Morning newspaper

Having a nice hot cup of tea is my morning ritual. Today, just like all other days, while sipping my much loved tea I was catching up on local and international news. Almost by the end of it, I suddenly remembered those years when I was in college. Back then, holding the ‘Indian Express’ in one hand and skillfully holding my tea cup in the other, how eagerly I read the second page.

It was the ‘Days astrology’. Aaah!! The follies I’ve indulged in were far too many at that age. Those four lines were my thoughts for the day. I treated them like my lifeline - every emotion, good, bad, ugly, came along. I remember the days when something coincidentally occurred or a secret wish of mine was predicted in the future. It was pure joy!! It had it all. Don’t recall a moment where I paused to think who wrote it. The truth was not even a far-fetched thought then.

Then, quickly, I would flip too almost to the end where the world news would be featured. What a delight it was to know the major events that were carefully filtered and featured. It was always in a square, a mere 4 to 5 brief notes. This, for me, was a sneak peek into a world I thought I’d never get to see.

I had a particular spot where I read the newspaper every day and also at pretty much the same time. Looking back now, I may be older by age, a lot wiser and more mature. But thinking back makes me long for those days when it was all so simple and beautiful.

Miss the old-time charm, it doesn’t seem too bad now to be wooed by words and astrologically driven. What’s life if not for a little bit of madness?
The world news too seemed so much better than what I read now.

You can argue that I can still subscribe for a physical copy and read them now too. But it’ll never give me the same feeling.

Those were some days of our lives!!