You Don’t Stop Playing Because You Get Old, You Get Old Because You Stop Playing

I was down in the t.v lounge of my dad’s office the other day, playing table tennis with my brother, or perhaps ‘ getting a thrashing’ describes the activity more aptly, when two elderly men dressed in white entered the lounge, one was bald with a cap while the other, having a head full of black hair with few strokes of white here and there. They took their places on the seats along the walls, but me and my proud brother offered our places to them on the table, but it turned out so that the other two playing with us, left, and the two elder men took their places. I was actually willing to give up my position because I was sure these two guys would be swinging the bats for the first time in their lives and banging the new table in the process, while killing precious Master Chef episode time as well, but after the first serve I had altered my opinion a bit. Not only was it fast but it even had the essential spin that sends the ball straight into the net when it hits the opponent’s bat.

After having lost the first doubles game, my brother called one of them on (nicely) for a single’s game to face him without me hindering his impeccable game. But to his disappointment the old man still stood undefeated. It wasn’t the first time I had to sit by watching my brother’s game or perhaps even watching him lose(quite seldom) but looking at the way the old man play the way he played was a real treat. The agility with which he reacted and the swiftness with which he moved was remarkable. I could see the same enthusiasm in him as in any teenager, especially when he gave his remarks on the shots played. Cursing at an unforced error and applauding at a nicely timed shot showed that the playful spirit, hard to find in old people these days, had definitely not died in him. It was then that I realised that it’s the idea of being old and weak that prevents people from continuing their sport activities when they hit their mid-forties or fifties. Obviously, there are exceptions but I believe that if people continue with their exercises and sports they can definitely remain fit and healthy, while keeping their sporting spirit alive. So that brings us to the conclusion that you don’t stop playing because you get old, you get old because you stop playing.

A Parent’s Most Valuable Possession

These days most children have both working parents and their lives are full of haste and hurries. They get little to see of their parents, let alone spending much time with them. Parents are providing their children with all the necessities and essentials. They make sure their children are getting quality education, any tuition, if required, soccer practice, piano lessons, basically they are entertaining each and every whim of their children and fulfilling all their needs and wants, but they are keeping their most valuable possession from them, and that is, their time. Without doubt, it is not easy, nor cheap, for parents to provide their children with all these facilities but giving them their time, their most priceless possession for which there is no recompense, is whats most difficult.

Getting them the best education will definitely make them smart but it will not make them the sort of human beings they would want them to become when they grow up. They will lack the essential attributes of any well nurtured child which cannot be attained at any

school or institute, but only at home under the guidance of parents. All the things children learn at home will reflect in their personalities all their life unlike any subject that any school teacher might teach them. No one else in the world will take out the time to tell them about the difficulties they will have to face in life and how they will overcome them, because only someone who really cares for you will tell you these things, and they are your parents. When others will laugh at your mistakes, your parents will be the one to correct you errors because no one is really concerned about you like your parents.

Parents should sit with their children to just talk to them, get to know how the day went and what problems they faced. This will make the family more ‘connected’ and children will keep getting the essential advice required to find their way in the world. Nothing is more valuable for children than their parent’s time, and I suggest that the lucky children with this gift should make good use of it, and learn from their parents as much as they can, while they still have time. I’ d love to hear your opinions and thoughts, looking forward to your comments!