For those whom we love we pray for their long life, sound health and well-being that’s filled with happiness, contentment and tranquility. Conventionally we wish our seniors and peers that they live to be a centenarian. The standard blessing from our elders has been ‘Jeete Raho and Sau Saal Jiyo !’ As Sunnyji said ‘a century is a century, whatever the conditions were’ and such an innings is worthy of applause ! While it’s creditable on a cricket field if one reaches that coveted score but it is indeed a major milestone in anyone’s life when one turns 75 !
There was a time about five decades ago when septuagenarians (those between ages 70 to 79) were thought of as quite elderly, frail and needing looking after due to failing health conditions. Today, there’s a sea-change in societal attitudes towards them (thanks to transformed life-styles, huge progress in medical sciences & facilities and better living conditions), ‘Age is just a number’, ’70 is the new 50’, ‘You’re as old as you feel’- are the new-age ideologies. It’s now not uncommon to find folks sprightly, suavely clad, with just a few streaks of grey, well into their 70s, who’d leave gen-next overawed with their joie-de-vivre, energy, versatility and zest for life.
Let’s look to Bollywood for instant motivation – from ‘Big B’ phenomenon and evergreen actors Dharam Paaji and Sharmilaji ( breaking news is Rakhee at 76, returns to acting !), prolific poets Gulzar and Javed to great business barons Ratan Tata and Narayana Murthy & many in other fields who’ve defied age barriers & continued to explore newer avenues given half a chance ! Names of ‘octogenarian’ Hollywood actors & film-makers is an amazing bevy of past ‘A’ listers, who still work like Clint Eastwood, Al Pacino, Julie Andrews, Jane Fonda and Steven Spielberg.
But why go far away when you have age-less ‘achievers’ in your own family… We siblings take much pride when our brood is led by a veritable leader like ‘Baksi Maam’ as she’s called in the hallowed portals of the famed Navarachna School, Baroda where she’d served as a Principal (later Director) for two decades and won many accolades and awards over the years. In keeping with her ‘larger than life’ persona and popularity, we her ‘chota’ siblings call her ‘Big B’ ! She turns 75 on January,22nd but her self-belief, poise and exuberance are simply unstoppable !
Not one to rest on her past laurels achieved in the realm of education, post retirement she has taken up literary writing and worked on innate talents as a singer and painter. She participates in creative sessions in singing and painting groups with her versatile friends from yester-years. When not on sojourns to exotic destinations chosen by her loving daughters and grandchildren and with family and friends, her outpourings come in form of poetry and she has over time composed beautiful thoughts into lovely verses ! She also savours good films she sees on OTT.
Have a Marvelous Milestone Birthday, Didibhai ! For the indomitable spirit you show and your amazing ability to stay connected to people and their lives, you are always an inspiration to us !
Working on Living 