Stepping back

The bellowing dad turns sullen as his children are now grown up.

'Old age is the water which douses the frenzy of youth’ aptly sums up the transition from youth to a ripe age. The zeal, motivation and enthusiasm generally have a negative correlation with the increase in age. While in some people, it finds a better and productive path, for many it is a time to recollect, revisit and sometimes feel bitter about various facets of life.

Not many know how to lead a beautiful and relaxed retired life. The mundane things of life which had been tackled in a composed manner while one were working now looks huge and intimidating. Most of the things were then done in a hurry as time was short but that one has time to spare, everything takes more time and leads to some kind of irritation.

Not just that, the indifference of youth which also was due to lack of time, turns into a keen interest in the maid’s, the laundry man’s, grocer’s and the gardener’s work.  Often this affects the men more, much to the chagrin of their spouses who feel that this interference is unwarranted.

An overbearing mother-in-law may turn into a timid character as the daughter-in-law has now turned into a personality of her own. The bellowing dad turns sullen as his children are now grown up and have their own views and priorities. This is the time to step back and let things flow, not at one’s pace but at its own tempo. This will make life much better for all concerned.

The change in a person is more apparent with celebrities. ‘The cat went on a pilgrimage after eating up a hundred rats,’ goes an ancient proverb. Another one, slightly demeaning, talks about an old lady turning virtuous in old age after leading a bohemian life in her younger days. We see many an ageing actress/ actor turning all pious and traditional though he/she was a total rebel in the prime of the youth.
They are now respected with ‘ji’ as a suffix to their names, enter parliament, join causes and project a totally different image. Their words are lapped up eagerly as if it were the ultimate truth. One can thus write on marriage and sacrifices, claiming the experience of three or four marriages!

One can talk about harmonious relationships though their own life might be far away from it. One can comment on the ills plaguing the youth forgetting that they too were young not so long ago. Age mellows people, no doubt but it would be so much better if that happens in an even paced and harmonious way.