Meeting amazing people
Flight from Delhi to Kolkata was filled with people who were going to attend weddings in and around Kolkata. I was not surprised when I got to know that the two ladies sitting next to me were also going to attend weddings in Kolkata. It was indeed fun to sit next to two very smart and vibrant women, one in her late 30s and the other in her late 50s. I was the quiet listener among three of us. Listening to their conversation, first thing that came in my mind was Thank God, World is still filled with good people! They talked about lifestyles in metropolitan places. Then they talked about how things were so different during their college times. The younger woman talked about her college time, time when she was young and carefree, no responsibilities of running a house, taking care of husband and kids. On this the elder woman said 50s are the best years. The younger woman asked with curiosity How?. She replied...When you are in school you want to go to college, there will be pressure from family and friends to pick the best courses/colleges. When you are in college you want to get a job, you will struggle to get your desired job. When you have a job your family will pressurize you to get married. When you get married your family again will pressurize you to have kids. When you have kids, you have huge responsibilities towards them including their upbringing. So all these years you have responsibilities, you are answerable to people. But when you are in 50s, you are free from all these responsibilities. Your kids are in their own world by themselves. You would be financially strong with savings from so many years of earning. You can do whatever you want, travel wherever you want. You have all the time in the world. She added one more most important point... Just make sure you are healthy and fit during your 50s. If so, 50s are the best years. How true it is! I was so amazed with her thought. No wonder she is from the initial batch of IIT Kharagpur, well settled in US.
