Oasis.
Credit: DH Illustration
Once, at a cafeteria, we, a bunch of close friends, were conversing about some common day-to-day events. Amusedly, it looked like all of us were afflicted by this “no time” ailment! “Hey! Last month, you mentioned having to take your mom to your mama’s house. Did you?” “No time, yaar.. being mired in a morass of mundane chores, I didn’t find time!”
“And you were saying that you were shortly joining some stitching classes to fine-tune your sartorial skills. Joined?” Tut! To me, even twenty-four hours a day seem terribly little! What with tonnes of taxing work? By evening, I end up with a famished body, a fatigued mind, and a foul mood. By then, I’d be languishing for a little relaxation, a light dinner, and a long sleep.”
As each one was busy rattling on about their regular activities, my mind roamed off into reverie, recalling the remarkable gesture exhibited by Dr Radha, my spouse’s relative. Some months back, my son had just then got into superspecialisation in surgery at a top-notch medical institute, where Radha was working in the critical care section after her myriad medical degrees and fellowships. I casually happened to inform her of my son joining their workforce.
Lo! The next day, it was a real surprise to see Radha, all set with a scrummy self-cooked lunch for my son, along with plates, paper napkins, and other paraphernalia, all packed to perfection, to welcome him into the portals of their prestigious institute. Especially when she was working in a large unit, literally loaded with legions of patients.
I had heard that even during school days, Radha had been academically strong, a State Kho-Kho player, and an impressive songstress, besides bagging the rare privilege of being in the NCC parade during Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. (Yes, she had inherited the intellectual genes of her immensely talented, pious mother.)
As my drifted mind darted back to the present, I heard my dear buddies still droning, in doleful tones, about dire time droughts! Thanks to our slothful attitude, which stymies us from doing several things due to so-called time scarcity! Truly, Radha had proved the profound veracity of the premise, “An active mind always feels about having ample time to do all things in life, but a lethargic mind ever laments a lack of time!”