The best years of your life are always yet to come

For the last couple of months I have been out of kilter, confronted with the constant refrain, “You are too senior and old for this role.” I was the same age when my father had retired. I feared that my best years were now behind me.

My weekly routine includes going to the club, where I’d often meet my father’s friend Mahesh Goswami. He was 84 years old and in terrific shape. This week, he noticed I wasn’t my usual cheery self and asked if there was anything wrong. I told him I was feeling anxious about my age. I asked him, “What was the best time of your life?”

Without hesitation, Mahesh replied, “Well, here’s my answer: When I was a child in Lahore and everything was taken care of for me — that was the best time of my life. When I went to school and learnt new things, that was the best time of my life. When I got my first job and got paid for working hard, when I met my future wife and fell in love, that was the best time of my life. When the Second World War and the Partition of India happened, my wife and I had to flee Lahore to save our lives. We were together and safe in a refugee camp in Delhi, that was the best time of my life. When we resettled and started a family and I watched my kids grow up, that was the best time of my life. And now, I am 84. I have my health, my own home, my wife, well-settled children and we all care for each other. This is the best time of my life.”

Always remember that your present situation is not your final destination — the best is yet to come.

(Inner Voice comprises contributions from our readers The views expressed are personal)