Changing Times
Time is immemorial. Nothing can stop its passage. There is not beginning, nor any end of Time. It just is there. Sometimes, we don’t even feel the change and sometimes it is so apparent. Even while we sit doing nothing, time keeps on moving as if some unknown movie playing in the background.
Slowly we tend to come nearer to the most realistic thing in the whole life i.e. DEATH. Even though none of us wants to die but that is the most certain thing in this whole life of illusion. Right from the day, we are born, we are taught how to survive, how to fight it out in this world, never are we told how to face death in the eyes and brave it. That is the fear of the unknown. Nobody has treaded that path to tell us how it is. Seems like it is beginning, yet another one!
What is it that keeps us attached to things, to other people? Deep in our hearts, we all know that we all will make a journey beyond this life, all alone, single. Still we cling on to materialistic things, to our beloved, to our parents and other near and dear ones. We keep grudges against our bosses, our rivals and even sometimes our own family. What for? We hurt people, we create violence, all this to what gains? Just for some momentary gain, for some individualistic ideals, for some political mileage. All of this at what cost? Have we ever sat down and given all this a little thought?
Thinking about all this in detail in calm environment will surely cause us to re-think, it will help us reflect on the things that we do on a daily basis is to whose benefit. Given the way time changes and people move on, it will not be shocking that one day you will be in their shoes and then time will not wait for you as well.
Life is so small that it just passes by when we are still trying to shape it up, trying to study, to excel, to find a job, to retain it, to marry, have kids, to buy things etc. Needs, needs and more needs, there is no time left to do what you always wanted to do. We are so engrossed in our daily life that we tend to forget the little things in life that needs to be enjoyed. That life needs to be enjoyed as whole.
When we have time, we don’t have age with us, we already gaping at that bend, which will take us to the end of this life and the beginning of a new one. If we have live our lives at our terms and to the fullest, giving not a second thought to what is going to happen next, we are ready. Otherwise, there is not a single doubt that we will fear and succumb to DEATH rather that greeting it with open arms.
Only one man I have known in my life who followed this principle of living life at his own terms, come what may! He has been an epitome of self reliance and dignity all through his life. Never sacrificing his principles to giving in to anybody’s demands. He was a man of his principle and followed it diligently. Lived life king size while he was working and even after he retired.
A big stature, well built, standing tall at 5”11, a receding hairline, penetrating but gentle eyes, thin firm lips, a bit of hooked nose set right in the middle of elongated face, thick round glasses adorning it, a booming voice, that was my grandpa. His entire family was known for their principles and the temper! He never said no to the hardships of life. Even with a job a sub-inspector in the RPF, he managed to bring up his seven children with dignity and responsibility.
He has retired by the time I could know things. All my growing up years, I have seen him stay in the same 2 room flat in our hometown. He was a man of such principle that he used to walk 5-10 kms every day even when he was in his 70s. He had friends of many years with whom he met during his walks.
The fond memories I have of him are so many! He was a person who used ferry me and my sister, on a bi-cycle, to and from school, when my father was posted in Berhampur. He instilled in me the habit of reading newspaper. He used to make sure that we write a paragraph each from the Newspaper and then translate it for him.
All our holidays were spent in that 2 room flat in Sambalpur, where he used to wake us children, by the twitching his radio for the morning news. All my grandma’s plea’s were left un-heard as he roamed about the house with the radio in his hand and the oriya news blaring from it, all to our disgust and discomfort.
When my father got transferred to Sambalpur, he was so overjoyed that he kept telling everybody he met about this. He went with our mum for our admissions. He visited us to the government quarters that my father had got every day but never once decided to move in with us. He cheered us during our annual functions, enjoyed our birthdays with us, and attended the ceremonies in the family without fail!
One thing he loved was food and that too quality food. He cherished Mangoes and while he could walk used to get it himself. He could differentiate a good meal from a bad one. A pucca non-vegetarian, he enjoyed his curried mutton, fish or chicken! A nice meal would always bring a broad smile to his face. Given my grandma’s cooking, he never had a reason to complain!
He never depended on anybody and always lived life on his own terms. Though he had a weakness for good things in life he never asked for it from anybody. He took special pride in mentioning to people about his sons and the kind of status he enjoyed because of them.
His long walks took a beating when one day a bull hit him and he fell flat on the road. He was never the same man again. He suffered badly and then was caught with Parkinson’s. His endless smoking, all during his youthful days, boiled downed to bronchitis at this stage in his life. Yet, here was the man, never did he give up. Even when we were away and used to call, his ever resonating and booming voice over the phone, made our day!
Even though his both legs down the knees slowly gave way and he could no longer stand or walk, he still had that will that he will someday start walking and everything will be good as old days. He had so much zeal to watch my wedding, the first wedding in the family that he went there on wheelchair and greeted people with gusto! I still remember his teary eyes, when I finally went to meet him at my “Bidaai”. He was sitting there with a white shawl draped around him and watching me with his kind eyes, tears floating in his eyes but not falling down. I touched his feet and he hugged me with his blessings and I could not help but cry like I am right now, writing this part!
His condition has deteriorated more a year later at my sister’s wedding and he could not make it to her wedding. The last time I met him was before I was coming back from this wedding, I had gone to meet him and he was as usual seated on his bed feet dangling below. He voice was still strong and he sounded happy! He offered me sweets and samosas and we relished it together.
He totally lost his love of life when his youngest son succumbed to death before his own eyes, that was the last time I spoke with him and he sounded so calm and composed at that time. After that he refrained talking to people, started eating less and may be started preparing for his departure also. On that last night, even before anyone could imagine what was happening, he breathed his last! He slowly passed away, away far from all of us leaving a big broad gaping hole in our lives, which can never be filled!
I salute him for his zeal and love for life! He has taught us how to live life to the fullest, never regretting a moment, even though times keep changing!!! Love you Baba always !!!
Slowly we tend to come nearer to the most realistic thing in the whole life i.e. DEATH. Even though none of us wants to die but that is the most certain thing in this whole life of illusion. Right from the day, we are born, we are taught how to survive, how to fight it out in this world, never are we told how to face death in the eyes and brave it. That is the fear of the unknown. Nobody has treaded that path to tell us how it is. Seems like it is beginning, yet another one!
What is it that keeps us attached to things, to other people? Deep in our hearts, we all know that we all will make a journey beyond this life, all alone, single. Still we cling on to materialistic things, to our beloved, to our parents and other near and dear ones. We keep grudges against our bosses, our rivals and even sometimes our own family. What for? We hurt people, we create violence, all this to what gains? Just for some momentary gain, for some individualistic ideals, for some political mileage. All of this at what cost? Have we ever sat down and given all this a little thought?
Thinking about all this in detail in calm environment will surely cause us to re-think, it will help us reflect on the things that we do on a daily basis is to whose benefit. Given the way time changes and people move on, it will not be shocking that one day you will be in their shoes and then time will not wait for you as well.
Life is so small that it just passes by when we are still trying to shape it up, trying to study, to excel, to find a job, to retain it, to marry, have kids, to buy things etc. Needs, needs and more needs, there is no time left to do what you always wanted to do. We are so engrossed in our daily life that we tend to forget the little things in life that needs to be enjoyed. That life needs to be enjoyed as whole.
When we have time, we don’t have age with us, we already gaping at that bend, which will take us to the end of this life and the beginning of a new one. If we have live our lives at our terms and to the fullest, giving not a second thought to what is going to happen next, we are ready. Otherwise, there is not a single doubt that we will fear and succumb to DEATH rather that greeting it with open arms.
Only one man I have known in my life who followed this principle of living life at his own terms, come what may! He has been an epitome of self reliance and dignity all through his life. Never sacrificing his principles to giving in to anybody’s demands. He was a man of his principle and followed it diligently. Lived life king size while he was working and even after he retired.
A big stature, well built, standing tall at 5”11, a receding hairline, penetrating but gentle eyes, thin firm lips, a bit of hooked nose set right in the middle of elongated face, thick round glasses adorning it, a booming voice, that was my grandpa. His entire family was known for their principles and the temper! He never said no to the hardships of life. Even with a job a sub-inspector in the RPF, he managed to bring up his seven children with dignity and responsibility.
He has retired by the time I could know things. All my growing up years, I have seen him stay in the same 2 room flat in our hometown. He was a man of such principle that he used to walk 5-10 kms every day even when he was in his 70s. He had friends of many years with whom he met during his walks.
The fond memories I have of him are so many! He was a person who used ferry me and my sister, on a bi-cycle, to and from school, when my father was posted in Berhampur. He instilled in me the habit of reading newspaper. He used to make sure that we write a paragraph each from the Newspaper and then translate it for him.
All our holidays were spent in that 2 room flat in Sambalpur, where he used to wake us children, by the twitching his radio for the morning news. All my grandma’s plea’s were left un-heard as he roamed about the house with the radio in his hand and the oriya news blaring from it, all to our disgust and discomfort.
When my father got transferred to Sambalpur, he was so overjoyed that he kept telling everybody he met about this. He went with our mum for our admissions. He visited us to the government quarters that my father had got every day but never once decided to move in with us. He cheered us during our annual functions, enjoyed our birthdays with us, and attended the ceremonies in the family without fail!
One thing he loved was food and that too quality food. He cherished Mangoes and while he could walk used to get it himself. He could differentiate a good meal from a bad one. A pucca non-vegetarian, he enjoyed his curried mutton, fish or chicken! A nice meal would always bring a broad smile to his face. Given my grandma’s cooking, he never had a reason to complain!
He never depended on anybody and always lived life on his own terms. Though he had a weakness for good things in life he never asked for it from anybody. He took special pride in mentioning to people about his sons and the kind of status he enjoyed because of them.
His long walks took a beating when one day a bull hit him and he fell flat on the road. He was never the same man again. He suffered badly and then was caught with Parkinson’s. His endless smoking, all during his youthful days, boiled downed to bronchitis at this stage in his life. Yet, here was the man, never did he give up. Even when we were away and used to call, his ever resonating and booming voice over the phone, made our day!
Even though his both legs down the knees slowly gave way and he could no longer stand or walk, he still had that will that he will someday start walking and everything will be good as old days. He had so much zeal to watch my wedding, the first wedding in the family that he went there on wheelchair and greeted people with gusto! I still remember his teary eyes, when I finally went to meet him at my “Bidaai”. He was sitting there with a white shawl draped around him and watching me with his kind eyes, tears floating in his eyes but not falling down. I touched his feet and he hugged me with his blessings and I could not help but cry like I am right now, writing this part!
His condition has deteriorated more a year later at my sister’s wedding and he could not make it to her wedding. The last time I met him was before I was coming back from this wedding, I had gone to meet him and he was as usual seated on his bed feet dangling below. He voice was still strong and he sounded happy! He offered me sweets and samosas and we relished it together.
He totally lost his love of life when his youngest son succumbed to death before his own eyes, that was the last time I spoke with him and he sounded so calm and composed at that time. After that he refrained talking to people, started eating less and may be started preparing for his departure also. On that last night, even before anyone could imagine what was happening, he breathed his last! He slowly passed away, away far from all of us leaving a big broad gaping hole in our lives, which can never be filled!
I salute him for his zeal and love for life! He has taught us how to live life to the fullest, never regretting a moment, even though times keep changing!!! Love you Baba always !!!
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