It’s 8:40 a.m on a foggy day. I am watching school children walk up the road below my house to school. There are ones who are independent enough to go on their own and there are the little ones who are accompanied by their guardians. I love to watch the toddlers – their happy, adorable, cherubic faces and cherry cheeks glowing with excitement to wear little neat uniforms and tiny shoes. Somehow, I see my childhood in these children and my heart fills with a youthful glow.
Today, unlike on other days, a thought strikes me. Now before I mention what it is, I have to tell you where I am. Every summer I go home(maternal) with my daughters to escape the blistering Bangalore heat. My house is in a hilltown, so naturally, schools here close during the savage winter months.
By the way, I have taught at the same school many years ago before I moved to Bangalore. So this morning, I am looking at the children walking up to school as I have done several times in the years gone by.
I realize that between the time I used to watch them long ago to the time I am watching them now, almost two decades have gone by. But where did it go? I don’t feel it; I didn’t see it! The faces of the students and their guardians look the same to me. Like time freezes every year around spring and I watch the sequence on repeat. But no, these are unfamiliar people. Perhaps some young parents are students I have taught, or maybe even toddlers that I used to look at and adore back then.
Where has that time gone and how come I don’t feel the lapse unless I reflect and contemplate? Yes, between that time and this, I got married, have two daughters, a tween and a teen, but me? I seem to be the same every year. Has age taken a toll on me? I don’t think so. Not yet atleast. I still see my childhood in these kids and feel joyous and alive.
I too have taken my girls to the school bus and back in Bangalore. Maybe someone like me was watching me and maybe they feel the same as I do. Maybe that’s the way we are supposed to feel… not be aware at all times that the years going by are taking our years too. Maybe we have to feel young at heart, rejoice in the humdrum and just live life.
But today, I can’t help feeling that time has literally flown but I haven’t with it; I am frozen.
They do say time flies right?… But do we feel it?
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This blog post is a part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
in collaboration with Zariya Healings.