aabhaA, aadiR, aaryaT, aashiR, aasthaD, abiF, adhishreeG, aditiK, aditiV, aindrilaRC, aishwariyaG, ajay.gang, akshayaN, Alan.fly, alexP, alfieD, aliefyaV, alishaK,alisha.anuM, alishaR, alisonD, alpaD, ambikaN, amritaSa, amritaSh, anahitaK, andreaN, aneriT, angelar, anilaV, anishaA, anishaDeSA, anjanaS, anjuM, ankitaG, ankitaT, ankitaR.gang, annabellaP, annabelleF, annukampaH, anoushkaV, anuG, anuI, anupaK, anupamaA, anuradhaP, anushkaK, anushreePar, aparna, aparnaKaps, aparnaKh, aparnaSh, aparnaT, arpitaN, arshiaK, arthurD, ashikaM, ashokM, ashviniM, asmitaK, avantikaS, aveeP, ayeshaD, aymanC,
barnaliM, beenaM, bernadetteF, bhaktiP, biancaP, binaiferS, blaiseD, boscoR,
candiceC, carenF, carina, carissaD, carlS, carolineP, celinaF, chandaniJ, chandniC, charisma, chelseaR, cheriseM, cheryl.johnD, chong, christabelleR, christieD, christineC, christineF, chryslynnD, clydeG, cynaraP,
DanicaD,gang, daniellaE, darshiS, deepaSh, deepaSom, depikaM, deepikaSh, denverC, devenC, dhruvT, dimpleK, dimplaS, dishaK, divinaP, divyaD, durgaG,dwishaH,
Edwina, ElaineN, emilD, euphyDC, evaristN,
farinazL, fayannD, fleurD, francaD,
gandhaliK, garfieldD, gauriKa, gautamiP, genevieveF, gouriB, grahamD,
habjbaI, hailleyT, himaP,
indrayaniM, ingitaJ, ishaniB, insiaL, ishaS, ishitaD, ishitaK,
janhaveeP, janiceF, janineC, jasmineM, jenniferG, jenniferT, jennyP, jessicaA, joeySP, juhiV, jyotsnaM,
kalindiR, kalpitaJ.gang, kamalS, kanicaS, karenD, karenF. karenMont, karin.gang, karishmaC, karishmaH, kashmeeraS, kateC, keomiD, khanjanaM, kieraC, kimberlyR, kimMa, komalA, kriaB, kritikaW, kunaliS,
latikaV, lexleyP, lisbertD, lizannaF, lornaD,
madhuwantiG, maherraK, manaliG,manasiP, manasviB, manasviS, manavikaP, maneeshaP, manishaA, manishP, manujaS, marannaM, marieM, mariamM, marietteV, marisaD, marisaM, maryA, maseeraS, mayuriU, menon, mehekM, meetaT, meherM, melanie.fly, mellitaAl, menakaD, menakaP, merleO, merlynC, michaelC, michelleF, mireilleA, misbahS, mishkaS, mitaleeS, mrudutaC, mrunmayeeG, murielD, muskaanJ,
namitaF, namrataS, nancyN, nandaS, nanditaM, nanditaP, naomiM, natashaB, natashaE, natashaTr, neelK, neenazI, nenitaS, nehaB, nehaJ, nehalP, neharikaS, nehaS, nehaV, neishaM, nenitaS, neolaD, nicoleDL, nidhiM, nidhiT, nishiT, niharN, nikitaA, nikitaDC, nikittaDut, nimarK, nimishaB, ninetteP, nishiD, nityaN, niveditaV, oleenM,
pallaviS, paridnyaK, parinazS, parthiviM, patN, payalS, payalV, pearlDS2, pearlS, pervinS, petalG, petrinaD, poojaKr, poojaShe, poonamB, poonamS, prachiS, pranjaliC, pranjaliK, pranotiS, prayernaR, preethiP, prernaJ, prernaMat, priyankaR, priyankaSeb, priyankaSur, priyankaSS, priyaR, pruthaS, pujaG.gang, puneetP, putliP,
rachealD, radhikaA, radhikaR, radhikaS, rainaM, rajeshP, rakheeP, rakhshandaK, rakshandaT, rashiP, rashmitaS, rasikaV, rebeccaDL, remap, remyaR, renitaF, rennyG, rheaC, rheaG, richikaP, riddhimaB, rigveditaN, rithikaD, rituC, riyaK, rochelleA, rochelleP, roshanB, roshnaT, rositaL, roxaneK, ruchikaB, ruchiPal, ruchiPar, rural15,
saahilN, safaP, saieeG, sakinaM, sakshiJ, salimS, saloneeJ, saloniB, saloniD, samruddhiP, sangeetaS, sharviM, sanjanaM, saradaB, sarahS, sarita.ajeet, sashaC, sayaliN, shagunP, shalmaliG, shalmaliS, sharleneL, sharonD, sharonS, sharvariP, sherlaineV, shetalL, shivangiP, shivaniSingh, shonaliR, shraddhaN, shraddhaS, shreyaJ, shreyansiS, shrutiB, shrutiG, shrutiS, shyamaB, shwetaD, shwetaR, siddheshwariD, sidhdhiS, simmiH, simonepedro, sjcommty, smitaS, smritiA, snehalS, sohiniM, sonalG, sonalP, soniaJ, stanF, stutiS, sudhaP, sujataS, sukritiS, sumiR, sumitraB, supriyaK, supriyaR, surekhaS, suzanneDC, swethaA, swethaV,
tamaraM, tanviM, tanviS, tejashreeC, tomK, trinjhnaK, trishaH,
uddipanaK, ujjainiB, urvijaG, utkarshaD, utshaM,
vahbizP, vaidehiK, valerieR, vaishaliJ, varadaS, varshaM, veeraF, vibhaK, vibhaR, viditaS, vidyaN, vijayG, vrushaliK, vrushtiJ, waltyP, xeniaA,
yaminiJ, yashashreeU, yojanaY,
zaverS, zeniaA, zenobiaV, ziaP, zomieI,
My dear
Some more of my reflections from the SSL rural camp held during the Diwali vacations …
50 students… 10 days in a farm… manual work… roughing it out… living together… growing up!
Adjusting to the passing years and one’s “senior citizen” status can be quite a challenge.
Sharing with you in my inimitable style, some of my own efforts doing this at the recent SSL rural camp.
I hesitate to send this one around because people might get the wrong idea that I am giving up.
They might begin to feel sorry for me and I would not want that to happen. I do not think you will do that.
I am not giving up. I am moving on ahead…
And I shall judiciously take into consideration limitations and strengths that add on to my life as the years roll along.
photo: manjiri satam
More reflections at Rural Camp 2015
I thirst much sooner quicker now
Tire faster… work much less –
Not allowed, restrained by those
Who so much care for me.
I tread the paths much slower now
breathe a bit more heavy edge
hover in still shadows watching
waiting for a slip in chance
for something safe permissible
a 70-year old may do.
hawk-like they watch my every move
Polite, concerned, considerate
my indiscretions barrier bound
I bow, I smile quiet step aside.
They really care for me, I know
and that is what really matters
from silent shadow subtle fringe
I sight glow sparkle beaming faces
Hear unfamiliar upbeat singing
Smile at twist convulsive dance
They glance my way include me in
Give me occasional care hug
Collage photos: Manjiri satam
I know they care for me they do
That is what really matters.
I hearken to my body voices
stop listen more attentive now
The surge of rush-go/halt-stop efforts
Once done triumph carelessly
In mind/heart I can do it yet still
My body begs me differently
Shrug off and think – it matters naught
I do not trudge the extra mile
Nor ego strain to strive and conquer
This that challenge mountain peak
distance miles and challenge peak tops
other kinds I venture now
metamorphic change years pass by
bud before, full bloom somehow
I surf wild waves in verse and wit
Chat entertain in manner glib
Indulge in lush green garden spaces,
Watch flower blossom, bud fruit grow
Pluck lilting music spin out lyrics
Draw, paint, assemble dazzle art
Not bored or helpless whining sad
My life cup filled to overflow
All of me is there full there
and I too care for them my ways
I care for them I really do
that is what also matters.
Terryq: nov.2015
Photo: manjiri satam
Wouldn’t you too?
Age is not just a number. It is a gift…an evolving celebration!
How you choose to celebrate depends on you.
I have chosen my way and I continue looking forward to the rest of my life! Always will.
You do that too.
Take care. Stay well. Celebrate!
Lots of love, Terry