NYAC | 3min Read
Published on May 25, 2026
Enjoy the Ride
Enjoy the Ride
Avanti romanticized a life without having to worry about children.
For one, she could retire from her busy job as a professor of Biology. She could spend hours with her husband, and perhaps they could travel more. She could hire a cook and finally forget the diet requirements of her three children. And she did. Nearing 65 years of age, she finally retired. But, to her surprise, the worrying only grew. It had been ten years since fate knocked on her door, and taken all that she loved away.
This, much to her surprise, began with the eldest child moving to the UK for his undergrad.
Soon enough, the other two followed in suit. And when cancer, the world’s most popular antagonist, silently creeped up on her loving husband – she gave up the chase for happiness.
She had no one to love. No one to talk to.
Avanti called her children everyday, and if they did pick up, it was always the same conversation: “I’m fine Ma! Stop worrying.”
Stop worrying? Do they not remember the countless nights where she stayed up just to console them? She was always there – calm, comforting – be it before exams, after nightmares and through toxic friendships.
Yet today, a new kind of motivation found her striding across the streets of Mumbai. A hope – that someone, or something – could benefit from her futile existence.
First stop – Alice’s Bakery.
When the children were small, Avanti would bake them snacks and treats. She loved watching joy spawn under her old, plastic whip. It made her feel good.
She walked into the store.
Weakly upholstered chandeliers swung above her. The AC – coming from god knows where – sent her into an instant fit of sneezes.
“What would you like, Ma’am?.”
An eager salesman caught her off guard.
She quickly began to clarify the intentions behind her visit.
“Good morning – I hope you are well. I saw the little sign you had outside your shop – the baking job – can I please apply for it?”
He smiled, but it was more of a pitiful gaze.
“I’m so sorry Ma’am. We already have a new chef. Would you take a cupcake instead?”
Avanti could not stand his bickering.
Turning sharply on her heel – in a way most impressive and risky for her age – she walked out of the store.
Her next stop was the tailor. A sheet of printer-paper taped to the street-light claimed that he needed assistance. Soon enough, however, she walked back out of the shop as she had evidently missed the “ five years of experience” part of the notice.Avanti stood adjacent to an exhibition. It was small, and quite humble – but it caught her attention. On its front, the words “Map Museum” were smoothly inscribed.
She entered the gallery.
All of a sudden, she was surrounded by maps of all shapes and sizes – maps of the world, maps of India, state maps, political maps, physical maps – every single type of map possible.
One by one, she studied each map. Then and there, in this tiny store in the middle of Mumbai, she finally realized how very big the world is. And how very tiny she was.
It came to her instantly. Like a glimpse of the universe and everything pure and true.
She worked so hard to have a peaceful retirement. Now, she was willing to undo decades of hard work. Just to feel important. Truth be told, we only live because we’re alive. And we’re here by some sort of fluke – so best we don’t make any sense of it. We have so many worries, so many! But when we think of ourselves as just another cluster of cells we remember how insignificant we are. But it’s really a blessing. By being a nobody we can sit back and muse at the wonders of life. We can enjoy the ride.
