"The church has been renovated, do you want to come and have a look?" Dad asked me.
"Chalo" I replied, trying my best to bluff interest in this activity. But I really wanted to go. There's hardly any time we spend together. Not just because I was living in a different city, but because times changed and with it changed the ways in which we allocated our time.
Since yesterday, I couldn't help but go back to the times all four of us - Mom, Dad, my sister and I- we lived together (in the same city, in the same house!), visited Jalandhar together, even played together in cases of long power cuts. I even brought some instances up, but all he could do was say a 'Yes' now and then and confirm that those days actually happened.
We walked together. None of us had much to say. We talked about the journey we undertook yesterday and that we will on this wednesday. I recalled the little girl who had to almost run to catch up to his walking pace. I no longer had to do that. Age made him slower? I would not like to believe that! How could that happen? It has not been that long! While walking, I no longer hold his finger either or chatter about my day at school or sing the songs I learnt in the music class - that used to be a routine a couple of years back (Poor things - my parents, they had to listen to those songs over and over again. They never complained.)
We reached the church. I looked around but my mind was still swimming in the reverie. I hardly noticed anything. We walked back in the same quiet manner, hardly interrupting the silence. We passed by a lamp post and the shadows formed of us were of the same length. 'Illusion.. I still can't catch up to him. Never. For he has experienced more of life than me.' I wondered.
We reached back home. "It looks good, better." I tell mom in an absent minded manner. She says something which I didn't quite register.
The concept of time and how it changes us. How people shrivel up, get caught up in the trap of life, how important things get looked over, escapes become lucrative. The need of being cared and loved doesn't change, but ways to show affection do get scantier.
Or maybe, its just great expectations!
"Chalo" I replied, trying my best to bluff interest in this activity. But I really wanted to go. There's hardly any time we spend together. Not just because I was living in a different city, but because times changed and with it changed the ways in which we allocated our time.
Since yesterday, I couldn't help but go back to the times all four of us - Mom, Dad, my sister and I- we lived together (in the same city, in the same house!), visited Jalandhar together, even played together in cases of long power cuts. I even brought some instances up, but all he could do was say a 'Yes' now and then and confirm that those days actually happened.
We walked together. None of us had much to say. We talked about the journey we undertook yesterday and that we will on this wednesday. I recalled the little girl who had to almost run to catch up to his walking pace. I no longer had to do that. Age made him slower? I would not like to believe that! How could that happen? It has not been that long! While walking, I no longer hold his finger either or chatter about my day at school or sing the songs I learnt in the music class - that used to be a routine a couple of years back (Poor things - my parents, they had to listen to those songs over and over again. They never complained.)
We reached the church. I looked around but my mind was still swimming in the reverie. I hardly noticed anything. We walked back in the same quiet manner, hardly interrupting the silence. We passed by a lamp post and the shadows formed of us were of the same length. 'Illusion.. I still can't catch up to him. Never. For he has experienced more of life than me.' I wondered.
We reached back home. "It looks good, better." I tell mom in an absent minded manner. She says something which I didn't quite register.
The concept of time and how it changes us. How people shrivel up, get caught up in the trap of life, how important things get looked over, escapes become lucrative. The need of being cared and loved doesn't change, but ways to show affection do get scantier.
Or maybe, its just great expectations!
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