My mother has been regular with her evening walks, all through the years of my life that I can recall. Perhaps just as she has been brushing her teeth every day!! It’s like meditation for her. I started to notice that it wasn’t just her walk that was causing the daily bubble of excitement. It was meeting her small group of friends at the park. She took her 45 min to 1-hour walk, which could be done just by herself or with a friend, post that she sat down on the benches with her buddies. Chitter chatter about how the day was spent, exchanging recipes, appreciating each other’s pretty sarees, discussing their grandchildren, and how the ‘zamana had become very kharab now’.
They also tucked in small boxes of goodies under their arms, to be shared with the group. Each one looking forward to the surprise. The excuse for doing this could be just anything-prasad from pooja at home, grandchild’s birthday, son and daughter-in-law’s anniversary, grandkid’s good exam result, ’kahin se aayi thi‘, and the list could be never-ending with the thrill always visible on their faces. In summer one could see them slurping at ice cream and in winter a thermos of masala chai could come from someone’s kitchen. Picnics and lunches were planned around the neighbourhood.
Just as life has its ups and downs, so has this group. Their evening meet had been like a whiff of fresh breath in their day. They were highly affected by the lockdown. Not being able to go for their walks in their loved Tikona Park, meet their friends, and share their joys and pains with those who shared their life stage and whatever came with it. I could see the effect it had on my mother. She didn’t know what to look forward to in the day, what news could she share from her life, with her family, at the dinner table. Unlike the younger people who were digitally connected professionally and personally, she felt left out since her world beyond the family was her walk and time with buddies at the park.
Life springs back and it did thankfully for their group too. After the lockdown was lifted, the sarees were pulled out and ironed, the evenings were awaited through the day, things to be shared and discussed with her friends. Now she too comes back every day with interesting nuggets from her life to share with us.
Friends brighten up our lives, irrespective of our age and stage of life we are at. We must cherish the time spent with them. It’s therapeutic, especially for senior citizens. We must encourage and support them in whatever way we possibly can.
From a GK2 Daughter
