My Possessions

Thoughts ceased to be random long back. Now they are triggered by the day to day events. A message shared by an old pal last evening is the current trigger. 

The message listed those twenty things that people who grew up during 70-90s in middle class families would cherish and identify with. The Phantom & Mandrake comics, the Bellbottoms, Camlin geometry boxes, the HMT wrist watches, the 36-exposure film roll, Abba & Boney M et al.

No sooner did I receive the message I went on a mission to search my prized possession, the hand wound HMT watch with date named ‘Tareeq’ (Pictured above), my father’s gift on securing ‘First class’ in 10^th Standard.  Lo! Here it is in one of those boxes on the attic.  Surprisingly it still works! Shows time same as my Smart watch!

Those were the small possessions we had at a time when we didn’t even 'owned' the houses where we lived. Seldom were the houses locked and if at all locked for a specific purpose, the key would invariably be available with the neighbour. The houses were small but not the homes and hearts. 

We even had a cat at home. A pet that we never owned. It used to frequent us for the regular doze of milk. The children in the family were no different. No one ‘owned’ us. The neighbourhood was our playground and we used to have food from any home whenever we felt hungry.

Times have changed. Now a days we always look at this world from our own perspective. Our lifestyle, possessions, habits are a by-product of how we perceive this world. Nothing wrong in having a perspective but problems arise when it contradicts the nature’s perspective. 

The cities we built, our houses and apartments, the malls and vistas and the residences that we own now are built with scarce regard for the nature. We even have pets, fat and plump in our 400+ Square feet condominiums well fed on the best packaged nutritious foods available. We fail to accept the fact that the ‘Bird’ never appreciates a cage though made of gold.

The prevailing lock down has in fact incarcerated us. Our collective efforts are unsuccessful in fighting a particle a few nano-meters in size.  All our possessions lay abandoned not even able to abate the hunger of fellow humans. All over the world, the inhabitants of this nature (minus humans) are enjoying our possessions. 

I am awakened by the chirping of birds, the murder of crows who congregate in the garden downstairs in an unpolluted, noiseless serene environment at a time when we are forced to follow social distancing. They are probably reclaiming their lost habitat long expropriated by the human race.

An old mechanical wrist watch is materially nothing in comparison to our expensive possessions of today.

Thank you, dear Sunil, for the thought-provoking message. Who wants to be identified with their possessions!

 I would prefer people identify me based on how I relate with this world I live in.