Is being old-fashioned in this fast-moving technological world unfortunate? Our lives have become so entangled with technology that it's difficult for us to live without its value additions. But do we have to use it extensively? I'm an old-schooler myself, or at least that's what most of my friends say. But whenever I hear my grandmother and my dad reminiscing about the plethora of games that they would play all day, the places they roamed, trees they climbed, I wish I could teleport myself to their era.
Television was a rarity then, and even if one could afford it, there were only a few channels available. Yet, eagerly waiting to watch movies on weekends was a different kind of joy altogether. Standing in tea stalls to listen to the songs from newly released movies, tuning in to shows such as 'Oli Chithiram' where the entire track of a movie would be aired, and blissfully watching ‘Thenkinnam', a late evening program of Tamil songs were all modest yet, cherished pastimes of the people from the last few generations.
Listening to and simultaneously playing the movie in their minds, the candies and the late-night kulfis bought by saving up one paisa or two from grocery shopping, have become non-existent nowadays. I wonder if those were the golden days after all. I believe we have forgotten the attitude of experiencing pleasure in those small things. Because we get information every minute, we no longer feel the excitement of receiving a letter from a pen pal or a relative, after days of waiting. We have lost a little, and that little may gradually pile up to become a huge deficit in our lives.
To sum it up, we get bored with everything so easily, devoid of any child-like fascination - something we often see in our grandparents. There is so much in this world that we haven't seen yet. Instead of playing online games, why don't you group up with your friends and play outdoor games? Let the breeze tousle your hair and thrill your heart. Why don't you talk a little more to your grandparents? Listen to their stories. Trust me, you too will be fascinated with what you hear. Instead of gushing over places and things over the internet, let us spare a little time to experience these. Let’s explore the world, take in what it has to offer, and leave it here for the forthcoming generations to appreciate too.
