Young at Heart

Rashida Abdulhusein

 

Sometimes we come across people who are very bubbly, always smile, make others laugh, are able to joke easily about things or about themselves, and can easily make friends with young and not-so-young.  In some cases, these people are like that by nature and in others, they are trying not to show the hard times and the sadness in their lives.  So that is how they cover up what they do not want the rest of the world to see! 

When I was two, my mother was recalled by the Maker. He must have needed young angels! My bhuva/phuppo, looked after me till the age of 6.  Then my father got married again, and I went to live with my parents.  I have siblings and I helped to bring them up.  My father was very strict about one thing: must stand first or second in class, or else cannot go anywhere during school holidays. 

After high school, I started working, bumped into a very handsome gentleman, got tired of playing hide and seek, so we got married. I have been blessed with a pretty princess and a handsome hunk for children.  Life was not a bed of roses, but I learnt to adjust, like most of us do. After ten and half years of married life, when my daughter was eight and my son was four, this time He decided He needed some men to help Him and so that was almost the end of life for me!!  That was 28 years ago!!! 

All I can say that from the time I was 2, God Almighty made me a promise.  A promise that He has kept till today.  And that is, that He has always been by my side, come rain or shine; whether I noticed or did not notice, whether I felt I was all alone, or surrounded by friends and family; whether I complained “WHY ME”? or just wept quietly because nobody cared anymore.  I was the pet of all my teachers, in grade school as well as in high school.  One thing that is different about me is that I can joke about almost anything, and that has become my habit.  It is second nature to me.  Sometimes I don’t intend to, but still out of force of habit, just comment however I wish, to the extent that I have joked around with senior bosses and even in one instant, a priest!! All are good jokes of course, and one boss said he liked the fact that I had humour, ‘dry humour’ he called it. 

My friends vary in age from 3 yrs to 90 yrs, ( !! ) and many times I have been told I sure am YOUNG AT HEART.  I suppose I AM.  When people learnt how the wheels of my life had turned, how there was more cloudy days than sunshine in my life, they asked how I managed to keep a smiling face ALL THE TIME. I always say God has given me the ability to do so.  However, one day I put on my thinking cap and wondered, Is There Something Wrong With Me?  The answer is NO!  Its pretty simple, and all ye great scholars who are reading this must have figured it out already, but all the same, here is my answer Vaishali…… 

Throughout life, I have missed out on all the good things, the laughter, the happiness, the mischief we do as kids, the fun we have at parties, the little games we play, the list is endless.  At the same time, we all know that there is kid in all of us.  Most people hide that kid, or put him away in a corner, because it does not look good or is not appropriate now that we are grown up, to show or act anything other than our chronological age.  In my case, I felt, albeit unknowingly, what the heck! I will do as I please! As long as I am not being rude or out of etiquette. And that has helped me to keep my sanity.  Those who know me, know what I mean.  So, dear friends, I hope you will excuse me if I joke with you and make you laugh, because That’s just the Way I Am!