From morning to dusk we are in a relentless rat-race. As the old saying goes, “Time is gold”. We have 24 hours not only for our career life but also for our family life. If so, there can arise doubts as to whether we spend at least five minutes for ourselves and our loved ones.
To be frank and honest, you have no time even to talk with your parents, grandparents and children. Hooked on phones and laptops we have become like programmed robots.
In the morning buses and trains are ejecting us like burnt-out ashes. Then, we have to march towards our workplaces like gentlemen, hiding our untold pain under a face mask and tears with our eyelids.
Not only that, sky-kissing buildings in the middle of Colombo city are sucking out our blood and absorbing our energy. Bosses and managers are squeezing us dry by over-loading us with assignments and unachievable targets.
Children robbed of a childhood are seen marching towards tution classes, with sleepy eyes and hungry faces. Minutes, hours, days, weeks and months fly away. The sun hides behind a thin layer of clouds. White and blue clouds sail from the east to the west, as if in a marathon. Sea waves breaking and dashing on the sea shore are glimmering like pearls.
Restless race
Unfortunately, in our world there is nothing apart from the four walls, piles of files, money, cheques, promotions and assignments. We are still in a restless race. Arn’t you tired? No. We are not tired. It is because we are already used to this restless lifestyle. Are we born to run? This question always perplexed me.
I am at a loss to understand whether we are born only to earn money. We should have enough time for ourselves apart from our career life. You wish to go on a trip with your loved ones, singing songs, drumming and munching bites, don’t you ? You like to watch your favourite movie with your sweet-heart comfortably, don’t you?
Even though you have sky-high hopes and dreams, you have failed to achieve them. You are still sighing at the foot of your mountain of dreams.
Time for your life
Needless to say that in the English language both ‘I’ and ‘You’ are not singular pronouns. It is because around you and I there is a bigger world. Unfortunately, forgetting our own world, we are struggling to quench our ceaseless thirst for money.
True that we have to perform our duties, leaving no room for complaints because we get paid. However, we should not forget that our dreams and sky-high hopes also have an ‘expiry date’. When I was schooling, I wanted a toy Knight Rider car. As far as I can remember, at that time I was in Grade 8. I have picked quarrels with my siblings to convince my father to buy that car for me.
But now, I do not ask for toys and have another dream to realize. Indeed, our wishes and dreams do not last months and years. Our loved ones, including our pets, do not stay with us forever. Hence, never be late to allocate at least five minutes for yourself and your loved ones. If not, you will have to shed tears forever.