Tuesday, April 12, 2022

~ Apostle of Simplicity…~

Simplicity has its own power and it truly gives the inner feeling of contentment, In the daily chase of life, when one gets tired under the burden of running around to make ends meet, it is the feeling of let go which makes life simple. Sitting in that moment of solitude I could sense the simple things life had to offer when we were young, there were no big dreams and life’s happiness lay in simple gifts.

Even a Rs 20 haircut was a big happiness moment, I did visit this moment of contentment when I saw that decades old decrepit hair dressing salon open after a long time – passing by, I peeped inside the curtains, as the saloon is a makeshift shanty now and does not have a proper door to save its belongings. Once Inside, I was lost to altogether to another world – a time which I had lived almost two decades back, same old chairs, the rusty look and aura of that place – I was transported back to an era where there was no internet and no mobile phones – Cable Tv was an advent for youth like us – we were surpassing the era of Doordarshan. 

One thing had surely changed – Krishna- that old friend of mine who has been doing hair-cutting since times immemorial. His salt and pepper look was a testimony of time to be carefully looked – for his life and him, time had just stopped in the 90’s. He wore the same style clothes, no dawn of jeans or Tees , but only simple terrycot fabric Shirt and pants, time actually had stood still. I had seen him after a long time and could interpret the Gap between two era’s. His calculated smile and the simplicity of his life and living was so presentable that I could feel the difference in that bygone era.

The best thing about this meeting was ‘Instant recognition’. He even remembered my name and addressed me on the first go – it was a testament of sharpness of his memory – nothing he had forgotten, those talks about cable TV and new movies to be released on Friday – we both started to cherish those eventful days which we had live in our youth – to the merriment of other customers who were in the midst of their shave – I could sense they were living the moment too as their conscious looks could tell.

Soon the talk steered to families and kids – he had gone to his native village for long and had come back just few months back to resume his ‘Business’ – Krishna didn’t want to come back from his place of birth but circumstances just didn’t allow him to settle down midst his close ones. As my turn came to go for the haircut, we chatted as thirsty beings as if we wanted to make up for those lost years – Krishna’s originality and humbleness was his forte, he still stands by the same value system of life, no wonder he has his own struggles to follow but the testament of time tells me he is surely a man of honour and simplified dignity.

As time elapsed, my haircut was done, pleasantries exchanged with enthusiasm we bid goodbye to each other not before promising to meet again in a month’s time, subject to my shabby look – which would certainly urge me to visit Krishna not only for a decent haircut but to meet him and learn the most important technique of today’s living – ‘Simplicity!’…

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