Our world

There goes 2024 too, since it will soon be October!!

Was going through my blog and realized that I have posted at least once each year since the start of this blog. I do not want to break at least this.

Wars are rumbling around, and the world seems to not have changed an iota even after technology advanced. Imagine if all this tech is used only to give ease and happiness to humans instead of death and destruction? Is the dream of life beyond this world stopping many to give up on this world? Are you sure you can enjoy the next one (if there is one) if you have not been able to do so out here? 

This is our world. This is where we have to love ourselves and ours. No one else shall do it for us.

Anyway, as I was wondering how this world is going to be, came across this article which looked interesting. 

Happy birthday, baby! What the future holds for those born today

An intelligent digital agent could be a companion for life—and other predictions for the next 125 years.

By 

• Kara Platoniarchive page 

•  

What the future holds for those born today | MIT Technology Review

But then if you want to imagine a more promising and exciting world: 

What might the world look like in 2050?

So, in 30 years time, what kind of world might we be living in?

Right now, inventors and entrepreneurs at Imperial College London are developing world-changing ideas that could transform our relationship with the planet. For over ten years, the Grantham Institute has supported students, researchers, business and startups to transform bright ideas into useable products that both create prosperity and help tackle climate change. Here is our vision, inspired by their work, for a cleaner, greener, fairer future for us all.

The World in 2050 - Imperial Tech Foresight

 

August 15, 2024

Milestones

Our life is measured by milestones and the majority of us cannot escape it's hold on us. When we are born, our parents count the milestones. Our first word, first steps, and it goes on until one is put in school. And from there, we take over the counting. As children, all we ever wanted to do want was play. I can still remember the excitement and the anticipation that one had when the time came to play. In those days it used to be any game and mostly outside. And then we ourselves started to give more importance to the milestones and forgot to enjoy the journey itself.

One such milestone happened in my life too; our daughter's marriage. Only when the time started to plan the wedding ceremony did it dawn upon me that she will soon leave to start her own family. Yes... I panicked and lost sleep too. I wanted to have more of her in the short that time that one had which was impossible. 

I try telling others to enjoy the time when they have their baby or when they are going to school. But then there is no use, since all are counting milestones and only a few are lucky to enjoy all the lovely moments in between.

Letting go

My mind is foggy these days. It takes a long time to recall names of places and people. Maybe I should blame it on Covid or vaccines? There are so many blame games going on these days and it is hard to catch up with it all. And even if you catch up with it, the next one comes up. Is the world spinning faster for the young too or just for folks like me?

It is going to be one year since my Mother left this world and this can definitely be blamed upon Covid. Now she smiles at me from my bedside table, silent as always. When I lose sleep some days, I make her take trips with me as a child. They say you grow up finally when you lose your mother. Am not sure though. But she can still bring tears to my eyes like a child. Maybe out of regret. For all the times that one never had with her, thinking that she is going to be in this world forever. How stupid we are!!

But death is inevitable and one should not dwell upon it since this world is spinning fast. You keep listening to people asking you to grab each day and enjoy each moment. Do you? I try to. 

They say the trauma of death brings the rest closer to each other. I believed too, until I realized that some things can never be changed. It is best to accept and let go. 

Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than hanging on. – Eckhart Tolle

Memories

Realized it is more than a year since I wrote on these pages. Twitter stopped me from writing and now Netflix from reading. Yes.. silly justifications. But we are all human and prone to temptations and the real reason I am on these pages is something different. I forgot our wedding anniversary and realized that my mind is full and needs to be emptied.

There are two Asha's in my college whatsapp group and when I saw the anniversary wishes I assumed it was for the other but then remembered that the other Asha celebrated hers only recently. That is when I saw my name written. How did I forget?

My mind is preoccupied with various issues beyond my control. Daughter out of Covid infection but still showing some after effects. A visa which ought to have arrived earlier. A pain in the leg which refuses to leave my better half. 

Last night my mind freed itself and went on a trip elsewhere for a short while. My first visit to Kodaikanal was during my school days and with the local Lions Club members. A bus was hired and we had a lovely trip. I still remember stopping for lunch, the roads to Kodai that had a stretch of tamarind trees. Our stay was in a bungalow belonging to one of the members or their relative. It was way up on the hills and had a good view. We visited almost all the touristic spots and Kodai was a beauty those days. Suicide point, Coaker's walk and many others. Maybe one reason I remember this trip more is because my mother asked us children to write down about the trip. Probably my first travel memoir. 

My next trip to Kerala now has one more task. To find out the journal which has recorded our travel memories. Need to take a copy of all that is left of those wonderful childhood memories. 

It is a different world out there now with the internet and the facility to visit any part of the world without even moving an inch. For that matter, now everything is being done without leaving your chair. My son plays with the same ardor but only inside, with all his gadgets. I remember how he used to skip even his lunch to play with his friends while in school. All those lovingly packed lunch would be returned until I was forced to forgo it altogether. My daughter attends her classes while in her bed. Can hear the teachers with different accents giving the lectures. I engage in silly debates from people sitting God knows where, without ever leaving my chair.

Yes.. it is different world out there and sometimes we get lost.

My Mother..

 Today it is my mother's birthday... She is not her old self due to ill health and seldom speaks. She has always been an avid reader and this is the only habit which she has retained. Am sure it is reading which still keeps her alive... a few words to my dearest mother...

Happy birthday dearest...

Hope you remember the good old times you created for each one of us...

Hope you remember the time you spent teaching us not just from the books but to preserve our integrity no matter what...

Hope you remember that it is you who taught us to have faith but without it's trappings.

Hope you remember that it is you who taught us to love the elderly since you dropped everything to run and look after your parents...

Hope you remember that it is you who taught us to love without all the show...

Hope you remember that it is you who taught us to love books and to read....

May God give you many more years...