What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?
The long corridor led to the main balcony of the house and as the hands reached out to open the door. The view that presented itself was dominated by green and the different sounds of nature slowly made their presence felt to the mind.
Medha’s uncle was the first one in the family to make a shift for a better life. He came to this town with his family with a healthier lifestyle in mind, with clean air, water and more greenery around. Many did not understand the decision, given the substantial compromise in income that had to be made for this decision.
After a great deal of persuasion Medha finally agreed to visit her aunt leaving behind the plan of a group trip with her friends. The first thing she noticed was the sound of birds; it’s something the ears had not heard for a long time and there are sadly children growing in the absence of such wondrous sounds of nature in the cities scurrying towards modernisation of murky vision.
Medha thought nothing could get better than the view from high above from her parents’ apartment in high-rise, not to her fault, in big cities this is the closest you can to a view that might relax your mind, the view of high and far.
In this town where her uncle had found a new life, the trees demanded attention. There were so many around, hugging the very life itself that was lived there. The air carried a distinct scent that had long vanished from a lot of ‘developed places’, as businessmen and politicians love to call them.
Life was more affordable as well, there were popular local brands and local businesses at work here, still maintaining a reasonable cost of living. The most important thing she noticed was that beyond happiness the crease of a certain stress wasn’t presence on the face of people. Lives weren’t rushed just for the sake of living.
It was given, the presence of healthy people even at a much later age. Many old lives are still thriving in this patient life, still walking around, talking, browsing the market, enjoying themselves. Children play to a much different tune while their parents have more clarity in their thoughts.
“I understand. The place, the life, the decision,” said Medha to her aunt as they walked through the market
“There is more to it, in the years to come,” said Medha’s aunt looking at the clear sky
Written by Anuran Chatterji
Early Morning Memories 