I visited Green Park last evening. A medium sized park, close to my home. Lush greenery can be seen in and around the park. I saw Gulmohor trees in full bloom, branches laden with fresh green leaves, red flowers and ripe red berries. The Gulmohor paves the ground with their bright red petals, which seem to have, a short lived life, of their own. There are other green shrubs, bushes and yes some big trees as well. Fully grown palms with big leaves making an effort to sway in the light evening breeze. A couple of overgrown banyan trees sending their branches high into the sky and their new roots into the ground make for a very arresting sight. At the height of summer, small berry like fruits drop to make the ground slippery. Huge overgrown rubber plants (trees really) dot one end of the park. Many of the trees are shedding their leaves to welcome the monsoon rains – just a few days away. And the shrubs sprouting new leaves, in many myriad shades of green – I didn’t know that green could have so many shades.
As I sit on the stone bench, I watch life in the park. On the walkway I see people in various dresses walking briskly. I observe an elderly lady of about 60, looking younger than her age, dressed smartly, walking briskly along and conversing animatedly with her friend on the track. Dressed in a bright orange dress, a young girl, with her personal music station glued to her ears, is ambling merrily along, oblivious to the world. Her only job seems to be walking while listening to her music. A portly man comes into view, his body creaking, puffing & pushing to continue walk. It seems that every step he takes, is a Herculean effort and he stops often to catch his breath. And a twenty something girl dressed in a body hugging sleeveless T shirt and shorts runs by, her entire body glistening with beads of sweat reflected in the evening sun. She seems determined to achieve her fitness goal – whatever it may be.
As I sit on the stone bench, I watch life in the park. On the walkway I see people in various dresses walking briskly. I observe an elderly lady of about 60, looking younger than her age, dressed smartly, walking briskly along and conversing animatedly with her friend on the track. Dressed in a bright orange dress, a young girl, with her personal music station glued to her ears, is ambling merrily along, oblivious to the world. Her only job seems to be walking while listening to her music. A portly man comes into view, his body creaking, puffing & pushing to continue walk. It seems that every step he takes, is a Herculean effort and he stops often to catch his breath. And a twenty something girl dressed in a body hugging sleeveless T shirt and shorts runs by, her entire body glistening with beads of sweat reflected in the evening sun. She seems determined to achieve her fitness goal – whatever it may be.
As I sit on the bench, my eyes are attracted to a very obviously pregnant lady getting her evening exercise, for her baby’s benefit. She walks slowly pulling her huge stomach in front of her. She smiles at me as she passes. I feel a bit guilty just sitting on the bench. On the far side I see a contrasting picture. Some children playing in the dirt ,obviously enjoying themselves. Just some distance away a few young men are doing rigorous exercise, pushing themselves to the extreme, I think. I pause, linger on them and admire their commitment and their physique. Will I ever be able to do this, I wonder? And in this contrasting scene another aspect strikes me – neither the children nor the young men are self conscious at all. They seem to inhabiting their own world and enjoying it too.
The sun is setting and this constantly moving changing scene of people at their own pace is a kaleidoscope – constantly moving images in front of my eyes. I make a mental note that, from tomorrow, I will join them, in their quest for the proverbial perfectly fit body. As I get up to leave, the pregnant lady comes into view once
again and as she approaches me, she heads to my bench, and asks “why aren’t you walking today”? I grin sheepishly at her and mumble saying I’m going to start from tomorrow. She laughs, heartily showing a perfect set of pearly whites, and in sing song voice says “you know, tomorrow never comes!”
I bend my head and make my way homeward.
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