US Visit and Some Risk factors
Posted : January 22, 2005 at 6:10 am [IST]
Unless the American Embassy invents some unique reason for not granting visa after the interview on the 24 th January, the visit to US seems certain. I am excited as well as fearful too for many things. For the first time after the childhood days, I shall not be on my own.
With old age, we have gone more fragile as well as sentimental. We have become more susceptible to get mentally hurt easily. And without our intentions, our statements may also hurt others.
I know we must change. We must keep our mouth shut as far as possible. We must develop the habit of listening without cutting someone short, when he is talking. As a habit, it has gone so much in that it will be quite difficult to remove. That will mean a lot of training and a lot of self restraint. Is it possible at this stage?
Basically words as written are not the best way of communication once you utter them. Your decibels and your facial impressions may cause the damage, if the receiver intends to do that for his defence. He can very easily become offensive and turn the table on you. All my difference with Yamuna is for this reason. She reads my face and particularly eyes. Moreover, you may be a very effective communicator, but unless the receiver does not intend to receive your version in the way you want him to, you just can’t help it.
And then we are to be careful about the American mannerism. We can’t have freely our demon like laughter. It may not even be liked by tender Keshav. We must learn to control our decibels of speech. The quicker we do, the better it will be.
Unfortunately over the years we never had to face any dissent, as there was no one but the two of us in the family. And then the big house with number of rooms also provides natural shields. I keep on moving from the bedroom to drawing room to library room or to computer room freely. I love my world of books and magazines and sometimes live with my old papers and diaries.
I shall have to find someone like my friend here (Mr. Singh), who is a poet himself with a huge memory chip with poems from olden days. He keeps on visiting me to make me hear and appreciate his poetry. I am sure it will be difficult to find one like him. However, if the nature is kind, you can have some poet and painter in that. Perhaps that was the source of the total Vedic verses.
Our next concern is about deteriorated repaired heart that requires regular morning walk, some medicines and strict control on diet. I am sure there will be plenty of nice parks with walking track or empty footpath for a long 5km walk. But I should not get complacent or lazy in presence of younger generation. As I understand, with rain California becomes very cold. Will it be too much to dissuade me from my regular morning walk? Again the lure of nice food from the prospective guests must not tempt me to forget my restrictions to keep cholesterol under control. Perhaps the best thing for me will be to live on fruits and boiled vegetables. But how difficult it is to control temptation with so many things available and that also at others’ cost!
I am sure my hosts will take care of me and bear with me and my weaknesses.
- Indra
Category: Religious/Social issues |
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