Title : The Autumn Years
Style : Short Essay
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‘Life is like a box of chocolates and you never know what you’ll going to get’, as Forrest Gump would smilingly put it in ‘Forest Gump’, on how we deal with our existence. Some do wished to turn back the clock and restart at summer, and work their butts off again, to acquire more wealth or amend, and make corrections on their roads or routes to their autumns. There are those who wished to limit their drinking and smoking and maybe also eat right for once, giving more preference to breakfast, which was not part their vocabulary before. I once knew of a bloke who was a salesman in a hardware store from our district who commented, “ I am now touching fifty soon and realized my short comings to my studies when I was a youngster. Should I have secured a worthwhile university degree or served out my apprenticeship in a trade, I would not be standing behind a sales counter now. ” That is the way the cookies crumbles some would comment and whatever, to each it’s own, I suppose. I just sheepishly smiled at the salesman and left it at that without further ado or comment.
We tend to come to terms to our autumn years, in our own individualistic ways, and no shortage of methods or modes, I do assure you. We all do look back on our lives at one time or another, by ourselves or in a group and pass judgments or make comments worthy or otherwise, maybe a mention or two about the grapes being sour. Some learnt from past mistakes, and passed on their experiences, so that others may avoid the pitfalls and sail on to calmer waters. It amazes me how very varied we come to terms in our autumns and tackle best as we can or not address it at all. Thus existed such words as repent, hindsight, resented, reflections and the likes in our body of words.
Me? I just let nature takes it’s course. Being actively retired and well into my sixties, I do not think much about those years gone by and view life for what it was and is. Maybe it’s to do with my economic situation and standing in life, not that I am rich and well to do by any means. There is no one that I know of who does not want to be well, happy, healthy and financially competent, but sadly only to a lucky few and far between at that. There seems to be something missing or can be improved in our lives which ever way we look at it, but it might be best to let bygones be bygone. If we could turn back the clock with the time machine, then life in general will be disrupted and unnatural, that’s not for me and for your guidance no inventor has mastered yet except for fiction authors such as H.G. Wells and the likes. These days I do reminisce and recall those good and not so good times from the past and wonder about the experiences and where those people are and what has become of them, but never to rewind the clock except for the songs and music that I like which I play over and over again munching yesterday once more. As they say it’s all music to my ears.
Turning back to my example of the salesman earlier on, I really do sympathize his feelings of unsavory existence but regret to say no use crying over spilt milk and better to amend from the time one realize the mistake if one can, otherwise tuff luck my friend, not a very nice thing to say but there you are. Fate is a difficult thing, it was stamped on our forehead as we entered this world and bettering it is our trials. All animals cannot be equal, and as to the eluded question it should be addressed to God if we believe in religion that is. I say to err is human as the proverb goes and there will be mistakes along the avenues to our autumn. In my case, there were too many to elaborate. I just prefer to sit back, smile and shrug it off and be done with. Que sera, sera. I’m in full agreement with the saying ‘laughing is the best medicine.’ Don’t you?
After autumn, winter is waiting next in line and we all must make that journey without fail. Some hurried their autumns and made an early entry into winter. They all must have had their own reasons. It has been reported in the media that in some parts of India, there are farmers who rather cross over early as repayment of their loans exceeded the burdens they could shoulder. My heart really poured out for them. I also knew of a few acquaintances that crossed the bridge not to be too heavy on their family and or children. Finances played a major role and rightly or wrongly it was their decision and I have no alternative but to respect their wills. However, it is so sad to me to see them end their lives before natural termination. Today, economic factors seems to be a major culprit in most part of the world where my fellow men abandon their sacred lives even before entering autumns.
Whatever, as this is once in a lifetime affair, I believe it is very rare and one should make the best of it and as they see fit but not end it before its termination is naturally due. At the same time one must also appreciate their trials. Take for instance soldiers giving up their lives for their country, they did not even reach autumn, most commendable in my books, without them there would be no land to call as our own. Winter is a destination we all cannot avoid, though it does not beckon us but as the proverb ‘all roads lead to Rome’, go we all must, sooner or later …… just a matter of time mon ami!
So, let us celebrate and treasure our precious lives even in our autumn years. Sit back, relax, munch on it, reminisce or make yarns and provide lessons to whom would listen. Its really precious you know. Think about it!
Good luck.
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By/- Myo Thant
