Life Is So Fast

“OMG, it’s 5:00 am. I couldn’t get a proper night’s sleep even. But, I have to be quick; today I will take at least two rounds of the whole track.” My day always starts with jogging; it makes me feel more energetic and active throughout the day.

“It’s 6:30 am, I have to finish it fast, I have to reach home on time. “

“Kids are still sleeping, where is Madhu? Wake up children. Don’t you have school today? Hurry up. You’re already late, “ waking kids up is a super frustrating task to do.

I found Madhu already in the kitchen preparing breakfast and lunch.

Quickly, I made them ready, and Madhu packed their lunch boxes, and water bottles. It had been a daily routine now; we always had to hurry up the things, as we didn’t get enough time to act at our own pace.

I drove the kids off to the school; the school is nearby, so it doesn’t take much time, hardly 20 minutes to return back. I came back just to realize that I was also getting late for my office. Madhu asked me to have breakfast, which she herself was not eating due to lack of time. I was not having enough time too, so we decided once again to skip it and started getting ready for office. As usual, we reached office late, even after driving so fast.

 

While working on a critical project, I desperately needed a cup of tea. I asked my colleague Girish. He agreed to have a quick cup of tea.

“You can’t skip lunch, that’s important. Come fast, we all have a lot of work to do.“ Girish and Venkat were at my desk to take me along for lunch. I accompanied then and we quickly finished lunch and came back to our places.

I didn’t realize, it’s 5:00 pm, people started leaving for home.

“But I have to finish this off. Let me quickly do it.”

I finished the main activity and then called it a day.

“Now, I have to be fast, otherwise, there will be huge traffic on the road. And it will take me one whole hour to cover a distance of 7 km.

Eventually, I reached home at 7:00 pm.

Kids came running to me happily, and my son told me that he was waiting for me to help him in making a science working model on the respiratory system.

I was really tired, but he had to take this model the next day only, so I started guiding him. I tried to be quick, told him, how to start. But he needed my help every single minute. In the meantime, my daughter came to me for some suggestions on her bookmark making competition. Now, it was too much for me. I was getting irritated. Why do I need to do all these things? Madhu comes back at least an hour earlier. Why couldn’t she help the children?

Though I understand that she teaches kids regularly, and helps with the homework, but these projects, models ... these are all my responsibility. Irritated, I called her aloud “Madhu”.

She came with sweat on her forehead and hands filled with sticky wheat dough “Tell me fast, why are you staring at me, I don’t have this much time, tell me, what do you want, tea? Dinner will take some time to be ready.”

I couldn’t say anything to her. I had got my answer.

Quickly, I suggested some ideas to my daughter. By the time, both the kids were done with their work, dinner was ready. We all had dinner together.

“Brush your teeth, before sleeping. “ Madhu was checking their diaries and arranging their uniforms for the next day.

“Hurry up kids, go to bed fast. You have to get up early tomorrow; otherwise you will be late again.” And I went for a short walk downstairs.

By the time, I came back, Madhu had already made the kids sleep. It was 10 pm. Now, I wanted to relax for some time. I turned on the TV and grabbed the newspaper. It was a hard day for me, I didn’t get time to read the newspaper.

“The pressure cooker didn’t work today, I think, its whistle needs to be replaced. Also, the chimney is making much noise nowadays, it needs servicing. Servicing is due for RO too,” realizing that I am in a relaxed mood now, Madhu started with her to-do list, which she wanted me to implement, but I managed to ignore her.

So much I do, still so much to do, and yet every work seems pending. In such a fast life I hardly get time to relax. In order to relax, I have to cut down on sleep.

I last checked the time, when it was 11:30 pm. When I dozed off to sleep, I didn’t realize. And the alarm at 5:00 am woke me up. I have to take at least two rounds today, I need to be fast.