Wake Up: Who? Me?

“No signs, no symptoms, we had no clue until this evening”. The last words lost in her wails that she was trying to gulp down but the tears came streaming down her cheeks. She is the wife. I held onto her hand that felt moist and icy. We were standing huddled together in front of the operation theatre of a city hospital. Fear, sympathy, concern written on our faces as we all try to hold on to our faith and belief that he will come out alive.

The “he” I am talking about here is a friend of ours on the wrong side of forty. Miles to go before he can rest and miles to go to realize his dream is his story, much like any of us. A senior management executive in a high flying company. Long tailed car, apartment, children in good institutions, a caring wife and a host of loving friends. That is him, our friend in the operation theatre who just collapsed in his office with acute chest pain.

The silent killer strikes again, may sound like a title of a cheap thriller but for most of us, have someone who right now is under its grip. Stress. It stealthily creeps in. It finds a welcoming ovation be it a child or in an adult. Why has stress permeated into our system with such ease? We have a lot of answering to do.

“Yeh Dil Maange More” (The heart desires for more), is a catchy line. But could it be that “more” factor that consumes us, making us push ourselves beyond return? A four wheeler is not enough but do we have the brand that will make the neighbour’s eyebrows perk up? Am I wearing the jacket or jeans with that tag that make all drool? Homes are not just for shelter but a statement of our lifestyle. Skipping ropes and free hand exercising are not in anymore, it has to be a gymnasium or a club where we can scream that we are into health.

Shopping is no more something that we indulge in on a lazy afternoon. It is now all about finding that exclusive piece that has not been spotted before. Choosing after hour activity for children too need careful planning. Not much on what the child is inclined towards but what will put us in the “in – vogue club”.

To my opinion what really is the killer is the effort to portray a “happening” image. Being street smart and "cheeky Charlie" in responses for some is quite an effort yet it is to be cultivated since that brings in a swarm of friends. Wearing that “casual” label is not as casual it may look. To keep that tuft of hair in that unruly position needs a lot of grooming! Slit jeans and catchy liner T-shirts come with a price and I know many youngsters who go to any length to earn that extra buck. Food from home is an absolute taboo; fast food joints and ill lit cafeteria are places to be spotted in. It adds to the ‘hip-hop’ image!

Movies are no more small cost affairs. Two tickets with popcorn and a drink at the multiplex could drill a tidy hole in your pocket. Birthdays, anniversaries have to be lavish affairs at the club or at restaurants or leisure centers. The list can go on and you may think I am a moron. I do not have anything against this changing life style but I do feel that we have to learn to get comfortable with what we are and what we can do.

Also an aspect that I feel need attention is our interaction skills. Sometimes in classrooms or boardrooms or in routine office jobs or even amongst friends or couples communication needs to get less stressful. A change in tones, choice of words can take that sting off. Walking up and solving an issue is much easier than dragging it on emails and print. Simple, small steps can do wonders. We have to get back to what our fore fathers believed in: simple living and high thinking.

“Please arrange for blood”, the sombre command brought me back with a jolt. I still had the icy hands of our friend’s wife in mine.

When will we hear the alarm bell and wake up? Life is not to be lost in chasing what is in and what is out or flexing muscles so that you can hear the sound of power. Smile not to show fangs or wear masks to impress. Life is beautiful; to be lived as it comes.

Tough call! It is easier said than done. Especially when I am bursting at the seams to tell one and all about our new make over we gave to our home. “Make over” is the buzz word now and we are riding high on the waves. Good we did not go for the ‘twinkling stars’ ceiling because it would look out of place during the day. The flame orange nook peeping out of….

Some people, they never learn!

BACK WITH COLOURS

Getting back is such a tough job! It has been a 59 days since I posted a new write up on my blog. True I was busy painting not the town red but our house. Being the youngest member of a family is real fun. This position became vacant after my kids moved out to jostle for a place in an adult world and I very swiftly and comfortably moved into the spot with all my grey hair!

It felt like play time. Have you seen a child with a paint box, splashing colours on the drawing book and laughing with glee? Well I did almost the same. Bright yellow, orange, shocking pink, hues of red, it is all there on our wall! The paint dealer told me that the company heads want to come over and meet us. Now I took that as a compliment and loved their “corporate” looks turn into a warm sunny smile seeing our house. The biggest compliment was from Mother Nature! A bee spent an entire day inspecting every spec of red on a piece of our ceiling that has being painted in a mosaic style. There were some sad moments as well, two butterflies got pasted on the still wet garage gate which has been painted with four colours but both chose the sunrise orange.

Now back to getting back. It is so difficult to pick up threads that we left off. Not that I did not try to pen my few thoughts but none went beyond two paragraphs. I was not getting the rhythm. Then the thought if you would like to read this stuff was also there haunting me. I had lost my touch with you, could not feel the pulse that I once had under my fingers. It is such an effort to get back lost ground.

Then why leave? Why go away? Every goodbye has an unsaid wish “we part to meet again, soon”. It is this that gives us the courage to utter a goodbye or wave a hand as the car or train leaves. In my case it was thoughts, bonds, bridges, your comments, your hand that I had left off. 59 days is a long time. Am sure the memory of an Autumn Leaf has faded in many a mind. In some it must have been pushed to the back burner. Hope ticks in me as long as it has not been completely wiped out.

A new beginning? I am rejuvenated playing with colours. Spring is a beautiful season, after all.