The joys and killjoys of growing old!

Dear Sree ( spelling modified so that no one, in a dyslexic fit, mistakes it for sir ),

You, with nascent wrinkles and silver hair and yogi beard, are bothered by being called Mama by Mamis ? Bow to the heavens in thanksgiving that you are not a woman. As Abha has pointed out, even those of our species that are less than middle aged have to put up with the dobhi, triple his donkey's age, calling us AMMA and balding salesmen hailing us as ANTEE just because we are married.
oh well, I've learnt to be more than stoical and actually started enjoying collecting the different appellations applied to me by unrelated citizenry : Amma,Aunty, Madam, Bhabhiji, Sis-taire, thayee, Yakkov ..........

BTW Sree, why are you fixated with age and aging ?

Regards
manjula

 

Dear Sri ( mama ),

Had a good time laughing after reading this piece. Like Manju, i too have to ask you , why this fixation with age? In IL all of us are only 17. and thats the way it stays..... no one grows "OLD" :mrgreen:

Manju, all the names we women are called by the vendors etc... , i enjoy them too. But the best part is, they will insist on calling us akka, and then Dear hubby will be called as anna:bang :bang . ( gosh how is this for bringing in an incestous angle to the whole marriage scene)

Vandhana

 

....Set free from talking about age?? Is the senile rambling just not the title and a reflection of truth..tut tut Cheeniya...Don't give up on it so fast. If notyou, who will give a thought to this angle of looking at things? Especially, when you do it with so much aplomb and humor
Okay, maybe you can take a short break and come back to it later..Indru poi nalai varay)
Who can escape aging anyways? So it is better everyone has a reference corner here! I, like others, was laughing my wrinkles away!!
Living here, I did not realize I fell into the 'older' bracket. My friends were and still are discussing the color of lipstick they want and the new scent of Aramis that is on the market. I thought it was a cultural thing and fell into pace with them, have to mingle with the locals, right?! One gently introduced me to the latest brand of hair color which will bring that added glow to your hair. Life was good alright! Then we came to US and friends happen to be all Indians...US melts in its own individual ethnic pot...in case you are wondering about the 'melting pot' syndrome. Call it my special woe, like someone else here said, I age slowly in everyway. Those who stretched their hands to shake, quickly folded them into a respectful namaste after realizing our station in life!!!! Slowly but surely, friends circle grew. I am now surrounded by lovely friends, all in the prime of their spirits, all of us endorse L'oreal hair products and wear the latest in the saris and salwars and make way to...Gita class:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:
Who's complaining........

L, Kamla

 

Dear Sri,
So many interactions since I logged out last night?
That only shows, you are not rambling, but talk very coherently & enjoyably.
Please do not stop the old age talk abruptly. You have company in me here - I am growing old in Chennai & cannot go to the local Gita class wearing lipstick & with coloured hair. I cannot afford to be the butt of snide remarks, whatever be the composition of Gita class in US.
Well, if somebody comes to the class dressed very fashionably, "meaningful glances" are exchanged, you know why ! I do not understand if it is expected, we should go dressed in "kavi" !
Even for my attending vedanta classes, the younger generation in my family comment "vayasu kalathile correct aka than pannara". But if I have some computer-related technical doubt, they tell me "ithellam intha vayasile unakku edukku? Krishna Rama nu irundal poratha?" I console myself that they are "j" of my agility !!:mrgreen: They know I am a winner in spite of competition at home !!
Don't change your angle abruptly , 180 degrees. Then to answer your posts suitably, our thinking should also take an equal turn ! Others will adapt better, but poor me ( at this age??!!:-D ) will find it a little demanding ! But do not give up on me as well !:tongue
Love,
Chithra.

 

Dear Sri Cheeniya,

Another one on ageing? But then when it is from you, it is always good.

As a woman rapidly marching into middle age accessorised suitably with a silver strand here and an extra pound there- I have been subject to all appellations from chechi to Ibu to madam. Only, my students persist in calling me Vidya which for my Indian psyche is not so acceptable. But if I insist on aging everytime I am called what is beyond my age- I cannot live.

All said and guffawed at, I must say that it is all about aging gracefully and acting one's age. When I say acting one's age, I do not mean wearing veshti/vibuthi or a dark Rengachari sungudi pudavai with grey hair in an unkempt bun- either sex huddled over a Ramayanam. I am talking about using the maturity and experience of the years to add grace to themselves and the lives of the chronologically young around.

My mom is a revelation to me everyday. In her younger days, terms like 'picked it up'(for buying), 'going to the loo'(bathroom) or even certain terms of endearment were not in vogue. And she used to feel confused when younger people used such terms. But whenever it was explained to her, she always let go the grouse and grouch, and started seeing it from the younger mind's perspective. She never judged them as easy or fresh, never passed round rumours- in my mind, that is the right way to age. Live,let live,enable to live.

I am sure I find my mom's spirit in you, Cheeniya. And I would be glad to spot more such figures. Hope springs eternal in the human heart--

Keep em coming Sri Cheeniya. You rock and roll, and rap too for good measure.

 

hello uncle...


uncle enru kooppittaal
kovithu kolveero
vaazhkayin anubavangalil
vayathaanathu paareer

avaravar padum paattukku
bathil solla mudiyum paareer
keezhe vizhunthaalum
muyarchithaal ezha mudiyumendru
vayathallava paadam karpikkum?

geethaiyo pg wodehouse o
sonnathu purinthathu mattumallaamal
athanai araaiynthu pirithu
idathukku thakkathu pol
sollavum mudiyume...

vayathu paarthu
perunthil idam vittu koduthathil
naattil innum
periyavargalai mathikkum
sirisugalum irukkum paareer..

naraitha thalaikku
dye irukkum
vazhukkaikku kooda
mudi veygiraargal
wrinkles kku cream enna
surgery enna
ellaam irukka
anubhavam sollume
nadai mella pottaal
pookkalai mugarnthu konde
vaazkayay anubavikkalaam endru..


sathya