I Am Getting Old

By Mansingh Nepram*

No one can tell us when the life begins in us, no one knows when love is sparked in one's heart, the natural river doesn't know its own force while it flows, the sapling doesn't know its ability of yielding a crop, even the soil seldom knows its ability of giving life to its plans..then how is it that I know...

Life was such a fun when I was small. Full of freedom and enjoyment that made me filled with excitements. Morning till night, Monday to Sunday. 24*7*365 with friends.

Be it the school hours, after school and even at the night. Waiting for the sunlight to come even made nights felt shorter by few priceless hours.

Streets and grounds were the places I was to be found. A bat and a ball with the rest of my friends were my only companies. Just after playing mom was to be there with my extra cricket bats n stumps!!!

And yes!! I did cherish the beatings. Other than that it was just unthinkable to do any other things than to play and play and play.

The predictability of oneness, the unknown feeling of shyness and the accountability for silly things were the things on which I made myself through. Times were indeed there when I used to go for collecting money in the name of 'nakadheng', used to take part in fun competitions during Yaoshang.

Even festival like 'cheraoba' was enjoyed with considerate fun by climbing hills and eating various food dishes. Studies were as usual. Come exam, come studies. In between if any home- works were there just leave it and make sure it becomes a good class work before the teacher comes to check it.. School changed, still nothing changed much.

I was the same kid waiting for more fun and more excitement. Days came thicker and faster. Month by month, year by year. time flew by as it wait for none.

Then came the time when the streets were quite, playgrounds started to become numb. One by one, friends started studying outside as I did... 'Diwali' and 'Christmas' became just another day. Watching TV, getting late up in the morning came forward to be the best thing to do. Tuitions too became part and parcel.

Suddenly clothes changed from being half pants to jeans and Cargos. Normal hair got spiked. Eyes got its soul mates in the form of spectacles. Parents stopped spanking..Even pocket money got raised!!! The revolution of the earth never stop neither did day and night.

From being '4.10' , I became '5.10' ..Pop changed into punk!! Cartoons channels became less funny. GI Joes and Pokémon were things of past. Entertaining toys in the form of Video Games and Game-boy got replaced by mobiles and Laptops.

Even my favorite 'Tinkle' was never to be bought and read. Novels and autobiography became a new phenomenon. All in all I have even lost my cricket bats!!(It's nowhere to be seen in my big house). The period soon came when I started to think about myself and feel about the things that are happening in this world.

Life soon became an illusion in front of me. People too became more and more serious. Family and friends were of more importance. Image and prestige turned up into issues.

Winning and losing a battle was out of question. Being in the battle was itself enough. Happiness and sorrows were never the same. Life got caught up between the world of materialism and spirituality. Worldly worries soon began to pop up. Came to know the only certainty in life was nothing but death.

A sense of deja vu always appeared on the cards. Distance between present and the future became thinner day by day. Being 'Responsible' came to be the word of the hour. That's when I came to know that I am getting old...

As I write this it gives me enough pleasure in knowing that whatever life I have lived so far, I have live with honour and pride...Winning every wealth that came to my path and learning every piece of wisdom...Sharing many knowledge with my friends, helping as many people as possible and earning attainable fame wherever I go I continue to pray and thanked The Almighty Lord for giving me everything that I wanted and hoped to serve and entertain the people as long as I live Love U God :-)

cheers!!! :)