Why Did I Follow The Crowd?

I'm at crossroads, my brain is whirling, which way do I go? which path should I follow?  As I stand contemplating, behold, a mammoth crowd is coming towards me, don't panic! I tell myself. As they come closer, I find out that the individuals all look alike. 

On reaching the crossroads, they take the left road, then here comes a person, alone, he diverts to the opposite direction. "Stop! Stop! I shout at him, where're you going all alone?" it's like he's deaf, walking swiftly as if on an emergency without looking back. Hmm

I ponder, how long will I remain here? how long shall I sit on the fence? I have to choose a path.  I look this way, the crowd is still in view, I look the other way, the loner is nowhere in sight, so fast? Wow! I think I should follow him.

As I take a couple of steps forward in the direction of the loner, suddenly, there's a loud murmuring behind me. I turn around, eh! lots of angry looking faces were on me, what did I do wrong? I'm staring at them, they're staring at me. Then in an automatic motion, their eyes shift from me, I turn to see why, it was another loner.  As he gets to the crossroads, he looks both ways, sees the crowd glaring at him, he glares back at them, and moves towards the loner's way. 

Then their eyes get back at me, but wait! I look closer at both paths, the direction of the crowd is just like a park, lined with flowers and trees, it even has cushions where one can lie down and sleep. The other way, er r r, I see nothing but a zigzag desert looking road. Why didn't I see this all this while? 

Immediately,I start running towards the crowd, they smile, I smile, and the journey begins. Minutes later, my legs are feeling weak, why am I walking so slow, why am I shuffling my feet?I look at the others, What! It's the same with them. No, no, it can't be, I muster all my strength to walk faster, but it seems as if something is dragging my feet back. Is this how we'll reach our destination?

 I turn around to look back, alas! thousands of people have joined us, I can't even see the last person, ouch! my foot just hit a stone, stone? from where? The last time I checked, this road was tarred. Wait a second! Where are the flowers, the cushion? I could really use it now, I can't see them, all I see are rocks and empty space.

 "Can someone tell me what's happening?" I shout on top of my voice, and my echo responded.

I strain my eyes to see ahead, but I can't, the people in front are blocking my view, "this people should walk faster" , I whine, but nobody moves an inch faster.

 Many annoying hours later, tap, tap, tap, raindrops on my head! Oh please,let there be no rain, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, more raindrops, then it began to rain cats and dogs. Drenched, shivering with cold, hungry and tired, I close my eyes as tears roll down and let out a woeful cry, "why me e e e e e e e?"

Then like a vision, I saw myself as a shadow following the two loners. I found out that at first, the road was all rocky and dirty, but after some distance, the road was getting brighter and beautiful. I looked and saw the first loner, he was washing off dust from his hands and feet with clean water. Then he went to a nearby fruit tree and plucked some fruit and started eating, he was all smiles, and I envied him.  He rested for a while and then continued his journey. 

I looked out and saw the second person still behind, but he was walking so fast, at a time he began to jog to fasten his pace. Then immediately he saw the wonderful sights ahead of him, he broke into a run and then... 

P e e w! vision ends, my eyes open, I'm still in the rain. Oh what have I done? why did I follow the crowd? I want to go back! I have to! I turn around but I'm hedged in by much people. I'm pushing against the people,but it's too difficult, more people are coming. "Please make way for me", I say, nobody's listening. "It's all your fault, you should have followed the loners"my mind taunts me,"You don't have to remind me" shouting at myself. What have I gotten myself into? Why did I follow the crowd? Why? Why? 

Dear friend,are you following the crowd? You're more than that
Dare to stand alone, Dare to stand out!