There’s a saying in Hindi which loosely translates into “no one receives their due before it is due”
As I padded my way to the coffee machine the alarm went off. I needed to be down stairs with the boys in 5 minutes. Knocking back a shot of espresso I rushed out of the house. Downstairs I saw the boys walking swiftly doing laps of the building while waiting for me to join in. As I joined we headed out for the 5km run-walk. 30 minutes and we were back at the badminton courts. One of the older members of the group commented “you walk very slow Imtiaz”. I was kind of thrown off guard and retorted, yeah that’s why I prefer running instead of walking. That was a time when I used to run around 16km every day, but yes I did walk slow. I have not run 16Km in over 2years now, not even 5km. I just do walks now.
We moved houses and I lost touch with the group of friends with whom I used to go out every morning 5AM. Now I walk on the jogging track opposite our house or at other places with my kids. A couple of days back the elder one started running and I was expected to give chase and defeat her. It was a difficult job she runs fast. And suddenly just like that it clicked. Why did I walk slow all along, not because I have short legs, certainly not. I remember walking with my own father when I was smaller and he used to walk very fast, I always managed to keep pace. I had forgotten how to walk fast and now used to walk slow to keep pace with someone with shorter legs. Someone who was just starting out with walking. Someone who’s now grown almost as tall as me (well almost) and now runs so fast that I actually need to make an effort to keep pace. I walked slow with that kid for so long that I forgot how to walk fast. However now I know that is all going to change.
In a way my daughters are bringing me up rather than the other way round. But then again this is the way families should all grow up, organically, isn’t it.