It mends with us: Swipe right on yourself
Hindustan Times Bengaluru|December 29, 2024
It struck me, as I sat down to write this, that I talk quite a lot about how we should love each other.
Charles Assisi

have a confession to make: Every December, I catch myself wondering if I've done enough to learn, grow, love. This year, the questions hit me harder than usual. Perhaps because, in late-middle-age, life seems more finite and, in some strange way, more profound.

I am coming to terms with some things I really can't afford to ignore any more. I share them here so that perhaps you can too.

The inevitable orphanhood We don't like to admit it, but parents will age. Children will soon enough not need us like they used to. In my case, Dad died a few years ago. Now, between the teenage kids and an ageing Mum, I live in a world that is a daily reminder of how fleeting life is.

It's a matter of time before home is just my wife and me. And then one of us will depart. One can see this as morbid, or as a call to invest in the people we love, so that when orphanhood arrives, we will not have ended up marooned. It is true that none of us is indispensable, but it is also true that we need each other more than we will often admit.

Money can buy freedom The Indian middle-class is so increasingly wealthy that we've built up a lot of strange arguments and philosophies around money: how we collect it, spend it, display it; how much we'll admit we care about it.

The truth is, in our world, there is nothing that can get one out of a tight spot quite as easily. So my advice is, always have some "f***-you" money set aside, to get yourself out of a demeaning job or a toxic situation, or otherwise be your own rescuer. Simply put: Save. Not for the bigger house or oversized ego, but for peace of mind.

In late-middle-age, I am beginning to appreciate how money also allows one that ultimate luxury: the freedom to choose how one spends one's finite time on this planet.

This story is from the December 29, 2024 edition of Hindustan Times Bengaluru.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the December 29, 2024 edition of Hindustan Times Bengaluru.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM HINDUSTAN TIMES BENGALURUView All
Hindustan Times Bengaluru

No luck with dating? Relationship coach shares tips on how to find the ideal relationship in 2025

Dating can sometimes feel exasperating, with frequent dead ends. Many matches seem stuck at the talking stage, and sometimes they end abruptly when the red flags trigger an 'ick'. But all hope is not lost. It's a new year, a fresh start, and the perfect time to change your game plan to reel in the best fish in the sea. With the right approach, dating life won't be so sullen in 2025.

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Hindustan Times Bengaluru

Nature is pure magic, and I feel incomplete without my camera

Raveena Tandon's passion for photography is rooted in her love for wildlife. She explains, \"It began with childhood jungle trips, but it was my first safari in Africa in 2002 that truly sparked my interest.\"

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Hindustan Times Bengaluru

Abhishek Banerjee: 2025 will be about experimenting, evolving

After a stellar 2024, marked by two major highlights - Stree 2, raking in impressive numbers, and Vedaa garnering him widespread praise - actor Abhishek Banerjee is focused on experimenting in 2025.

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Hindustan Times Bengaluru

Nicki Minaj Hit with Lawsuit Over Alleged Backstage Assault

Rapper Nicki Minaj is facing a lawsuit from her former manager, Brandon Garrett, who claims she physically attacked him backstage during a Detroit concert in April 2024.

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Hindustan Times Bengaluru

Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light longlisted for three BAFTA Awards

Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light has been longlisted for three prestigious BAFTA awards: Best Director, Original Screenplay and Best Film Not in the English Language.

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Hindustan Times Bengaluru

Abhi-Ash vacation together, put divorce rumours to rest

The better part of 2024 had fans speculating over the divorce of actors Abhishek Bachchan (48) and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (51).

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Hindustan Times Bengaluru

Fulton focuses on World Cup qualification

Craig Fulton had a short chat with Graham Reid before taking his seat in an empty Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here to watch Delhi SG Pipers' practice in the morning.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 05, 2025
Hindustan Times Bengaluru

Haaland Doubles Up in Man City Stroll as Chelsea Draws at Palace

Erling Haaland scored twice as Man City pummelled West Ham 4-1 in the Premier League while in-form Newcastle inflicted another painful defeat on Ange Postecoglou's struggling Tottenham.

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Hindustan Times Bengaluru

Saikia, Bhatia Set to Become BCCI Secretary and Treasurer

Devajit Saikia and Prabhtej Singh Bhatia filed nominations for the posts of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary and treasurer respectively and are set to be elected unopposed in the Special General Meeting to be held in Mumbai on January 12.

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Hindustan Times Bengaluru

Shooters suffer due to faulty equipment at Karni Singh range

Shooters are paying the price for faulty equipment at the Capital's Karni Singh range where the National Championships are being held.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 05, 2025