There are just those times in life when reality, quite really bites. I had one such last week when I was visiting my neighbor. This neighbor runs a crèche and just as I was entering her house a fresh faced kid ran over and shouted: “So whose father are you?” Father??? Forget marriage, I look like I have a kid??? I retorted to this effect (with all the histrionics) and that poor soul looked rather flummoxed. Well he will probably understand how I felt when he turns 25.
This incident however did get me thinking about life, where it is heading and other such heady stuff. It’s all nice and fine up to the point of college when responsibility is still something of the future but now you are supposed to be living it. (Well, atleast in this department I am no better of than I was 5 years back). The way people look at you, their expectations all change. You are expected to have a plan for everything – a plan for a house, one for marriage, for kids & their education & I don’t know what else.
As I was treading this endless path I was reminded of the lyrics of famous Buz Luhrmann song Sunscreen -
“Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life…the
most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with
their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.”
This more or less settled it for me and I decided that I am going to go on as usual. But one thing is for sure - the next time some kid comes up and asks “Whose grandfather are you?” I am going to be prepared.
