Skip to main content

You die once, but you live every single day

 I was at Panera Bread, waiting for my takeout sandwich and quietly observing the crowd. The place was full on a Friday evening. Except for one or two, all the tables were occupied. 

My eyes fell on a lone elderly woman having her dinner over a salad and a sandwich at a nearby table. She watched something on her phone as she ate, and laughed quietly. She appeared to be around 75. Her hair and nails were done. She had delicate gold-rimmed glasses on, three bracelets and two rings on her right hand, and a watch on the other. She wore a full-sleeve white top with a thick gold chain and a pendant hanging just below the neckline. She was well put together. 

The woman, in her autumn years, was all by herself on an October weekend eve. Yet, she looked happy and completely unbothered by the reality that she was eating alone in a bustling restaurant where most guests had come with friends or family. Some people don’t stop living until it’s truly time to say goodbye. 

এদেশের বয়স্ক মানুষদের দেখে আমি অনেক ইন্সপায়ার্ড বোধ করি। কারো কারো ফ্যাশন সেন্স তো দারুণ। কাপড়, জুতা, ব্যাগ, গয়না কী সুন্দর পরিবেশ এবং বয়সের সাথে মানানসই এবং পরিপাটি! আমি মাঝেমাঝে গিয়ে কথা বলি, সুন্দর কোনো কমপ্লিমেন্ট দিই। 

আমার মনে হয় জীবন এমনই হওয়া উচিত। প্রতিটি দিনই বাঁচা উচিত। মরার আগে বারবার মরে যাবার মানে নেই।

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Why teaching kids about money is more important than ever

  Growing up in the '80s and '90s, we never discussed money at home. My parents never discussed it with us, so I never knew how much a kilogram of rice or a dozen eggs cost. I also did not know how much we paid for rent or utility bills. I did not know how much our family earned and how much we spent each month. Of course, we do not want to sit with our children with a spreadsheet and give them a headache, but it is important to discuss money management with children as they get older. This knowledge will help them make more informed financial decisions as adults.  The Daily Star link Discussing money is often considered taboo, not only in Bangladesh but also in many other parts of the world. However, financial literacy is crucial to our financial well-being, which is closely linked to our physical and psychological well-being. I have seen people, friends, and family make poor financial decisions and sink into debt. I have seen how credit cards resulted in excessive spending a...

The first snow of the season

 

The meaning of patriotism

  What does patriotism or  deshprem  mean to you? To me, patriotism means love and devotion to my motherland. However, my love for my land is not blind or unconditional; it can question and point out flaws when necessary. I believe that patriotism does not mean unquestioningly supporting what one’s country does. Instead, it means taking a critical stance for national betterment. A nation that does not or cannot question is associated with authoritarianism or the suppression of dissent.  Patriotism manifests in various forms. We commonly associate patriotism with military service, as those who serve in the armed forces are ever-ready to sacrifice their lives for the nation. Patriotism is also closely linked to politics and politicians. However, ordinary people can be equally or almost equally patriotic, too; we witnessed ordinary people’s patriotic spirit during our nine-month-long Liberation War. Similarly, the nation witnessed ordinary people’s patriotic expressions...