The good 'ol days

When gulli-danda and kanche (marbles) were more popular than
cricket ...
When we always had friends to play aais-paais (I Spy),
chhepan-chhepai and pitthoo anytime ...
When we desperately waited for 'yeh jo hai jindagi'

When Chitrahaar, Vikram-Baitaal, Dada Daadi ki kahaniyaan were so fulfilling ...

When there was just one TV in every five houses and

When Bisleris were not sold in the trains and we were worrying if Papas will get back into the train in time or not

when they were getting down at stations to fillup the water bottle ...

When we were going to bed by 9.00pm sharp except forthe 'yeh jo hai jindagi' day ...

When Holis & Diwalis meant mostly hand-made pakwaans andsweets and moms seeking our help while preparing them

When Maths teachers were not worried of our Mummys and Papas while slapping/beating us ...

When we were exchanging comics and stamps andchacha-chaudaris and billus were our heroes ...

When we were in nanihaals every summer and lovedflying kites and plucking and eating unripe mangoesand leechis ...

When one movie every Sunday evening on television was more than asked for and 'ek do teen chaar' and'Rajni' inspired us ...

When 50 paisa meant at least 10 toffees ...

When left over pages of the last years notebooks were used for rough work or even fair work ...

When 'Chelpark' and 'Natraaj' were encouraged against'Reynolds and family' ...

When the first rain meant getting drenched and playing in water and mud and making 'kaagaj ki kishtis' ...

When there were no phones to tell friends that we will be at their homes at six in the evening ...

When our parents always had 15 paise blue colored 'antardesis' and 5 paise machli wale stamps at home

When we remembered tens of jokes and were not finding'ice-cream and papa' type jokes foolish enough to stop us from laughing ...

When we were not seeing patakhes on Diwalis andgulaals on Holis as air and noise polluting orallergic agents ...the list can be endless ...
On a serious note I would like to summarise with ...

When we were using our hearts more than our brains,even for scientifically brainy activities like'thinking' and 'deciding' ...

When we were crying and laughing more often, moreopenly and more sincerily ...

When we were enjoying our present more than worryingabout our future ...

When being emotional was not synonymous to being weak

When sharing worries and happinesses didnt meangetting vulnerable to the listener ...

When blacks and whites were the favourite colors instead of greys ...

When journeys also were important and not just thedestinations ...

When life was a passenger's sleeper giving enough time and opportunity to enjoy the sceneries from its open and transparent glass windows instead of somesuperfast's second A/C with its curtained, closed and dark windows ...