Progression of Age

My bother once commented, when we were young, that I should have been born in the Shakespearean era. I took it as a compliment. People used to say that my mother and me looked like sisters rather than mother and daughter. At that time I didnt think too much about it. Now I wonder whether it was a compliment to my mom's looks or criticism to my appearance. Once a girl called me Aunty at Bombay airport, this was some 10 years ago. Though my husband was amused, I brushed it aside saying it was the married-tag. When we are younger, we tend to take everything at face value. But as we grow older we look for deeper meanings in everything and become more sensitive. Age has never been an issue with me, in the sense I never tried camouflaging it. My friend tried for an year to convince me to colour my hair, and I had been resisting. Always in my peer group, I stood out as looking younger than them, people would always guessed my age five years lesser.

So why these thoughts now, you ask. Well, now that I have decided to do my PhD, I have been interacting with younger crowd. I am used to it since my teaching days, but not as a fellow student. So these students are not sure what to call me and stick to ma'am. I am not complaining there. During admissions time, when I visit the institute, parents assume I am a professor and seek counselling for their wards. I am not against that, either. What set me thinking, was a conversation I had with a fellow student recently. He is in the final year of his MS. He was talking to another student and she wished me. He wondered how I knew her, and on hearing that I didnt, he exclaimed, "Oh! I hope she doesnt think that you are my mother" and he went ahead to clarify this point to her. She said she wished me out of courtesy. I remarked to my friend, "I dont think anyone will think I am your mother, I am not that old." He paused a bit and retorted, "My mom looks younger than you".

That's when it hit me, age has finally caught up with me. I have started looking old. So time to hit gym and beauty parlours!!!!!