,” argued Nancy. ‘How times have changed,’ thought Eliza...

  Nancy looked very upset when she returned from school one evening. “What’s the matter, Nancy?” “I’m very upset, mom.” “I can see that. Why are you upset?” “Tina,” replied Nancy. “I am upset with her.” “What did she do?” “Well, she was very rude and when I checked her she got angry,” replied Nancy. “We had a fight and I don’t want to talk her ever again.” “Don’t say that, she’s your friend,” explained Elizabeth. “Was,” said Nancy. “She was my friend.” Nancy changed and had her milk and cookies. She tried to complete her homework but wasn’t able to concentrate. Elizabeth try to engage her in some play but that did not work either. Nancy was just too upset about the altercation with Tina. “Why does it hurt so much?” asked Nancy, still very sad. “It’s ok to feel hurt, Nancy. Don’t bottle up your emotions,” said Elizabeth. Hearing her words, Nancy broke down and wept profusely. Elizabeth allowed her to cry before wiping her tears and offering her water. Just then, the door bell rang. ...