Today is the day my mother gave birth to me in labor, just as God had decreed, when he created Man & Woman, "In pain you shall bear forth your child". While I do feel old now, I must admit that the journey has been a pleasant one so far. I woke up feeling refreshed and went thru' an unusual routine of immediately going for a bath. This is because I usually set out for a run or exercise at the Gym first. This special routine for today was dictated by my desire to go to church; something I used to do as a child and well into my teens. It feels very calming and reviving to do this; to thank God for all he has done for me, to pray for good health and happiness and to keep harmony and peace in the home.
I sat astride my "bullet" and since it nowadays starts with 'half a kick', I revel in its immediate acceleration. I "dud dud'ed" to the church at a gentle cruise and found the ambience with its lush greenery (we have a very beautiful church and parish), overcast skies, wet look and the grotto in which mother Mary' statue looks with compassion on her congregation, very soothing. I felt at peace as I made the sign of the cross on entering the church which was pin-drop silent. I sat in one of the pews and closed my eyes.
I then retraced my life, as clear vibrant images flashed thru' my mind, from the earliest memories when daddy took me to see the trains at VT station, to my wailing, whilst being dragged to school, when my eldest sister did not buy me a new eraser (she still recalls and laughs), to playing football with a piece of wood during recess at school, to the thrill in the announcement of school closure due to heavy rains, to making paper boats and letting them sway in the city floods, to the tension during Xth std exams, to my hey days at St Xaviers, to the nervousness of IIT entrance exams, to my hostel life, to my working life, to dating & parties & dances, to marriage, to Bryan' arrival as a new-born, the time of his growing up, my professional achievement, trials and tribulations, to the present moment.
I felt a sense of peace as I recited a "Hail Mary" and knew I was in good hands. When I returned home, Dojo was pleasantly surprised cause he had assumed that I had gone to office. I ate a frugal breakfast and carried 2 packs of orange juice, in preparation for the hydration cum carbo-loading phase of my fun race coming up on Sunday. I look forward to our family meal together this evening. No one can avoid aging, but aging productively is something else - Katherine Graham
