Old habits die hard and old timers (like us) find it difficult to accept change specially if small utility items become relics of the past due to new technology, aesthetic sense and space constraints. It was a surprise in the New Year when our neighborhood stationery wala (who also displays a variety of nick-nacks like little statues, souvenirs & curios that sell ) has stopped keeping ‘table calendars’ I bought last year, being very low on demand. What’s the use he countered : people manage time & dates through their smart phones !
Undaunted, I tried the crowded galis of ‘Mathuradas Road’ nearby (a big market place for fruits, vegetables, confectionaries in our Kandivili West suburb of Mumbai (a place with no connection to holy city in UP). After some excursion, I found one ‘Gift’ shop that met my needs. The first (‘January’) page of the smart calendar I chose, had appropriate catchy words: ‘There’s a rainbow at the end of every rain’ & such nice ones on each page.
Mundane and old-world relics, as they may sound to most tech-savvy folks, I always felt the humble table calendars, helped in being visually organized, practicing efficienttime management and reducing time in referencing diaries & notes. They served as constant reminders for deadlines, meetings and tasks, while also acting as a decorative & tangible tool for planning at our homes and even in the offices. My vivid impression of my Dad’s work style was his orderly desk at home, replete with pen stand, ink blotter & calendar !
Calendars, however, aren’t the best substitutes for the habitual ‘diary-writers’ who make elaborate daily notes to keep track of their busy schedules. To senior citizens used to their old practices, the morning must start with a prayer and a review of what’s to follow in course of the day : replying to the NY/ birthday/Anniversary messages, bill payments, refilling medicine chest of self & spouse, calling the carpenter/plumber/driver, visiting the bank to inquiry about latest deposit rates and of course doing the grocery shopping.
Sitting on our writing table or desk, the calendar readily provides us distraction-free way to manage our schedules, improve focus and give satisfaction of having done a fair day’s ‘work from home’ making it valuable for personal productivity & mental agility. It’s not just this month but entire year ‘2026’ that’s in front of us – make the Best of it, Friends. As my calendar’s ‘Feb’ page says ‘Don’t Wish For Less Problems, Wish For More Skills !
Working on Living 