AFVOA Newletter August 2020

Section 5 - Memoirs CV 2 No. 02 / 2020 Page 79 of 237 a vivid orange or glorious sunsets when the skies were tinged with beautiful pinks! and above all a sense of great serenity and tranquillity! 'Time', we had in plenty, to pursue our interests; Reading/TV, discussions on the News/politics etc. at the Club House (Second Innings as it was called), occupied the less religiously inclined! Chanting/ Prayers/ Poojas took hold of the devout. Meal times spent in great camaraderie, exchange of pleasantries, enquiries about health! In fact, it was easy to share our physical ailments as most fell into the same age bracket so there was deep understanding of physical limitations. Hiring a driver and a maid helped us immensely as we could easily run up to the city! Of course with the Services background it was easy for us to mingle with the local Retired Service Officers' community at the town so it was a monthly meet with brother officers and spouses that helped in the spirit de corps! As a Mah-jong addict I too had a comfy foursome at the Club in the city, many so afternoons were spent in a beautiful way! Women in the community banded together in a Ladies club that took over the organization of cultural events for the community: through Moonlight dinners/ dances/Sports festival for staff/ Onam and Navratri Raas and Dandiya; Skits and plays/ Monthly Tombola and parlour games. Adopted the local village school and tried to motivate the youngsters with cultural competitions/ prizes for scholastic endeavour; I could run a free Homeo clinic for the poor, in the local bazaar half a Km. away; Nearby OLD AGE Home for destitute was another avenue to help out! We had the luxury of weekly Ayurvedic Massages, by trained masseuse too. Life was full; it had a meaning through SEVA. There was a sense of fulfilment. We women often hired the Van or car pooled, for our jolly visits to the Mall where a movie was always on the cards, plus a bite in a fancy restaurant to avoid monotony There were visits abroad to look up the youngsters of the family; In fact one third of the community was always visiting a son / daughter in distant USA, UK. Canada, Australia, Singapore etc. Then there were visits by the children too. Surprising us on Birthdays/ Anniversaries! The body needs met we had time to ruminate upon our good fortune, feel blessed and happy in the environment, strongly in favour of the older generation! There is NO NEED to feel sorry for a Retirement community! They are great social 'Back up'; for, today the younger generation is really on a fast-moving roller coaster with stressful, competitive lives, constantly travelling from continent to continent! Retirement Communities do not give you a sense of being abandoned! There is so much togetherness that one’s presence/ absence is immediately noticed and enquired into! Festivals, Celebrations are all participated with gusto and Cheer. It is one's Attitude, one's spirit of Tolerance and Accommodation, one's Acceptance that makes one Happy in any environment!