Walking with Waqt in the autumn of life
It is often said: ‘Appreciate what you enjoy, every moment!’ Pondering over this adage, a thought crossed my mind like the fleeting monsoon clouds: Then, why does one get defeated ever so often? The immortal ‘Time’ whispered: “I am in motion all the time. Walk with me and see the change!”
The inner voice cajoled: Introspect. Recall. Reflect. Realign. Recalibrate life. Walk with Waqt! In life’s rollercoaster journey of hopes, despair, smiles, sighs, silences, tears and shattered dreams, ‘Time’ reignites the spirit of resilience to move on. Marching with ‘Time’, an invisible, omnipresent and omnipotent force, helps keep rhythm with kaleidoscopic patterns of life — human relationships. 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! Science and technology have made our life easy. Gadgets and gizmos have made us slaves! And, we blame ‘time’ every time things go wrong, and these do go wrong when least expected. This happens so often whenever one fails to find alibis or blames circumstances for self-inflicted wounds.
One wonders if ‘Time’ is a great healer of wounds! ‘Time’ smiles: “I do not heal. I cover. I lessen the pain.”
Recapitulating confidencebuilding bed-time stories and teachings of scriptures helps one to be in sync with ‘Time’. Yet, it takes time to understand
Waqt’s Machiavellian machinations or manoeuvres.
In the autumn of one’s life, yesteryears’ revelations and insights shine bright and clear, but a worry persists: Has Waqt walked past us? Or we failed to 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 Waqt’s ‘nazakat’ (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. Waqt 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!