Yes, this is how it has to be, I reassured myself after getting my new wardrobe collections. I spent hours rearranging the new set of clothes. Added to those were my collection of nail paints, glosses, and lipsticks. And of course, a couple of new foot wears too. I even thought of new haircut to suit those new collections. But soon after just one month, the new collections protruded my belly. How could it go this worse, I wondered in such a short span of time? But then, I could reason out, it was my growing years that had added up to my weight. My cheeks too had become chubby and my arms bulkier. With a lot of difficulties, I had to accept myself as there was no option left. For the next few days, I went through all the exercises of tummy crunches. I managed for a week making sure doing those crunches.
As I looked at myself in the mirror one morning
during a midday light, to be precise, with the curtain of my room slid wide
open to let sunlight more than required, I could see my grey hair popping out
from my mid partition. Those needed to be coloured. Dark brown is my brand to
make it look natural. Yes, I had forgotten to dye due to my new routine in my
day. My planned activity of dying my hair for the next day had something added
to it, ‘the parents’ teacher’s meeting’. And quite obviously, my priority took
a back seat. The stressed meeting brought in another set of activities for my
daily routine. My teenager kids needed to be monitored. One was an over smart
child and had to be under strict vigilance. And the other, for academics. New
rules were set for both. And of course, a new evening routine added with some
extra time to talk to the hard-hit teenagers and know the events of their day.
And an interview with PepsiCo CEO, Ms. Indra Nooyi now comes on my mind, where
she had mentioned, even the spouse turns to be a teenager with teenager kids.
Damn true! Those were the words of my life! How could it be a coincidence?
My weekend day, Saturdays were exclusively
dedicated to my spouse. And Sundays for kids. Another forgotten responsibility
looms, a responsibility is taken for granted, a talk with my mom. Guilt fills
in me. I take an oath of calling her every day, no matter what comes my way.
And then, me being wise, I divided, the weekdays
and adjusted my daily routines. From online bill payment to vacuum cleaning and
dusting, from calling mom and siblings to my friends. From going easy on
cooking to prioritizing kids. Yes, there I was, on cloud nine, managing all the
responsibilities and handling everything so maturely. My three teenage kids,
and my overgrown another teenager (spouse) and yet another dominating and
emotional blackmailing teenager (my mom) are my worlds and nothing else.
Nothing else. The realization hits me hard. Struggling with facts, I come to
terms, the spiritual path is one path that can show me my path for peace.
Is this life after 40? If I look back, it just
started cool and slow down soon after my 30. Wish, I could be young again and
knew or understood to accept these facts of life. I have to keep the ball
rolling and to do so, I need to be young again. To be young, I need to be an
ardent student with a zeal for learning. And yes, I have been so. I took up a
tough and creative lesson, a challenge to challenge myself! And that is what I
felt, is required to live a life of passion with compassion.
Seems to relate to your life? Then, pick up my
book, ‘A Drop of Dew’ and savour. It’s available on Amazon, Flipkart etc. Be sure, you can
revisit your life and add some joy to it. After all, life is meant to be lived.
No regrets and no complaints! Right?
