Nearing 30: Young or Old

I had heard somewhere that 30 is the new young, though I still have an year to go before I reach 30, but this question intrigues me sometimes. Women look the most beautiful when they are nearing this magic age but then, why do anti-aging creams are advisable at the same age.

Youth is not immortal, it will fade someday, sooner or later. Though we all fight to hold on to it as long as we can.

Last week I went to Pune for official work and I was allotted a shared room in the guest house. As I entered the room, I noticed that a dark slim girl from Mumbai, probably had 1-2 years of experience sharing the room with me.
"Hi", I said casually smiling just to break the ice.
She points a finger at me and says "Fresher?", the tone was totally unacceptable.
I have already been ragged heavily in my engineering, hostels, sharing apartments everywhere. And here I was, 7 years after my engineering facing a similar expression.
I politely replied -"No, 7 years of experience."
She immediately toned down - "Ohh, tumko dekhke lagta nahi hai"
Was I happy? Ohh yes. I was smiling inside, but I wished I looked a bit older otherwise my juniors might never respect me. But at the same time, I wished I had fewer grey hair, I was slimmer, more energetic and the list was endless .

One the contrary, today I went to the market and one guy calls me - "Aunty scooty aage park karo"... I ignored thinking he must be talking to some Aunty, he repeated -
"Aunty... Aunty... scooter aage park karo". I was shocked or hurt or dissapointed whatever, but all my confidence shattered in that one moment. He was not a baby.. he was a 20 something. And I was not wearing a saree, rather was casually dressed.

From Didi to Aunty, it was not a long journey I guess, only a few years had changed my designation. Perhaps it was time to come back to reality, I have lived my youth in all its entirety and enjoyed it too. Perhaps it was time to welcome the onset of middle age. Perhaps bigger responsibilities awaited now rather than painting your nails yellow or wearing pink chinos. Perhaps, it was time.

But then I thought - Why?
Can't you be as young as your heart says you are, as long as you enjoy romantic movies, as long as shopping relieves you of stress, as long as guys ogle at you, as long as necks turn when you leave a party and as long as your smile breaks the ice.

Perhaps it was time to tell that 20 something guy on the street - "Aunty hogi teri maa" :)