Few years
back, when I voluntarily quit corporate life, little did I realize that I will
be leaving behind a much bigger part of my life along with that decision.
Business life is always demanding. Among many others, one thing they demand is
how you carry yourself. Fundamental rule says you should dress like a business
man. And this is possible only when you have an adequate wardrobe.
Over the
years I had taken care of this need by expanding my wardrobe carefully. I had
my collection of suits, matching ties, shoes for various occasion, assortment
of watches, range of perfumes and many other paraphernalia like wallets, belts
tiepins and cufflinks.
Interestingly,
after a couple of months of my retirement I realized that most of these stuffs
have become obsolete. Apart from the few occasions on which I used suit, ties
and shoes, they remained unused most of the times. Whenever I open my wardrobe,
there they are, occupying a major portion of the wardrobe, reminding me of an
eventful past. I had retained most of them thinking I could pass on a few to my
son.
My decision
to quit was not a sudden one. I had thought about it carefully and had ticked
almost all possible boxes. Still, I confess, I never thought what will happen
to these materials, which once embellished my life. Though I still leave a
considerable part of my wardrobe for them, they are neglected. Once they were
an integral part of my life. I could not have stepped out of my house ignoring
them. However, today they have all become insignificant in my life as my
present engagement does not need them.
As you decide to play different roles in life,
you leave some of your old baggage behind. While things like suit, tie, shoes
etc were inevitable, there were smaller materials like cufflinks, tie pins and so
on which were avoidable. Still, they were bought because it was those small
things which made me complete. Suit and tie were good enough. But it was that
cufflink which added to the handsomeness. Though trivial, that is what made the
picture complete. Those trifles added a lot of value.
Every time
I open my wardrobe the hanging suits remind me about my past and present. They
hang, like a border, between my past and present.
When my son
turned an adult, I tried to coax and cajole him to use some of them. But for
him those where far outdated. Still, I could force him to use my leather shoes,
which was one of my prized possessions.
Last week,
my son bought his new suit home. He needed one for his graduation ceremony.
While at the shop, when the master was taking his measurements, I nostalgically
thought of the first suit I stitched, which is still hanging in my cupboard.
They took me back to some of those enriching days of my life. Not that I love
the present life less.
As my son
was trying his new suit, I understood there are few things which you cannot
pass on to them. Those which are yours are only yours. When they grow up, they
chose their path and along with it even the wardrobe.
Nevertheless,
I felt happy when he came and enquired about the cufflinks. He needed them. I started
searching for it and they were missing. I was very organized in my corporate
life and knew where I had kept my things. Suddenly, I realized few things were
missing. Son was bored by the search and soon left. They need instant
gratification. But I could not leave them just like that. I ransacked the whole
cupboard but could not place them. Then I remembered that it was kept it in my expensive
shaving kit, which I had given to my son. They were still there but were faded
due to long neglect. Of course, they have lost their shine and sheen. However,
when I polished them a bit, the gleam and luster came back.
It made me
think. The new role which I chose in life has made many things irrelevant. Like
those cufflinks, I must have misplaced few things, though apparently
insignificant now, which once added lot of value to my life. While preserving
what I felt may be useful, I would have pushed some stuffs to the unknown
corner. And in that process, I have forgotten that without those trifles, life
will never be complete. It is high time I searched and found them back.
