Speechless in speed

There he was. Unmindful of the sweltering Sun and the svelte women walking by.  Staring into the sky and doing nothing but that. But doing that significantly well. A picture of poise and presence. 

“What will it take for us to do that ?”, I asked. 

“Retirement” she replied. 

I gasped. “Retirement ?!!?”

She was quiet. I figured she was thinking about it.  She added “perhaps in the middle of a long holiday. In  a place where the phones dont work. Not when the holiday starts. Not when its all set to end. But somewhere in the middle”. 

She sighed.  “But you know, long holidays are a privilege of a few”. 

City lifestyles with the comforts of instant coffee, instant photographs, instant ( & incessant) texting, instant delivery, immediate needs, first impressions, instant makeovers all provided by cash spewed from an ‘Any Time Money’ machine or credit cards that work with a swipe, has held sway over us from second to second. One thing to tend to after another! 

Thoughts piled on. 

The universal shortage of empathy, the short shift that kindness and harmony are getting in the spirit of ‘anything goes’ as long as it is ‘super quick’, ‘super fast’, ‘delivered at the door step’ at a ‘decent price’.  

I cleared my throat. Mildly aware that the topic had me started and I was like a heavy monsoon cloud waiting to pour! I

Which is when she said : “I have been thinking of a quick holiday myself”.  The emphasis on the ‘quick’ couldnt be missed.  

The speech which was all set to march like an army on fire, went straight back into the barracks.  

Pretty quickly. I must say.  

5 thoughts on “Speechless in speed

  1. ~nm says:

    Awesome post.

    Everything about life has become ‘instant’ and even the joy and happiness is as instant as the sadness and depression.

  2. I agree. The children are inheriting an ‘instant’ life from the constant earth.

    Very true also about the lack of senitivity and empathy, I see it completely missing from the next gen. Evolution is certainly taking its course.

  3. Jeevan says:

    There’s no time for even deep breath! Sounds like a quick post 🙂

    Love the way life at leisure in the shot..

  4. ashok says:

    write more often Kavi…

  5. Oh yes, those long, restful holidays have been quite messed up with our devices that keep us ‘connected’! Much food for thought.

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