#667
Aigaa:- I thought I lost it(Print those days!- Funny,I had taken a snap of print, found it now!).
Life is full of "what if" moments—those fleeting decisions that, in hindsight, carry a weight we couldn’t have imagined at the time. On May 11, 2001, I stood in front of the iconic World Trade Center towers in New York City, their towering presence dominating the skyline behind me. I was with my cousin, a New York/New Jersey resident, who knew the city like the back of his hand. It was nearing lunchtime, and he suggested we grab a bite instead of heading up to the WTC’s observation deck for a panoramic view of NYC.
The decision seemed so small then. We ate, laughed, and afterward, chose to visit the Empire State Building instead. My cousin assured me, “We’ll make it to the WTC on your next visit.” But that next visit never came. Just four months later, on September 11, the towers were gone, and with them, the chance to stand atop them and take in the city from that vantage point. In the years since, I’ve returned to NYC several times, but I’ve never found the time to visit the new One WTC tower that now stands in its place. Maybe one day I’ll complete that visit—but for now, it remains a haunting “what if.”
Another moment that lingers in my mind takes me to Lahore, a city I’ve visited multiple times. I was unaware, until much later, that Bhagat Singh, the revolutionary freedom fighter, was hanged there in 1931 at Lahore Prison. I never made it to see the site, a place of such historical significance. Now, with the complexities of travel and time, visiting feels like a tough task. What if I had known earlier? What if I had made the effort to go? These missed opportunities weigh on me, not with regret, but with a quiet reflection on how life’s choices unfold.
These “what if” moments remind me how fragile and unpredictable life can be. A simple choice to eat lunch instead of ascending the WTC, or a lack of awareness about a historical site in Lahore, became defining memories—not for what I did, but for what I didn’t. They’re a reminder to seize the day, to be present, and to seek out the experiences that matter. Maybe one day I’ll stand at One WTC, or find a way to visit Lahore Prison, and complete these unfinished chapters. Until then, I hold onto the lessons they’ve taught me about life’s fleeting chances.
What are your missed "What IF"!!!
Karthik.
3rd June 2025 1130am.
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