Growing Up...

Written by, Mrs. Uzma Usmani

Growing up... How things changed!

Every person would agree that whatever they were before isn't the same today. It was just yesterday when we entered the kindergarten-sung rhymes with the teachers with precise action of every word, combed our hairs with tons of oil on it, wore tough sweaters during the winters, and fancy raincoats in the monsoon. Because umbrellas were supposed to be only used by the elders. Then came the fascinating baby umbrellas with ears and cartoon pictures on it. The toughest thing to do was drawing standing and sleeping lines straightly and the biggest achievement was a star and a good remark by the teacher.

Those were the days when we had milk every morning because milk was the healthiest thing. Being on time for the school was the biggest task; polished shoes, oiled hair, nails cut, laces tied, completed and checked books, being polite, punctual, and kind was the definition of discipline. Coming to the secondary classes it was cool to roam with collars high, grown nails, chatting with teachers, and good friends with the local mafia of the school.

Parties were only when you gave extra chocolates to close friends on birthdays, had ice cream on the last day of school, a snack party by the school, or getting snack items with the contributed amount. If you owned a cellphone in school time you were the boss because you would call everyone else on their landlines. Hanging out meant playing various outdoor games, meetings to plan for cultural activities or group projects with best friends. Love meant only eye contact during classes, holding hands on picnics, talking for a while during lunch breaks, or going back home together.

It was all so simple!

After growing up you surely become independent, but the innocence of childhood is lost somewhere. In this adult world, you have either super healthy food just because your gym trainer has provided you with a chart or super junk food as you are always roaming around. Good handwriting has been replaced by good typing speed. Achievements are appreciated and celebrated but are not satisfying. Discipline has faded away as you want to live life on your terms may it be right or wrong. Parties define your level of success. Owning a cellphone or a vehicle of your earnings also doesn't make you feel content because you are worried about the other luxuries that you further want. Hanging out is all about clicking pictures and social media show off. Digital relationships are the new normal. There is hardly any pure bond.

Whatever you dreamed as a child you already have maximum things; may it be riding a bike, having a personal high featured electronic gadget, meeting friends whenever you want, staying away from home, not being answerable to every other person about your activities. I guess for all of us even staying up late and watching Netflix was a fantasy. We have all these things in our life but still not happy and are busy chasing other stuff.

It's good if a person thinks and plans about the future yet it's really bad if a person keeps on worrying about the future. Never let the child within you die. Live in the moment. Because you always studied a day before the exam and not the whole year. And everyone would agree that last moment preparations are the best!

Don't let things change so much that you need to trouble and transform yourself daily.