'We have lived our life. It's over. It's now your time to live." - a statement the likes of me hear a lot from the older generation (50+) Indians.
Last night over dinner @ Jaimie's Italian, Oxford a fellow Indian student from my class, aged 33, said, "my own life is over. From now on whatever I do would be for the sake of my children (has 1 daughter aged 5)."
I was almost shocked. What would it be next? A 26 year old, parents of a new born repeating this statement?
It made me think. On one hand this degree of a sacrificial mindset is commendable (even though I don't understand it); on the other I wonder, why do people put so much obligatory pressures on the children - a build up of inherent expectations as they get older.
If having a child is not an irreversible, life changing event anyway, why does it have become a life ending scenario? Sure lifestyles will get modified but do parents have to give up all their personal interests, dreams and aspirations to be a parent?
In many parts of the world, people are still working at the age of 60; 30-40 is considered the prime age. How come in this time of cultural influences, changes there seem to be no impact on some things for some people?
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