Then & Now

Me and time, both of us have been here for many years. From ‘The Then’ to ‘The Now’, I have seen it all. There’s more left to be seen. After many years, this year I have grown a bit further. Otherwise, the annual trimming makes me wonder who and what else has grown without me. 

From what I see, there’s been a couple of changes.  The occupants on the 3rd floor of the nearby house have vacated. I don’t see the kids anymore who used to extend a stick all the way up from there to play with my leaves during the rains. Every Sunday, their father visited me. He used to cut one of my leaves for their feast at home. It was painful to see a part of me go away, but it also gave me joy as I, too, could be a part of their celebration in a way. 

I don’t hear the big announcements on the microphone at the nearby field where a fair used to be held almost every month. A new high-rise hotel has come up in its place instead. Now, the only thing I can hear is the constant buzzing of the air conditioners. Sometimes, an occasional sound of loud music, cheers of celebrations, fills up the air with a festive euphoria. I now follow the day and night. I fill up my soul with everything that’s happening around me. I look at the sky to wonder that from up there, it must have been watching me and the world all this time. So, let’s keep going together to see where everything and everyone goes.