A memoir of good old days

    03-Oct-2020
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Dr Ranbir Laishram
Sitting alone in a pensive mood,
I saw the neighbour’s kids in the balcony,
Giggling and playing.
In a flash, I walked down
The memory lane of my childhood days.
Life was slow then.
Serene beauty of nature untouched,
The open spaces and the greeneries,
Pure and pious it was.

We wandered and played with our siblings and friends
In the limitless open fields.
Fought with each other, sometimes.
No grudge, no reprisal.
The story teller, our grandma,
Instilled her knowledge and life skills.
Her folk tales still fresh in my mind.

We enjoyed the beauty of sunsrise and sunset.
Clear night sky with the twinkling stars
And the refreshing morn with birds chirping on the horizon.
Ponds and rivers,
Their water, fresh and clear,
The ritual of catching fish every holiday,
A joy with no boundaries.

Walked miles to school and back,
All books and notebooks
In God's gifted hands,
Having a school bag,
A treasure back then,
Only pencils and ink pen.
We respected our teachers like our parents.
Discipline was tight.
A smack for any wrong doing.
We didn't raise any voice.

The forgotten good old days,
Resurfaced vividly in my mind.
Those were the days
We closely hold in our hearts.
Oh! I wish I were a child again.