I must confess, I did not know Motibhai at all.
Sometime few years ago I was persuaded by a dear friend to go for a singing show and everything was fine, until an seemingly very aged man came on stage and started singing. Sheepingly embarrassed now, at my then behavior, I had found his singing not very likeable and ranted about it to the friend then and again.
Further, I am ashamed to say that now I may have borderline ridiculed it as well. ☹
Later on I heard Motibhai used to even sing with an oxygen pipe strapped & he never gave up on singing on stage, perhaps his first love, his true passion.
This one quote from Harukami always has haunted me “ “Once you pass a certain age, life becomes nothing more than a process of continual loss. Things that are important to your life begin to slip out of your grasp, one after another, like a come losing teeth. And the only things that come to take their place are worthless imitations. Your physical strength, your hopes, your dreams, your ideals, your convictions, all meaning, or then again, the people you love: one by one, they fade away. Some announce their departure before they leave, while others just disappear all of a sudden without warning one day.
Having personally been a passionate basketballer, I can vouch for the veracity for this, You are jumping and running in your peak & slowly and then suddenly you just drop off & then in years & then later days & you realize that you cant play the same way you wanted to.
Is age just a number ?
When you hear about Motibhai, I guess age does not matter to follow your passion & why him alone, Trump got convicted, shot and still became president at 78, Ray Kroc started McDonalds at 52, Federer recently retired after dominating for decades, Lebron is still one of the worlds best players at 40 — closer home, a friend recently became India No 1 ranked in tennis in the Above 40 category & I cannot but admire the dedication and passion that may have taken to be there at that level. Hat Tip.
I guess what someone said is true “We don’t stop dreaming because we grow old, we grow old because we stop dreaming” & as we all grow a little older, my respect for people who follow their dreams and passions unflinchingly without carrying about anyone , especially what the odd screwball (Read ME) in the audience thinks & kudos to all those who encourage these passions to be heard & nurtured.
My apologies and condolences to Motibhai, I appreciate even if late, what you did and why you did. — Travel well sir & may your tribe increase.