Playing with Time

It was a fine summer evening. We had just came back home from the park. The little one was so hungry that I had to give in to her demand for cream biscuits.

She sat comfortably in the sofa, with the two biscuits I gave in a bowl, and started working on it. She slowly pulled them open, and licked the cream off. Then she returned them back to me after the cream got over.

“No dear, you need to finish the biscuit too. ”
“But I don’t want it, ma”

“If you want the cream next time, you need to finish the non cream biscuit too”
She started munching on it hesitantly.

I explained to her in an attempt to make her happy.
“You know, When I was younger, I used to do the same. Open them and have the cream and biscuits separately. But I kept the cream for the last bites.”
“Why do you keep it for the last?”
“So that I am left with the sweetness in my mouth..”

She started thinking.
“What if someone takes the cream away from you. Or it falls down. Then you won’t be able to eat it na..
And anyways, if you drink water afterwards, the sweetness will go amma…”.

That was profound.

“Hmm.. Have it your way then, but do finish the biscuits in full. You should not waste food.” I was happy to get the ball back in my court, but the few moments in between kept me thinking.

What about that old saying by Aristotle, “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is always sweet”. Maybe it doesn’t apply to the games played with time, especially in the matters of life…