Doesn’t this stanza force you to take a trip down the memory lane when you perhaps read this poem in your class and discussed it extensively? Does the poem “The Mending Wall” by the famous American poet Robert Frost ring a bell in your head? Surely it does, doesn’t it?
Nevertheless, the poem is symbolic of the deep meaning it has on the very existence of walls. Through the ages, this poem has been debated upon widely from various points of view with reference to the various types of wall that surround us. Today the challenge we face is to weaken the emotional barricade that dwells between humans; most importantly, between two neighbors where the wall is thought to deteriorate the goodwill that should prevail between them.

Life in the 21st century is indeed fast paced with little or no concern at all for those around us. Gone are the days when there prevailed mutual understanding and goodwill between neighbors. Today there is such a situation where one human is out to get another. A constant bickering and a war to get better things than the other is what’s rampant in the new age. Remember the advertisement for Onida televisions, “neighbors envy and owners pride”!!! This is exactly the scenario today. The emotional barrier that exists is the toughest to break among all other walls one can think of. It is often argued that the very presence of a wall is requisite to maintain good relations as it checks the excessive indulgence of a neighbor thereby averting the development of an unhealthy relationship between the duos. What we need today is a little bit of understanding, concern and most importantly mutual respect. With the presence of these aspects, there’ll be the spontaneous establishment of a healthy space, which in itself will deter the existence of that physical wall and erase the mental barrier between two neighbors as well. Here, understanding is the key word where the neighbors automatically realize where to draw the line and respect each other’s privacy. It’s no surprise that man himself has created barriers of all sorts which have indeed made him more egocentric, avaricious and less solicitous and responsive towards others’ problems and concerns.

It is often said that it takes two to tango so it is in the case of mutual harmony. Without the cooperation of either of the neighbors, such a healthy relation is not achievable as one cannot choose to live in isolation unaware of what’s happening around oneself. If only man could realize how blessed his life would be if he could do away with the perils of his self-ordained wall… if only he could realize the true meaning of harmony and togetherness and if only his self opinionated mind could meet the challenge of doing away with the wall… the world would be a much better place to live in.