Random Ramblings Continued…
I went to church last Sunday.
Nothing unusual, but something was different. Returning to the church I grew up in—after a couple of decades—I learnt a few things about myself. The melodious music (a couple of English hymns too), the challenging message (delivered by a young woman—it was a special Sunday), the meaningful liturgy (if listened to well), and 2 hours and 45 minutes of mostly standing.
A large number of worshippers seemed deeply engaged in everything (at least that’s what I sensed)… except me.
My soul was wandering, my mind distracted and scattered, my back aching, and my hand itching to pull out the mobile to check WhatsApp now and then. (No one else had their mobiles out! Everyone had liturgy books with them.)
A couple of decades ago, when I used to attend the same church, I remember being more fully “present there.”
Aging and being away seem to have contributed to a few changes: inattentive and unfocused soul, distracted mind, and weak back muscles. Yes—body, mind, and soul seem to have gotten used to shorter services, relaxed sitting positions, short attention spans, and frequent escapes into the virtual world!
I wonder—is it only me? It looked as if so.
Patterns of sustained behaviour reinforce and strengthen pathways through neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the brain's remarkable ability to change and adapt throughout life by forming new connections and pathways in response to experiences, learning, and even injury. It's the capacity of neural networks to reorganize and grow in response to external stimuli and internal processes. This adaptability allows the brain to rewire itself, enabling learning, memory, and recovery from damage.
I blame it on technology. It tricked me into new behaviour patterns. ☹ But then…
Is this a season to unlearn and relearn?
I attended a funeral last week.
An elderly relative, whom I had met off and on. But I never really knew what he had done, or who he was in his profession. I knew he was in the Air Force. Only because I had never listened to his story. ☹I was busy with my own life, sharing my life with them!
But the funeral was an eye-opener.
A senior Air Force officer, retired over 25 years ago. The Air Force team came to provide respectful last rites—from the Air Force! They shared about his influence on them.
Then came the stories of local impact—of how he simply stayed and was present in the community after decades of national service. That was very moving and encouraging.
I was reminded—this is the story of our nation.
Across the country, there are approximately 26,789 deaths reported per day, which translates to about 9.5 million deaths annually. So many such stories—known and unknown, remembered and forgotten. People who, in their own way, contributed to nation-building or community-building.
There will be more such funerals I might attend in the coming days, because I live in a cross-generational community today. I often shift the blame of my inability to listen to the busyness of life and work. But then…
Is this a reminder to hear and listen more intentionally?
We went to a restaurant.
A traditional local cuisine. We wanted to take a non-local family friend to enjoy the local dishes. And there was the ‘b***’, ‘f***’ and ‘c******’ in various forms. Hardly any greens at that place.
Being a confirmed non-vegetarian for the last few decades - and a lover of ‘b***’ and ‘f***’—I didn’t miss much!
But then, every house we visited had greens and vegetables growing. And every home offered vegetable dishes in all shapes and colours, with coconut added in. And it had a taste that was mouth-watering - even for a confirmed non-vegetarian.
I started wondering: how many years have I wasted not enjoying the varieties of cuisine I once refused to try? It would have been healthier, cheaper, and more palatable. I didn’t know this then.
But then, both the non-veg and veg meals cost almost the same—one full meal around ₹100–₹120. I blame it on that! When you get food at this cost, why not go for the exotic? But then…
Is this a season to retrain my palate?
Why am I writing these disjointed, confusing thoughts?
Just to reinforce the reality: No age, no season is too late to unlearn and relearn, to listen and to be present and train and retrain.
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