Over the years, your support has made Women’s Web the leading resource for women in India. Now, it is our turn to ask, how can we make this even more useful for you? Please take our short 5 minute questionnaire – your feedback is important to us!
Human race has evolved for the better but we have somewhere lost the innocence we had, the need to reach out to someone we didn't know.
Coming back from an appointment, my husband and I were discussing the change in the warmth of people. As we were passing by the crowded streets of Bopal, Ahmedabad, I told my husband that we don’t have PCO and STD booths anymore, seems like times have evolved. This comment then opened up a box full of memories we both had of our lovely neighbours while growing up in the 80s and 90s in Kolkata.
We recalled how it used to be so easy to connect with anyone in the building, there was freedom and friendliness. I recalled my days in this humble stand-alone building I spent 10 years in, our neighbours were as good as close relatives. We would share our resources, share our appliances, have joint meals and just walk into each other’s flats and relax. Hardly any “ye tera hai ye mera hai attitude.”
The same way my husband was talking about his neighbours he grew up with, the comfort of relying on a family to help your own in times of need. Even celebrating the smallest of occasions, sharing recipes and so much. A very amicable environment.
Fast forward to the times we are currently living in. We have so much advancement, so much modernity but there are zero human touches. We live in organised complexes with hundreds of families and hardly know a few. Everyone is so engrossed in their smartphones that no one even stops to say hello to their neighbour. We don’t know our neighbours and they don’t know us.
In today’s time and age when everyone has everything almost, it’s hard to imagine we once grew up in an era of borrowing things from others and lending as well. Probably human race has evolved for the better but we have somewhere lost the innocence we had, the need to reach out to someone we don’t know just to say that there is help if they ever need it. The genuine need to acknowledge someone even if your lives are different.
I guess we adults who grew up well before the 2000 millennium hit, miss the community we once knew. I hope we get that back one day.
Image Credits: Pixabey on Pexels
read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
Freelance or full-time, which is a better mode of work for you? Here are the pros and cons, from someone who has been-there-done-that.
For women who are restarting their careers after marriage, motherhood, or any other personal reasons, freelance work is an excellent avenue to consider. I think I’m qualified to make this statement because I’ve been there, done that.
When we had to shift from Chennai to Bangalore because of my personal situation, I was both excited and anxious; excited about the new pastures I was going to explore, and anxious that it should all work out well for us; for me, my husband, and our daughter (5 years old then).
Bangalore welcomed us with open arms and there has been no looking back since. I had just completed a corporate training course a month before moving to Bangalore, and was looking at new opportunities.
Most of us dislike being called aunty because of the problematic meanings attached to it. But isn't it time we accept growing old with grace?
Recently, during one of those deep, thoughtful conversations with my 3 y.o, I ended a sentence with “…like those aunty types.” I quickly clicked my tongue. I changed the topic and did everything in my hands to make her forget those last few words.
I sat down with a cup of coffee and drilled myself about how the phrase ‘aunty-type’ entered my lingo. I have been hearing this word ‘aunty’ a lot these days, because people are addressing me so.
Almost a year ago, I was traveling in a heavily-crowded bus and a college girl asked me “Aunty, can you please hold my bag?” It was the first time and I was first shocked and later offended. Then I thought about why I felt so.