In the autumn of life

keep pace with it? Autumn years are the late years of life, when one stops working! Now, far away from springtime of youth and close to sunset of life, ‘Time’ has new connotations.

For ‘Living in Life’s Evening’ (as Martin Girard called it), one scrupulously guards against over-indulgence, avoids petty arguments or encounters with family members, who always try to lasso you; perseverance helps to escape the noose. Oldies’ demands, desires and needs impact family’s life and living; impinge on its autonomy, independence, freedom, privacy; create tensions.

Realizing

(tenderness), it is better to back off; stop whining!

In late sixties, body and mind are at variance, anxiety and fear set in. Why assert, exert or experiment! We have had the best of time. Time is now theirs — children, who seldom hear and always pretend to be listening! Their modern lexicon is different: ‘intervention’ is ‘interference’, ‘forewarning’ is ‘negative thinking’, ‘caution’ is ‘scare-mongering’ and ‘suggestions’ are ‘zip lips.’ Their response to all ‘parenting tips’ is ‘we know’!

It pays to remain mute spectator. The salt-pepper hair, wrinkles and baby steps are a reminder to count ones blessings, reassess relevance and laugh away blues.

Family attitude makes one feel like the encyclopedia kept at the upper most shelves; rarely consulted. winks and beckons: Walk with me!

SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, WAQT HAS TAUGHT US NOT TO RUN AWAY FROM OUR OBLIGATIONS, ROLES AND DUTIES. WE HAVE TETHERED ‘TIME’ ON OUR WRISTS TO BE ‘IN’ OR ‘ON’ TIME. YET, WE HAVE NO TIME EVEN FOR OURSELVES!