Thursday, April 17, 2014

"O" for "Old is Gold"

Today my mom adorns my blog to express how she feels about her childhood days. Like every one she feels old is gold and just speaks randomly and writes down for me as I am feeling the heat of the challenge. I was badly in need of guest authors but I can't ask any one to write for me as  I have never done that before. So finally my mom came to my rescue as always. She thinks blogging is uber-cool and wants to start one for herself. After this challenge my plan is to teach the basics of blogging to her.

My mom Haseena Banu is an Iron woman. I know every one feel the same about their moms but I feel that she is extremely strong even when I don't watch her from a daughter's perspective. She is hyperactive at the age of 54 even if she has a recurring knee joint problem which gets too painful sometimes.  Her arts and crafts are mindblowing. Our house is filled with sand paintings, nib paintings and flower vases made by her. She also knows stitching. These days due to health issues she is not stitching much but in my school days what ever I used to wear was made by mom. She was talk of my school due to her beautiful hand-work on dresses and sarees. She used to write random poems and lines in the last pages of notebooks just like we all do. I feel she gave me the blogging genes and that's why I want her to start a blog!

With out much ado giving the pen or rather microphone to my mom to speak :)


"Past is a place to visit but not to stay which everyone say but some times to me it is tough to go and come back from the past. I get lost in memories and the lifestyle of those days which kids of these days can't even imagine as a possibility. If we compare the present life and ways to that of 40 years ago, there is a tremendous change in many aspects. We used to walk to our schools and colleges even if they were located miles away from home. Depending on public transport was a rare scenario. There were days when I used to cross rivers/ canals to reach school. Rickshaw was meant for emergencies. In those days we were not in a situation to afford all the luxuries but the plus point of this was, as we walked regularly there was no specific need of exercise, workout etc. We never had diet restrictions or faced health hazards. But today as you all know the scenario is different. Every corner of the street has a gym but kids are so busy and stay so stressed and tensed that they don't get plenty of time to work out and the health issues they get just puzzle me. People whose age ranges from 25-30 are also getting heart ailments :(

By traveling more in to past say 60s and early 70s I recollect that there was only a single portable fan in our house. In those days ceiling fan is a rarity too. We were seven members at home, five children along with parents. We used to sleep on the terrace below the starry sky all through the summer.There were no mosquitoes. Yes, we never saw a mosquito during my childhood. We used to arrange our beds well in advance say 4-5 hours before sleep and by the time we called it night the beds used to become cool and comfortable due to the cool breeze from all the near by trees. On moon-lit days the pleasure was double. It was magical to sleep under the thick blanket of moon and stars. After 45 years even if we have A.C. at home I never feel the similar kind of comfort. Today how much ever I spend I cannot buy that pleasure and that bliss. Today if we try and sleep in open air , mosquitoes will keep you awake whole night and the air is not so clean and cool!
Image source : here Radio- The only source of entertainment and fun at homes during 1960s in India
Coming to the point of entertainment there used to be a big Radio in our house and we kids, my sisters and brother used to fight for our favorite radio station to be tuned. Radio-Ceylon was the famous station those days for songs and the broadcast was just for a limited time span during the day. Today FM radio operates 24*7. After some years, may be during my graduation days, we bought tape recorder in which we used to hear recorded songs in cassettes. Music companies and launches was something new to us then. Slowly we progressed to TV, Computer, gadgets Ipods, tabs , Iphones and the world is in our wrists. A single mobile serves many functions today. When luxury was a luxury we used to crave for it. When luxury became a commodity we always crave for something new and keep on inventing new versions and soft wares to run the fast pace of lives and to please and to entertain ourselves. The search to satisfy our soul never ends:)

The progress is worth applause and my daughter would love to contradict me when I say technology has helped a lot. To some extent I agree. One best invention is "internet" using which people talk to each other irrespective of their location and using blogs , you write and know the like minded people. The progress has its pros and cons. My only message is don't misuse the technology . Use it for your own welfare and just use it . Don't get used by it!"


I want to conclude by saying that "Old is gold" and new becomes old on one fine day, so preserve the new and use it properly so that you memorize it fondly in forthcoming days, the way I am memorizing it today!"

Thanks for reading me :)
Love
Haseena.

This is my 15th post for  A to Z challenge 2014
Golden pics- My Bful mom in the first pic and she is with her college mates in the second pic
Some note worthy "N" posts

Janaki Nagaraj narrates what actually being Naked means

Prudhvi latha writes a funny post on Names and the confusion

Richa says rhymes are not that innocent. She makes sense!

40 comments:

  1. My Goodness! Your mom writes so well :) and she definitely made me nostalgic because this is exactly what my Mother also had to say about technology. Not to misuse it :)

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    1. @Red Handed : Ya I realised she writes well too :) I know all moms say the same. My mom says special thanks to u

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  2. A nostalgic post Afshan. Pleasure to read. Pls thank your mom for me. She looks beautiful in the pictures. Old is truly gold.

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  3. Enjoyed reading this nostalgic post from someone of my times (we are the same age too!), though I don't agree about 'our times' being all that good. :) (Afshan, now I understand your reaction to my post yesterday!) Lol.
    I totally agree with 'new becomes old one day'. Conversely, old was also 'new' once upon a time! :)

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    1. haha ya Thats Y I was scared about posting some thng nostalgic today ! Ya my mom also says that times were not entirely good but she anyway loves those days :)

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  4. How wonderful to have your mom as your first guest poster, Afshan! And, aunty, you must definitely start your own blog too!!

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    1. Thanks Roshni :)
      Mom wanted me to say special thanks to u for asking her to start her own blog !
      THANKS

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  5. Kudos to mom for this wonderful debut on your blog. Could relate to her post in many ways.

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  6. You are right about getting your blogging genes from your mom. Such a beautifully crafted nostalgic post. :)

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  7. Ahaa.. now I know from where you have got ur talent. . :) your mom writes so well ! And I can totally relate to it as the same stories have bern told by my mom/dad too.. :) everyone loves their time(childhood/youth) and remembers it later with nostalgia.. loved the post!! :)

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    1. @JANU : THANKS DEAR. My mom says thanks too ! ya I love the post she chose for debut


      @POOJA : ya I always doubted she is the culprit who has put those genes in me ;)

      @ANKITA : ya totally . I got it from her. We all love olden days don't we ? mom says thanks :)

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  8. Your mom is right, Afshan. The search for novelty never ends, but the charm and simplicity of the old life can never be replicated,

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    1. THanks Cynthia. Ya search for novelty never ends. My mom conveys thanks for reading

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  9. Wow...what a super post afshan! Give yer my best regards and tell her she needs to start blogging asap!

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    1. Thank u Ghara :) !
      Ya I want her to blog too.. Mom says thanks for reading

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  10. Such a wonderful post. So well written. My mom says the same things, about walking and exercise and all.
    My best regards to aunty :-)

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    1. All moms say the same ;) Thanks Nandu
      Mom says thanks too

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  11. Wow Afshan. Getting your mom to blog has to count for a lot. It was nice hearing her share her memories of times gone by. Don't we all feel similarly that the times gone by are way better than what we have now. I wonder if it is nostalgia only.

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    1. :) Thanks Rachna for ur time here ! Ya we all feel the same . My mom conveys thanks for reading

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  12. Wow she writes so well Afshan...You must feel so proud to host her here..It was so refreshing to read her

    O for Ostracized-Random Thoughts Naba

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    1. Thanks Naba. She says thanks :) :)
      Needless to say am totally proud or may be its the other way round ;)

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  13. Thanks Afshan for introducing your mom to us. She and I are the same age and she took me down memory lane. Look forward to her blog too. Loved this post. Your mom writes so well.

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    1. :) My mom says thanks. Ya she is just new to FB/ blog etc. Long way to go. I will make sure she writes more

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  14. Your mom writes so fantastically ! Thanks, for inviting your mother to write ! She has shared the wisdom, that we seem to forget !

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  15. This is a marvelous post. Your mom writes wonderfully. A talented daughter of a talented mother!

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    1. Thanks Usha ji. A comment from u is alwayss heart warming
      GOOD LUCK for a to z

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  16. Awww how lucky are you!! She writes really well, now I know you take after whom Afshu!

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    1. Thanks Sfurti . My mom is just happy to read all the comments ;)

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  17. Your mom sounds like mine. Especially with the arts and crafts. Replace her knee pain with asthma. It's awesome that she wants to blog. Watch out world.
    Nana Prah

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    1. All moms sound same ain't they ?
      Thanks a lot Nana for dropping by ! My regards to ur mom too

      Delete
  18. Awesome Post,Afshan !! Convey my regards and best wishes to your Mom..Superb Writeup

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    1. Thanks Mayura.
      My mom is glad by the over whelming response :)

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  19. Oh my, how time has changed a lot! It's great that you got your mom to write for your blog! :)

    A Deecoded Life

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  20. That's so cool having your mom write a guest post, and what a terrific one too! Things and times change, as she mentioned so accurately. The youths are not as fit as they should be, and the mosquitos are declaring war on us with their bites. I enjoyed reading this post and agree that your mom should also have a blog. Thanks for stopping by me earlier. Michelle http://www.writer-way.blogspot.com

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  21. Dear Afshan, I am so fortunate I had this chance to see why you are the wonderful person you are! It is, in part, your amazing mother! I love reading about her life. I am older than she is ... 62. But she is so creative and such a delightful person, just like you! I would love to read more writing from your mother,
    Haseena Banu, Iron Woman, when she decides to start a blog ... and also read your blog too! jean xox!!!

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  22. I can't imagine the novelty of sleeping under the stars every night and not having to fight off mosquitoes. I am afraid they would find me and eat me alive!! Such an interesting post! ♥

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  23. beautiful post and awesomely written, Afshan Mom. I love the line Old is Gold and new becomes Old One Fine Day.I was hooked by the post and like the bit about memories which makes it difficult for us to get out of it since it can be painful. Time flies like anything. Ma'am you should start your blog and narrate life from your perspective. If one post made us sit through, your blog will be an instant hit. Now, I know where Afshan inherited her unique and talented writing skills from:)

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  24. Your mom definitely needs to start her own blog! She is a beautiful writer! I love what she said about luxury becoming a commodity; she's so right! And she obviously has so many stories she can tell about the "old" days (I say with a laugh, since your mom is only two years older than me!). Encourage her to write, write, write!

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What do you think about this ? I always love to hear back. A comment or a brickbat boosts me to write more but the mud slinging shall be promptly vacuumed.

Thanks for your time :)

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