A thought that has crossed my mind lately is that we don’t just grow older and wiser. Aging is not merely about accumulating years or wisdom; there is much more to it. It is a journey that allows life to touch us more deeply, slowly softening the sharp edges we may not have even realised we carried.
The softer hues…
Most of us, unknowingly, grow softer with age. That softness should never be mistaken for weakness. If anything, I would say, with a tint of positivity, that it is one of the quietest ways in which we grow stronger.
It is the years that do this to us. Things that once seemed insignificant when we were much younger begin to touch us in unexpected ways. Tears come a little more easily at a song, a memory, a kind gesture, or even a stranger’s story. We begin to feel deeply for joys and sorrows that may not even be our own. We become more patient, more forgiving, and more appreciative of the small acts of kindness that once might have gone unnoticed. A child’s laughter can move us, a familiar smell can take us decades back, and a simple “take care” can stay with us long after it is said.
Resilience and a strong mind are important to move ahead in life. We cannot allow ourselves to be taken for granted or to be treated like a doormat. But at the same time, if we learn to calm down and become a little more measured, the doors to peace and happiness seem to open on their own. Life’s joys often come from the most unexpected sources.
Something heartwarming, something sweet…
A couple of days ago, I saw a photo of a cake that a friend had posted on Instagram and called her to find out the details. Our friendship started when we were in elementary school and has remained intact since then. We soon found ourselves in a lengthy conversation about love and life after I had lent my ears to an endearing story.
My friend had received a cake from her daughter on her birthday. Although her daughter lives in the Netherlands, she had arranged for the cake to be delivered to her mother in India. On top of the cake were the beautiful words: “To celebrate me is to celebrate you!”
It is not about the cake at all. It is the thoughtfulness behind it that touched me immensely. As we celebrate our birthdays and milestones, how often does it occur to us that there is one person who deserves to be at the very top of the celebration list?
Birthdays deserve to be looked at a little differently. We celebrate the person who was born, but behind every birthday is a mother who gave birth to that life. She may not be the one blowing out the candles, yet in a quiet way, the day belongs to her too. She carried us before she held us, endured the pain before she heard our first cry, and then spent years nurturing, protecting, and watching us grow.
So perhaps, on our birthdays, we should celebrate our mothers as much as we celebrate ourselves. The story of our lives begins when motherhood begins for our mothers. It is one of the most natural and enduring connections there is.
This is not some sentimental rambling that I could go on and on about. It is simply a reflection on how sometimes the simplest of words speak volumes and how the tiniest of gestures have the power to melt our hearts. This could be one of the quiet wonders of growing older: realizing that happiness need not always be loud or grand to be deeply felt. After all, it is these small ripples of love that make the world go round.
rashmi writes 