Tuesday, October 25, 2011

The Years shall run like rabbits.....


Today I turn 30 !!!

Well...the dreaded 30 as I had always imagined it. As a kid, 30 year olds seemed like uncles and aunts to me. I somehow couldn’t really imagine myself in their shoes. Even the Fairytale Princesses and Princes never turned 30! They only ‘lived happily ever after’.

Never thought one day I’ll also turn 30.
And when I turned 20, I did realise that sooner or later (well, a decade later to be precise) I’d turn 30. But then 10 years was a long time to go and so why bother was my instant stand, every time this uneasy thought cropped into my mind.
And now that I’ve actually turned 30, I am compelled to ask myself over and over again about how I really feel about it.
The only thing that I can remember right now is a particular scene from the movie ‘Before Sunrise’, in which the character played by Ethan Hawke recites the verses from a poem ‘As I Walked Out One Evening’ by W.H.Auden. As he says those verses in the backdrop of a European Town Square with his beloved by his side, I was mesmerised...
“The years shall run like rabbits,
   For in my arms I hold
The Flower of the Ages,
   And the first love of the world.'

But all the clocks in the city
   Began to whirr and chime:
'O let not Time deceive you,
   You cannot conquer Time.”

And today when I am already there, I don’t really feel sad...no dread...not even an iota of fear...Because I know that life is designed to be like that. I do remember my parents in their thirties and now that I am thirty, I only feel that it is as natural and normal as it can be.
May be it’s all these past years which have given me the maturity to understand this, or maybe I am still in a self-denial mode. Well well, no....I choose to believe the former. Turning thirty wasn’t difficult and definitely my life did not end at the strike of the midnight clock, as I would have imagined it to be when I was younger. On the other hand, Shalini and I are really looking forward for the days to come, when our lives will change....change for the better.
As each day passes by, I realise the importance of ‘living’ and not just ‘existing’. Each day gives way to a new day ....and in the end as Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865) had once said; it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

15 comments:

Tania Kaushal said...

Nicely worded Sandeep! I shall remember this when I turn thirty :)... Many more happy years to you :)!

Pranali said...

Happy B'day!!

I shall be 23 in 4 months and i am freaking out already!!

A said...

Nice post Sandeep. Wish you a very happy birthday! Aging brings lot of amazing things with it, most importantly the power to do, to give, to finally enter the zone of activity from passiveness...Have a good time, and give back as much as you've got over the years, to people around you, to everyone in gen.

Sandeep Menon said...

# Hey Tania,
Thanks for stopping by.I'll visit your blog to check when you turn 30 ;)
#Hi Pranali,
There isn't any apparent need to panic. Turning 30 is as easy as turning 20..You'll soon realize this...but till then nobody can convince you this, that's how complex our brains are wired.

Sandeep Menon said...

# Finally A,
Nice to hear from you. Your comment spoke volumes about how mature your thoughts are.Will definitely pay heed to it...Do keep in touch and thanks for the wishes.

mina said...

Happy Birthday! Thanks for your nice comment on our blog.

nikheel said...

Happy Birthday! Thirty is new sixteen as uncle-aunties said and I guess its true :D Cheers and enjoy fullest!

Sandeep Menon said...

# Hi Mina,
Thanks for the wishes.

# Nikheel,
Well said and thanks for the wishes.

Anonymous said...

Happy belated birthday! Thanks for visiting my blog. You have an awesome blog. Wise words. Time goes on by so fast, eh? I look at it as life's a journey, not just a destination. Always something to discover and wonder along the way. Haslinda :)

Sandeep Menon said...

# Hi Haslinda,
Completely agree to your viewpoint.Life's indeed a journey...that's the fun of it.

nikheel said...

Hi Sandeep,
Thanks a lot for visiting exhibition and glad you liked it. When did you come? Saturday evening by chance? Why didn't you knock me? Would love to catch up with you. Lets connected virtually atleast :)
Thanks once again.

Unknown said...

hi mr.sandeep,
wish you a belated happy birthday,30...sounds good i am just 16 so no idea how it feels ..but had like to say "picture abhi baki hai mere dosth ..." and thanks again for being one of the only three persons to stop by and comment on my blog . :)

Sandeep Menon said...

#Nikheel,
Yes I came there on Saturday evening...The exhibition was really good.It's such a gift that brings a smile to many. Keep the good work going...

#Hey Sucheth,
You do have some great words and thought penned down in that blog of yours..liked it and so I commented on it...Do pen in your thoughts on your blog more often...

Unknown said...

yes i'll try and write more often . thank you.

Cornersandmoments said...

Happy 30th and happy life ahead ! Great thoughts. Keep dreaming.