Growing up essentially involves spelling out ambitions of one's career path. One favourite career for most of our generation was to be the much admired train driver hooting out the steam from those wondrous chimneys atop. This was richly captured in the epic Sholay where the handling of the coal embers. For yours truly Gabbar Singh or Thakur had no relevance when compared to the feasibility of one becoming a train driver. Even a pilot was not that great a career. Of course, the conductor on our buses were next heroes followed by the cop on the street. However, none of these careers found favours with our parents, teachers or peers. The hypocrisy of mouthing lines such as becoming a great leader, a fabulous administrator, a noble doctor or a revered engineer had even reduced the teaching profession to a lesser rank. Thus, we had many ambitious Prime Ministers and Presidents with no Chief Ministers or Governors. None vouched for law or judiciary as a profession. The ones secretly nurturing the ambition of acting or becoming an artisan was looked down upon. The worst hit was the one aspiring to be a sportsperson. Thus, the confused generation suppressed its own aspirations and moved through the academic motions and moved into "less prestigious" careers. As we settled into "destined" careers, the wave of liberalisation brought glamour to all careers from the non descript to the most visible. A cook became a chef while a doorman became an usher. The clerk became a receptionist while servants turned into helping hands. Lo and behold the world was now open to all careers.
It is in this light one has to meander through the rest of this piece. A close chum, who is father of two sprightly gals, is to retire on superannuation and was wondering what his life would be post retirement. The agony of not being able to work later has motivated him from even enjoying a short vacation as he says anyway he would not be "allowed" to "work" anymore. His better half also planned one last reunion she would be able to host as she felt she may become dependent. After taking in their woes, yours truly pepped them up with talks of a second innings and a life to lead without expectations. What would such a life be after all? Directionless and clueless about the future he said. The call is ended on this traumatic note.
Contrast this with the permanent adieu one bids to his near and dear ones. Sometimes, he is not even aware and it is they who bid adieu to the mortal remains. Should we not be then happy that we are able to say bye on our terms? As yours truly mused over this, the news of the demise of the iconic Sridevi trickled in. She was the one who introduced us to the child form of Lord Karthikeya and the arduous journey of adolescence. She showed that she could tower over any hero. It was often reported that she switched on in front of a camera. A reflection on her obituaries show that she actually lived in front of a camera and away from it she was compelled to act. Her retirement was compelled due to her controversial marriage. Her demise did not leave her in dignity. So what do we complain of?
This also took me to the episode wherein yours truly had celebrated the switch of careers by another friend. The question now arose as to whether it was time to hang these boots and pursue a passion (which needs to be dug out from the depths where they are buried) or should one continue till the day the organisation bids one an adieu with hollow words which they do not mean anyway? The question cannot be termed a million dollar question but is at best only a muse which hopefully will find an answer
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