Then & Now

Then and Now

A lot has changed over time, some traditions still followed and new ones created. "When I was your age" has been used across the seven seas in different languages. Every time I heard these 5 words, I would roll my eyes and think "there we go again", little did I know that I would be mouthing these words decades later. These 5 words, I am sure have been passed down from generation to generation and will be time immemorial. 

Folklore has stated that the 1st known episode was approximately 4.2 million years ago, give or take a few hundred years. One scorching day a young Australopithecus was complaining how hot it was and how his feet hurt, he was immediately silenced by his grandfather who said "oook waup yau ra, dogoi trog neu lo, wangum talya au melidima grote Ra einsgp" roughly translates to when I was your age, I used to walk twice the distance in the land of a 100 suns and you complain...pfft.

Fast forward to 2021, my two going on twenty daughter was refusing to eat unless she got to hear "when you're happy and you know it, clap your hands". A song I have heard so many times, I involuntary start clapping whenever I hear the word 'happy'. For those of you who are reading this and thinking, If I had a child I'd never let that happen, I wish you good luck. The fact is a child is just being a child and he/she will imitate what they see, it is for us to understand and adapt. Screen time is not bad as long as it does not get to be excessive.

When I was young we didn’t have distractions and we had no choice but to use our imagination to have fun, we slept a lot better and ate what was cooked at home. Everything that we take for granted today was a luxury back then. We can’t really blame anyone for not being more patient, demanding or grateful, as we are drowning in an abyss of choices. Everything is available at a click of a button.

I wonder what "When I was your age" pearls of wisdom lil N will impart when she is older?. I bet that the disruption caused by Covid, will be right on top of the list.

It all boils down to a simple theory of demand and supply. It could be anything under the sun, the more you have the less you appreciate it and "Yes" that includes money too. Unfortunately, we realise what we have only once it is scarce. We need to appreciate what we have and 'live' in the present, as the past can't be undone and the future will always be a step away.

Last year I digitally detoxified and deleted my facebook and Instagram account, as I personally felt it was more of a distraction for me rather than a medium to connect with family and friends. However, technology when used wisely is a boon. Today we can easily connect, share our thoughts, pictures with anyone instantly. I have been working from home for the past 1 year, this would not have been possible 20 years ago.

This brings me back to appreciating what we have rather than focusing on how this pandemic has disrupted our schedule. I've always believed that things happen for a reason and although it may not be clear now it will all make sense later. Patience is a virtue and I try each day to live by it.

Twenty Twenty One

Attempt #16… Gone are the days when I could just sit down and write. You'd probably say I need to get more organized and plan better, but writing can't be planned—at least not for me. I write when my mind is relaxed, and right now, I've got four hamsters high on energy, working that wheel.

The 2020 pandemic reorganized the world in a matter of months, and now we're living the "New Normal." It's been a year, and we've successfully adapted. A lot of things that seemed impossible overnight became possible: 100% work from home in certain sectors, the "need" for maids, 90%+ online payments, the need to wear pants every day or shave regularly—the list goes on.

We're fettered by tradition and 'tried and tested' ideologies. We rarely challenge and push boundaries. They say when push comes to shove, we discover potential.

Most people get too comfortable, both professionally and personally, and are afraid to rock the boat. I ask, why not? But if you're going to, then you better know how to swim.

Personally, it has been a rewarding experience getting to see my daughter grow. The simplicity with which she looks at life makes me appreciate what I have so much more. Just the other day, the delivery agent came with a box of Pampers, and she squealed in delight and thanked me profusely, as if I had given her the world on a diamond-encrusted platinum platter.

As kids, we appreciate the simplicity of life, but as we grow, most of us lose that innocence and fall prey to the materialistic world. We then define success and "happiness" by the number of international stamps on our passport and the wealth we possess. Society reinforces this delusion through advertising.

2020 changed all of that to some extent. There was a ban on travel and entertainment. Most places did not allow maids to enter gated communities. People had to adapt quickly, and most were able to transition smoothly. Some people learned new crafts, and some caught up on all the sleep they missed in previous years. I, for one, learned new ways of annoying my wife and the art of hiding in plain sight.

This pandemic has eviscerated the lives of many families. People curse the virus, the government, the situation they're in. However, when you think about how it has survived so long and continues to run amok, it's due to our inability to follow rules. We continue to push boundaries and fail to be responsible. Will we ever be able to all follow rules? The answer is a bitter pill to swallow.

I look at this period as an opportunity for us to make the best of what we have. We may not be able to change a lot, but we can change the way we see the world.