Grow Daily

Soon, not very soon, I will turn 40. Not days but years away yet but it will happen before I even realise that it has happened. Some, or lets say most, of my friends are in the same zone i.e most of us are hitting this age number in quick succession. Consequently, we do see a change in our conversations too.

1. Earlier, it was around ideas to build something and now it is around ideas to make investments.

2. Earlier, the conversations used to be around next movie to watch, now it is more about holiday destinations

3. Earlier we used to speak about the Maska Bun or special omelette that one needs to surely eat, now it is more about latest brand of scotch or wine that one has recently tried

4. Earlier it was more about waiting and dating. Now it is more about groceries and schools

I guess this list can be endless.

The growingly demanding work life is exciting but sets a fear of not payjng enough attention to one’s health. I do find some of my friends seeking some medical advice or some neighbor sharing stories of how a middle aged friend or colleague of theirs is facing a medical condition.

The inherent negativity in Indian society only adds fuel to the fire.

The mindset that has built around this age number based stereotyping in the Indian society, makes life much easier for the marketers.

So while I am going through this phasenof my life, I ran into this advertisement in a leading newspaper.

While with noble intention, it is interesting to see Prosman wants people above 40 to age healthily.

This is a very contrarian advertisement in my view. It suddenly made me think that I am getting old and the first thing to do is to go through each and every medical condition that has been written in this ad and make sure I strike them off. Prosman marketing team has got the trick right. Everytime, anyone will ask me if I am aging. My mind will recall Prosman.

What is interesting though, in the same edition though there was a full half-pager about people who are timeless and ageless and are actively working on their passion like all the past years. They covered the following people –

1. Vaijyanthi Mala – The famous actress from yesteryears known for her beauty and her Bharatnatyam skills. She still stage shows, at 83.

2. Ram Jethmalani – The formidable ace lawyer who has served more than 50 years on the lawyers’s bar itself.

3. Ruskin Bond – The famous novelist whose novellas still take to a differrnt world of earthy fantasy.

4. Mr. Soota from Mindtree – The guy who founded a successful startup at the age of 57. Thats right!

Very inspiring stories of all these people that they continue to do the same work with same intensity even though they are on the other side of age.

I wonder what they would have thought when they were at my age. I surely want to learn more about Mr. Soota’s mind.

Clearly, one can turn the tide at anytime and at any age. Lets #killstereotyping