Journeys and Jottings
Journeys and Jottings
People Make Places - Issue 23
“Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, on life:
"When you are a young person, you are like a young creek, and you meet many rocks, many obstacles, and difficulties on your way. You hurry to get past these obstacles and get to the ocean.
But as the creek moves down through the fields, it becomes larges and calmer and it can enjoy the reflection of the sky. It's wonderful. You will arrive at the sea anyway so enjoy the journey. Enjoy the sunshine, the sunset, the moon, the birds, the trees, and the many beauties along the way. Taste every moment of your daily life."
Source: Good Citizens: Creating Enlightened Society “
Lounging in a recliner and listening to the sound of the waves hitting the shores of the Kaup beach, I read these lines again and again from James Clear’s newsletter. These words seem to speak to me. I have been inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh and I have read his books and listened to his podcasts and was overwhelmed when he left for his heavenly abode last month. And on a personal note, I have also been down since I lost my mother and have been lost in my own cloud of grief. But when I sat there and read these words and looked upon the waves flowing and ebbing at their own pace, I suddenly felt a weight lift off my shoulders. And that is when I understood the true essence of mindfulness, acceptance, and of letting go.
Hello and Welcome to the 23rd issue of Journeys and Jottings. A few personal jottings in this issue and I have just got back from a journey as well from a lovely little seaside town called Kaup, located near Udupi in Karnataka.
My travel blog turns Sweet Sixteen
February is also special as its Sweet Sixteen for my blog, which was born on February 3, 2005. A lot has changed in the life of the blogger and blogging in the last sixteen years. But it is the blog that has changed my life and made me into a traveller for life when I took a sabbatical from my media career. The early days of blogging were so mindful. It was just me sharing my stories and experiences on this little screen and then being overwhelmed when they connected, touched, and resonated with people around the world - bloggers, storytellers, travellers, and readers. We became a little community, staying in touch, reading each other’s stories, and travelling vicariously through each other’s posts. And those were our highs. Then blogging became professional and took us places but for me, the very essence of blogging lies in storytelling and connecting with people. Hence when I started this newsletter it was all about People Who Make Places for me. And in this issue, we will meet the wonderful Nidhi Chawla and Reshmi Chakraborty, my dear classmate who are the force behind The Silver Talkies.
The Year of the Tiger
Its also the Lunar New Year or what is commonly celebrated as the Chinese New Year in China, Hong Kong, Tibet, Mongolia, South East Asia, and other parts of the world. And it’s the Year of the Tiger, which represents strength. According to the Lunar Calendar, I am a tiger as well, based on the year I was born. This year is referred to as the Water Tiger as each animal sign is connected with one of the Five Elements and the “Water Tiger” appears once in 60 years.
The Lunar New Year is celebrated in Vietnam and it is called TET. The Vietnamese believe that the fortunes of the new year depend on the first visitor who enters the house. Hence no one visits anyone unless they have been invited. The owner usually chooses someone who is of good nature and is upright and honest besides being successful. In fact, the owner leaves the house for a few minutes before midnight on the previous day and enters the house at the stroke of twelve so that no one enters the house without permission. Personally, I just love these little traditions and stories.
I was in Hong Kong a few years ago during the New Year celebrations and I couldn’t get enough of the vibe and the beautiful lit lanterns.
People Make Places
“Working with the older adults, we have been able to create an active and vibrant community of the young at heart and high on spirits people who find comfort and support in each other,” says Nidhi Chawla and Reshmi Chakraborty, cofounders of The Silver Talkies, a digital platform and a virtual club open to the talented, resilient and spirited people above 55 years and has members spread across India and overseas. Their inspiration comes from these highly talented people who haven’t put a full stop to life because of age.
While Nidhi manages the business and the social outreach verticals, Reshmi is the editor of their digital magazine, highlighting skill and initiative in older adults, many of whom she says are “discovering new avenues at a later age.” While Nidhi has years of experience in the financial services sector, Reshmi is a journalist with bylines in both Indian and International media.
“We are an all-women team working to add that extra bit of sunshine to those seemingly grey skies. We have managed a few rainbows too! “ They both dream of creating a society of empowered senior citizens and find ways of enriching their lives. As they say, “ Social connections, interactions, and friendships lead to engagement, essential to an older adult’s emotional well-being and health and we believe we have managed to contribute to that in some way.”
They tell us the story behind Silver Talkies and the inspiring stories of the youthful seniors who bring life into it.
The story behind Silver Talkies
Our story began around the first decade of 2000. We saw our fathers retire and observed the subsequent changes that came with it. While our mothers continued to be homemakers, our fathers found themselves experiencing freedom and relief but also boredom. We noticed a decline in our parents’ well-being due to the lack of productive engagement. We returned empty-handed when we went out looking for opportunities for them and that is when the idea of Silver Talkies came to us.
Our journey began in 2014. We started with a digital magazine and based on requests from seniors who knew of our work, we started doing exclusive events for them. We have grown from 4-5 events a year to almost 10 events a month as well as a mix of classes like Yoga, Tai Chi, Music, and Art. We run the Silver Talkies Club, a virtual club open to all above 55, and have members spread across India and overseas. Our members’ community is a vibrant and active group that has access to activities and interest groups based on their hobbies and likes, like gardening, books, quiz. Events, workshops, and classes are the mainstay of Silver Talkies besides our club. We have been able to build a community and create a sense of belongingness.
People Make Places. Who are some of the most unique fascinating and inspiring people you have met and featured?
Over the years we have met, interacted with, and featured several older adults who have been inspirational and changemakers in their own way. There are artists, travellers, scuba divers, environmentalists, photographers, home chefs, writers, musicians, teachers, bankers among many others who have all broken the stereotypes of age and how we perceive older people. Our focus is to bring out their stories and these untold narratives of senior people in our country. Our digital magazine was the first online magazine for older adults where we put the spotlight exclusively on seniors and topics concerning them.
Some of these are our very own members or people we know in our extended community. Our member Saraswathi Ram, 65, for instance, was one of the first female officers of the Border Security Force, a role she fulfilled with great honour after her husband’s demise on duty. And while she is retired now, you can see her fervour and enthusiasm for living life her own way when we interact with her for our events and activities.
We have also recorded oral histories, especially around Independence Day by speaking to seniors who shared their memories of growing up and living in a very different India from what it is now. We were lucky to have featured HS Doreswamy, the 101-year-old freedom fighter who passed away last year.
There are many more stories.
A 74 retired physicist, CS Narayanan, the “ Tuition Uncle “ who teaches slum kids near his home and has even helped some of them get through college.
Travellers and cyclists like Hari Baskaran who has pedaled 4000 km on his 70th birthday to spread awareness on old age and care.
A retired banker, Amarendra Kumar Sinha who went back to learning and teaching music.
From well-known celebrities to elders next door we have been fortunate to interact with a diverse group of older adults who are inspirational and are making the most of their senior years and living life on their own terms and to the fullest.
Building a community is our mission.
Social engagement is the base of what we do as we believe it is one of the best forms of preventive healthcare for seniors and we also try to focus on areas like loneliness, mental health, besides bridging the gap between parents and their children. Over the years our community members have told us how we have managed to make their lives busy, occupied, and engaged. They have made new friendships and broken new ground by trying their hand at learning new skills. Being part of a peer group also encourages them to explore new ideas.
Col Samuel Tavamani, one of our members often talks about the difference Silver Talkies has made to his life. When he joined some time back, Col Tavamani, a widower, was a quiet member. Now he is an active participant in most of our events whether playing the mouth organ or sharing his experience. “I had withdrawn into a shell after the sudden death of my wife because of my grief. This club made me come out of a self-imposed exile,” he says now. Like him, there are several other stories.
You can find out more about us on our website and on social media - FaceBook and Instagram and Twitter.
Feedback Please
I do hope that you enjoyed reading this issue. Looking forward to your feedback as always. We are going to keep the flow of conversations going and I would really appreciate it if you will share my newsletter with your friends and family.
See you soon! You can also read my travel stories on my blog and follow me on my social media.
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