Growing Up

While surfing a quotations website I am reminded of my childhood . I come from a remote village of Punjab, Pakistan. I remember when I was studying in primary school, every evening after diner, which we use to take just after sunset, we would gather around granny (Nani)on her bed and ask her to narrate a story, a bedtime story. She would advice us to sit quite, clear her throat and narrate us a story, a story with some moral, some piece of advice.

 One day once the stage was set and we were waiting for her to start a new story she said today I have no story to narrate and instead will give you some food for thought and then she started.

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. Growing old is mandatory. You know with every passing moment you grow old. Growing old is beyond your control. Everyone, every living creator grows older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. If you are thirteen years old and lie in bed idle for one full year and don't do anything productive, you will turn fourteen years old by the end of the year.

Growing up is optional. It's you to decide whether you want to grow up or remain childish. Growing up is an attitude. If you are lively, think positive, have tolerance, don't get fussy on small things, have dreams; it means you are growing up. The indicators of growing up are; you remain positive ie. Stay happy, react according to situation ie. Smile when it is needed and laugh when required, have a dream.

We were stun, listening to Nani holding our breathes, trying to understand what Nani was saying. She continued, when you lose your dreams, you die. There are so many people around us who are dead but they don't even know it.

Remember live a lively life. Don't be a dead person. You keep growing old but alongside strive to grow up as well. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity, if you don't find create one, have no regrets, keep rolling. We do not stop dreaming because we are old; we grow old because we stop dreaming.

Nani was silent, and a pin drop silence was visible even in the dim rays of lantern lighting up the surroundings. The rays of hope, the light of life.