This Valentine's Day marked a year since Tarun's health crisis. In the aftermath, a series of mindful choices have slowed us considerably on the professional front.
I have never been afraid of retiring because being skittish of what is inevitable seems pointless. There are very few cognitively sound ways of working effectively into old age, unless you are an exception or the President of the US.
Ditching the clock is indescribably fabulous.
This means we are "senior" fixtures on walking paths and at the gym. I'm learning to sit still in the sun and experimenting more in the kitchen. I've taught myself to knit and crochet. A plethora of choices on books, Netflix and Prime keeps me out of trouble. I have fulfilled a long-standing desire of sounding cool to a barista by graduating from "small coffee" to a "medium decaf salted caramel latte with oat milk and a touch of sugar". Plus, spending time with the kids and grand baby is pure joy.
Keeping the mind gainfully occupied without professional commitments ain't for the faint hearted though.
Good habits from my younger days are fueling me while the garden-variety bad habits are adding spice to life. Writing takes a good chunk of my time every day. I am slowly learning to read music. There is a desire to speak another language but I am not ready to tackle that yet. YouTube is an endless source of inspiration. From recipes to knowing how to assemble things and reading music and learning new concepts, it's a veritable treasure trove. Quick runs to the barista for a few extra calories here and there provide the right amount of incentive.
The best part of my day is spent on completing a number of word puzzles along with my dogged, code-cracking hubby and my brilliant, fast-fingered niece in the UK. It takes the three of us to beat our hyper-competitive younger kid.
While you invest time in your profession, be the CEO of your home or deal with a myriad of multi-tasking challenges, don't forget to carve a tiny bit of time to nurture the habits you will need later. Pick up that paint brush and make amazing art like my friend E; travel the world at a dizzying pace like J; make us laugh with meme-making creative genius like D; take care of your health in a disciplined way like N; remember special days with hand-written notes like S; go the extra mile with friends and family like A; become a bird photographer like our nephew whose stunning work leaves me with my jaw at my knees.
Your talent encourages me to turn off my devices and fill my days with moments that matter to make up for the decadence of unhindered time. There was a reason you had me at hello. Now I know why. Gracias!
Photo Credit and Copyright: Anindya Sen
Canopy Lodge, Anton Valley, Panama, 2023.
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