The Camera

The Camera is old. It is as old as me if not older. The outer black vinyl cover is worn. It is tattered with a few rust spots here & there. The hinges creak and it is cumbersome. No ones want it because it is old, ugly & heavy. Newer, sleeker, compact models with well balanced , smooth round edges, high performance, all rounder, packed with an array of advance user friendly features have replaced this camera. It outlived it usefulness because it is not a high performance camera and cannot accommodate a wide range of shooting and playback requirements. In the heyday, the camera was the top of the range and cream of the crop. Once treasured, handled with love, care and pride, and after each outing, it is cleaned, polished with loving hands and carefully stored away, now laid rejected.

The camera sits in the corner of the shelf neglected and sad. Shall I discard it? But each time I look at it, it brings back fond memories. Memories of laughter, joy & happiness. Smiling faces, crying faces, sad and happy faces I see. People I loved and cherished lives in me. The camera has been to many more places than me. It has flown in plane, travelled in cars, buses & trains. Each memory it captures is handled with calculated precision, careful planning and composition, and tender loving hands. Every shot it records is counted, not wasted and is entrenched with memories.

It is Dad’s camera and it will continue to sit in the corner of the shelf as a reminder. A reminder, we, too, gets old. As we get older, will we outlive our usefulness? Will we be loved or be discarded?

"My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it".