The Silence of Shared Serenity : A Walk in the Morning.

I confess, I hate getting up early. But my father insists that I go for a jog or at least a walk, declaring that "morning time is your own, so live it with eyes wide open". On a short trip to Kolkata, before my class 10^th board exams, staying in a new area characterized by wide, empty roads, apartments, and open fields, I was reluctantly pushed out of bed at six on a  winter morning. Grumping, I bundled my hair into a ponytail and went out.

Though I started lazily, I was soon enlivened by the cool morning breeze. The sun was a mellow, warm orange. The wide, empty roads were sparsely populated—a few people jogging or walking, some briskly, others at a leisurely pace. Dogs ambulated or chased each other. Crucially, there was no traffic, no noise, no honking, and no hustling office-goers. It felt as though the Day itself was taking a deep breath before the daily city bustle. 

After walking and jogging about 2km, I reached a wide four-way crossing. This area, part of a beautification project, featured small, raised grass patches with statues built into them. I sat on the edge of one of these green patches, where other people were relaxing, some busy on their phones and others doing breathing exercises. 

It was here that an old couple caught my attention. The old man approached the raised patch, walking slowly with baby steps, dressed in track pants and good sports shoes. He was followed by an old woman, walking slowly, at least 25 to 30 steps behind him. The old woman then reached the patch after the man. She  extended her hand to help him step onto the raised green patch. The two sat down facing the rising sun. 

I watched them for ten minutes, and I noticed they did not exchange a single word. I wondered how two people sitting together for so long could be silent. Was there nothing left to say? Had they quarreled? Or, in old age, after so many years together, do spoken words become redundant? Perhaps, I thought, their understanding had grown so deep that they were completely at peace without the need to speak.

Ultimately, I felt a deep sense of good for the old couple. Sitting together, watching the rising sun serenely in the cool breeze, their companionship spoke volumes without a single word being uttered. Engrossed in these thoughts, I began my walk back to the guesthouse. 

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