Sometimes nostalgia strikes and we remember the times when we flipped pages of a real book. We remember those sweet kisses on paper that could only be sent through a letter box. We miss getting blank calls and not knowing who the admirer is. We think about the last time we printed pictures and placed them in a photo album. We hum ek titli anek titlian and instantly remember Doordarshan schedule as if memorized by heart!
But that’s as good as it gets, in nostalgia. Would I want to go back to those times? Not at all. I remember spending Rs. 4.5 for a 1 minute STD call from a PCO and it blew my meager pocket money in minutes. It created such a distance between people. The smell of cards and letters aside, there was nothing good about not having webcams, skype and smartphones that could store locked videos!
I take so many videos of my niece and nephew which they would definitely relish when they grow up. All I have from my childhood is an audio tape which doesn’t even work properly. Pictures are okay, nobody needs pictures of how I looked every second of every day! But videos, I definitely wish I had a few.
Yesterday I was reading a book on iPad. I suddenly discovered that with the help of an application I can just point at a word and it would display its meaning. Remember underlying/jotting down words and never looking them up? This was like a dream come true. So now I can read a book, play ludo/scrabble/chess, take pictures, make free calls, etc etc etc from just one device.
Sigh. Where was technology when I had Rs. 500 as pocket money and wanted to make loads of long distance calls?????
i kinda miss the old days..there was an innocence in that romance... waiting to see the girl the next day rather than the instant sms.. writing letters as opposed to emails... knowing numbers byheart.. I guess it was just a better memory for me..
ReplyDeleteand ya, pocket getting blown with std calls as well as opposed to 1p/sec today
I would go for the old days.. The excitement of waiting,and receiving those letters. Emails and skype are shrinking the world.The smell and touch of a new book, those days had a romantic feeling to it.
ReplyDeleteMiss those days :-)
I know what you mean. I thrive on nostalgia and I haven't taken to technology too well.
ReplyDelete@Roshan: Maybe romance has been lost with age. we cant blame technology entirely. i feel equally happy reading the old emails and letters. Nothing can replace real presence of a person, so waiting to meet will always be as romantic!
ReplyDelete@Yosha: We can write letters even today, but we don't. Being romantic is in your hands! I feel we are more connected now than ever before and this is just because of technology.
Even books weren't easily available. Now with kindle life is easier.
@Pepper: I loved the old days just as much I love it now :)
I do miss the old days but like u said...i wudnt like to go back in time for the innumerable number of reasons!! :) Nice read.
ReplyDeleteYeah the old times rocked!
ReplyDelete@Ria: I wouldn't give it up either!
ReplyDelete@DIC: Yeah they rocked alright, but I'm better off now :)
Such innocence makes me envious. Clearly, no such thing exists in my rotten generation. I'M SO JEALOUS!!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those moments when I can feel really old and say stuff like, "Gah! Kids of today have it so easy. In my time..."
ReplyDelete