New Year Resolution

Everyone looks forward to the New Year’s Eve party.

I don’t.

Ask me why.

Because my family believes in the ritual of the New Year's Resolution!

This year, I equipped myself with a good many reasons to NOT make a resolution.

But everything failed last night.

My children and the extended family visited us to celebrate the New Year’s Eve party at home.

As all sat down with the desserts, there were still 30 minutes to usher in the new year.

‘Aunty, what is your resolution for 2023?’ my son-in-law (SIL) asked.

‘Shouldn’t we give up this ritual? It is an archaic tradition from the Babylon era. Why are we stretching it into this 21st century?’ I responded promptly from my prepared note.

‘Mumma, you always believed in following traditions as they had some scientific reasons in them. So, please tell us your resolution,’ Beti interrupted.

‘I checked with Google Bhaiyya. Statistics say that 90% of the resolutions are broken in the first month itself. Hardly 9% of the people who have religiously followed their resolutions have succeeded in their mission,’ I quoted, proud of my research.

‘So, I am not following a tradition which is not worth the trouble.’ I declared.

But who listens to me?

‘Come on Dear. Get into the spirit of the New year party. Chill with children,’ Hubby dear added.

‘Let me start. I will be a Cool Guy. I will not worry unnecessarily about politics, the economy, the global scenario, and our children. Just eat, drink and be merry,’ hubby dear announced, pulling up the collar of his T-shirt.

‘Then you will only worry about your wife?’ SIL quipped. 

‘Uncle, that is a 24/7 job!’

‘My wife is an expert in worrying for me about her by me,’ Hubby dear replied.

As no one understood the prepositions used in that sentence, SIL steered his attention to his mother-in-law.

‘Yes, Aunty, your turn,’ he prompted.

‘I will write,’ I said, choosing a safe option.

‘Mumma must make a new resolution. You have been writing for so many years, so what is new about it?’ Beti retorted.

‘Why don’t you resolve to be more active physically? I mean, yoga, walking, exercises,’ she suggested.

Grabbing the opportunity, I said, ‘yes, for the past month, every evening your dad and I go to the garden and walk on the track.’

‘We started with 5 rounds and will gradually increase it to 10 rounds. Now we are doing 9 rounds,’ I said.

‘Wow! That’s great!’ Beti gushed. ‘That’s a good amount of physical activity.’

‘What good? The only organ having a good exercise is her tongue!’ Hubby dear intercepted.

I tried to nudge him, but he deliberately moved to the other corner of the room to give a detailed explanation.

He began.......

‘She is right, I am doing 9 rounds,’ he said with stress on ‘I.”

‘Let me explain what happened two days back during our walking exercise.’

‘We start our rounds every day, walking side by side with no conversation’

‘In the first round, she is busy saying Hi to friends, and namaste to her friend’s husbands and his friends. Or she darts into the garden to help a child who has fallen in the sand and pulls up the maids who are busy gossiping and not paying attention to their wards’

‘What do you expect me to do? Ignore a child getting hurt or an indifferent, lazy maid?’ I shot back, but all were listening attentively to Hubby dear and didn’t hear me.

‘As we start the second round, she walks quietly with her head down,’ hubby continued.

I asked,’ Are you upset, my dear? You are so quiet.’

‘I am thinking of a plot for my next story,’ she said.

Not wanting to disturb her thought process, I walked along.

Pensive, she walked about 2-3 steps behind me.

After walking half a round, I turned to speak to her.

She was missing!

I looked back.

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She was not there. I walked ahead briskly, thinking maybe I did not notice her overtaking me. But she was nowhere to be seen.

‘Where has she disappeared? Is she unwell and resting on a bench?’ I wondered, scanning around the garden and the benches to see if she had sat down to take a breather.

Many of the ladies on the benches gave me a queer look at why this old man was peering at them. I must clarify that I don’t wear my spectacles while walking, so I cannot see clearly.

After about 10 minutes, I heard her calling out to me.

‘Why are you walking in the grass? I am waiting here.’ she said.

Reaching her, I asked, ‘Where did you disappear? I was searching for you everywhere.’

‘Do you see that boy on the swing? He is my friend’s grandson. You remember, the last Navratri, I went to haldi -kumkum function at my friend’s house. He had also come there with his mother. He recited some shlokas so beautifully.’

‘If he is your friend’s grandson, he stays there. So why will he come there for Navratri? I just don’t understand you,’ I spoke in anger.

‘Arre, this boy is my Bhajan group’s friend’s grandson. And we went to another friend’s home for haldi-kumkum. You don’t hear me fully and blame me,’ she retorted.

‘OK! OK, but why did you disappear now?’ I asked.

‘His mother is a senior teacher at ABC school. You know that is the best school in our locality and it will be great if our granddaughter gets admission to that school.’.

‘My dear wife. Our grandchild is just one-year-old, so there is a lot of time to worry about her admission. Second, how does your talk with that boy help?’ Hubby dear asked, perplexed.

‘You don’t understand. This is called forward thinking. I will explain…’ she began.

‘Whatever! I don’t want to hear. Let us continue with our walk. Searching for you, I have completed 4 rounds,’ I said.

In the fifth round, she says, ’I am racking my brains to find a thrilling plot. Can you give me some suggestions? Bullet points will do. I will expand it.'

‘I am proud of my wife and wanted to suggest a thrilling plot that will win her a prize.’ He continued.

I kept walking and thinking of a storyline that is unique and thrilling.

‘With this, I complete 7 rounds. Should we do one more?’ I asked to find her missing again.'She must be chatting with some friend, so let me complete my target and go home,’ I decided in irritation.

‘Here I am.’ the familiar voice called out as I reached the exit gate. ‘We have completed a week of 8 rounds, so from tomorrow, we can do 9 rounds,’ she said breezily, walking towards home. ‘

There was an uneasy silence as Hubby dear ended his speech.

‘Can’t allow Hubby Dear to have the last word on the last day of the year,’ I decided.

‘Why does one make a new year’s resolution?’ I asked and continued without waiting for a response.

‘These are means to correct one’s bad habits and for self-improvement.’

‘At my age, habits can neither deteriorate any further nor there is any scope for improvement!’ I declared with a dash of grandiose.

‘So, I plan to stay the same, garrulous, chirpy, happy-go-lucky old model.’ I concluded.

‘Just take care of yourself and avoid accidents because spare parts of old models like you are not available,’ Hubby dear quipped.

On cue, the countdown began on TV.

10…9….8….7….6….5….4….3….2….1…

Happy New Year!

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Remember this Mantra:

Time has no holiday, and life does not have a pause button......

Throw away the sad wrinkles

Remember memories with twinkles.

 And, Live & Love Life fully!

Wishing All my Friends and Readers a Happy 2023!