OLD IS NOT OLD

I have been training candidates for a long time. At the end of each training I collect the mobile numbers, mail id , face book id, birthdays, marriage days and the birthday of the children of all the candidates.

I wish all of them, on all occasions and send and receive messages from many, on a day to day basis.

Some people keep in touch. Others do not. But that is not of importance to me. It gives me immense pleasure to wish them on their birthdays.

Some of the students are very affectionate. They keep in touch, even after many years of meeting.

To mention a few………..

There was this guy who met me in the railway station for just five minutes, when the train I was in stopped at kaatpadi junction en-route.  

He hugged me warmly and within five minutes filled the meeting with laughter, and love He gave me bag of filled with sweets, savories, cool drinks, bananas, and chocolates.

It was such a grand gesture. That friendliness was the best reward I could aspire for.

As the train left, I carried with me a very warm feeling of affability.

Another student had sent me a box of sweets [ pethas],very particular to Agra, through one of his friends who had visited my office. Unexpected gesture of love was the best surprise, that day.

One more student, a very good and sincere person, with a dependable nature, 

is now working for the police department, He had met me while I was traveling through his town, Krishnagiri . He held my hands with warmth, and presented me with a bag of eatables, as I was traveling further down. He fondly enquired of my health and asked me to take care of myself during my aging years. His concern and genuine care was really touching.

Yester evening I met another student, who had been in touch for three years. He is from Khamam in Andhra. He had started his own business and had been asking for my advice on many aspects of business. I helped him as best as I could. His business is prospering. He had come to Chennai and we met at the Marina beach. He was accompanied by an elderly friend and his sweet and charming wife. They made an excellent couple; so young and lively. He was just 23 and she was 21. They had been married already for 3 years and she was still studying her third year in college. They were so responsible that during these years, they had postponed pregnancy. She was helping in business and simultaneously studying.

We took a bus from the beach and came to Mylapore to have dinner in a clean veg hotel. We had meals. We talked and exchanged ideas, and he sought further advice in running the business well.  We were together till 10 PM, till they boarded a bus to take them to their hotel.  

I too took a bus going in another direction, to reach home.

As I was traveling back I recollected the warmth and affection of all these wonderful friends who, in spite of belonging to a very young generation, could still make an elderly person like me, feel wanted, and gave me a sense of belonging. After all, old is not old when you are surrounded by young loving brethren.