Time, the most interesting subject in the history of human era, wreaks everything that happens. What is there that corroding time does not damage? In time the unmanageable young oxen come to the plow; in time the horses are taught to endure the restraining bit. It is said that everything is transient. Everything changes with passage of time. After lots of head banging (it’s in different context), the scientists are still unable to unveil the time. It laughs as it plays with man, when tried to be played on. Being with this known of mine for more than 20 years, I have learnt many things, in all the ways it teaches. It has been my greatest friend and my worst enemy.
I got one more glimpse of cruelty of this unvanquished dictator when I visited my maternal grandparents a few days back.One of the strongest persons I have seen in my life could make anyone panic in front of him. When the serene look on his face changed to frown, anything could happen. Being a very responsible family head, this person is also very qualified. From being a lawyer to becoming a well reputed income tax officer, he has left several benchmarks for people to follow. People know him all across the city he lives in. The daunting figure of him was welcomed anywhere he went. Being a child, I always was so scared of him. His gravity used to send shiver down the body. But above all, I loved to be with him. He took me to many places, teaching me the rules of world. I observed the way he used to talk to the people and tackle everyone. “A man could be this skilled?” My mind used to run into wilderness and back with admiration. Imagining myself to be like him and talking the way he did, with everyone standing in respect wherever i go fascinated me beyond anything. My ‘Naanu’ (Grandpa) has been an unaccountable player in the making of me. As I entered the house, people rushed to me. I felt as a part of stampede and the only target. From one to another to the other, everyone hugged me, the normal reaction your relatives give when they see you after a long long time. The hero of the place for the time moved forward to see his grandmother. The amount of love this lady possesses is not comparable with anything in the world for me. A warm hug from her lets me forget everything else. Holding her hand, I made my way deeper into the big house. Reaching the room of my naanu, I was standing aghast. Shoulders down, the iron man looked rusted. The normal laugh turned into tears after seeing us. I cannot forget the first lines he spoke, “bahut dard hai’, bahut dard hai” (it hurts a lot, it hurts a lot), in the most unusual way I could have imagined him speak. His voice was torn from within. Tear wet words came washing his eyes. The man had become weak. I controlled my tear ducts from streaming. The lump in my throat was choking me as I looked up, closing my eyes trying to remember him in my past. A day over there made me feel a little habituated to see him cry like a child in pain. Every time I helped him walk to his chair, and every time he fell to sink into it, I remembered how he used to lift me up in his strong arms, swinging me till the catecholamine rush in my body forced me to shout in excitement.
Time is the king. Yet again, smirking at me, it showed one more example of its power, the power of change. Out of all the things it has taught me, the thing that affected me the most is,Time changes everything….
