It's time for grey pride

Of late, commuting in local buses, especially Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), has turned out to be a beneficial experience for me, courtesy of my advancing age. As a septuagenarian — and a balding one at that, with grey hairs scattered across my scalp — when I board a bus during peak hours and search for a seat in vain, some kind young person often volunteers to give up their seat, reserved for senior citizens, without my even asking. Sometimes, I’m even offered a regular seat by a benevolent fellow passenger. This welcome gesture is a rare sight, and I’ve seldom witnessed it until now. I’ve had similar experiences in the metro too.

A glance at my aged face and body, perhaps, induces this generosity in them. Even when I’m getting off the bus, someone often carries my bag and helps me disembark without asking. I’m deeply moved by these gestures. Should I thank them or my age for this? Given the choice, I’d choose the former, as ageing is natural and unavoidable, but being courteous and humane towards elders is a rarity worth appreciating.  I beam with pride at being old; it’s an unsolicited bliss.

When alone, my mind dwells on the behavioural duality of people around me. While most of us elders eulogise our younger days, which were indeed memorable, with close proximity to one another and deep emotional bonds, we can’t ignore the welcome attitudes of the present generation either. Just as there are two sides to a coin, the present generation also possesses commendable gestures that need to be recognised.

I personally feel that while our days had positive attitudes such as respecting elders, adhering to traditional customs, and pursuing healthy food habits, the present generation’s think-mode on these virtues has undergone a sea change, thanks to unimaginable technological advancements. Weighing the pros and cons of both, it’s difficult to favour either. It’s up to us to pick and choose the good and ignore the bad.

Let’s not think that the present generation has drifted away from our culture, but rather see it as their way of looking at things. Throw off ambivalence and don’t be derisive. To conclude, I offer a sincere, unsolicited advice to people of my age: don’t hide your age, let that grey shine. I mean behave your age, for, it showers many uncalled for benefits at all places you venture into. Choice is yours.