Life has become ...... strange

Life has become ..... strange.
An unusual title to start writing upon but it is true. Life has been changing over the years from childhood to schooldays to college days to working life and it will change further.
I have been thinking a lot about the past and thought of giving words to them. I don't know if I will be able to pen them down but I will try.

The typical life these days have become something like getting up in the morning at around 6:30 AM, getting ready for office and going to office. You reach office around 9 AM and you are there till 6:30 PM ( some days you have to stay late to finish work). You reach home, have tea, watch TV and then go to sleep after having dinner. The time spend with family is very less and with friends is even lesser. An occasional call with friends, a few forwards and a very rare meeting is all we do.
Lets move back a few years in life - aha those college days.................. they are just unforgettable. That was the time when we were in a different world altogether. Spending the day in college attending classes, playing or doing lab work everything was fun. And when at home phone was always engaged - talking to friends about the day and then planning for next day. We just couldn't get enough of each other. Copying practical files, preparing for exams and making assignments nothing was done without the help of others.
Going back a few more years - takes us to school. Attending classes was compulsory and being disciplined was expected. Homeworks, unit tests and annual exams kept us busy. But we always waited for the games periods and weekends. At home doing homework under the guidance of our parents, finishing homework just in time to go out to play with friends for the evening session, the fight over every ball bowled in cricket, the joy of winning & the anger of losing, further studies and watching TV with family everything is etched in memory. Going for picnics/outings with parents and sister were eagerly waited for. Waiting for the summer break when either we went to meet our cousins or they came to visit us was fun and the summer vacation was even more wonderful.
Staying with the memories is pretty difficult as we suddenly come to the present. No summer vacations; speaking with cousins on phone once in a month or two is what remains. Waiting for the weekend just to spend the day sleeping. Guests are more of a nuisance then welcome. Get together with friends are eagerly planned but canceled at last moment - and even if you manage to go there the turnout is very less.

There was a time when you never thought twice before calling a friend and now you have to think many times before calling someone; and even when you do call someone there is hardly anything to talk about while earlier you didn't need topics to talk and still ended up talking for hours.
One call was enough for the entire group of friends to assemble at one place and start playing but now repeated calls can't make everyone turn up; and those who do turn up don't feel like playing but would like sitting in AC.
You would just mention that you need some help and everyone was there and now you need to repeatedly remind people and still they forget.
There were days when Kurkure and 7up was party and today proper seating and AC are necessities. There were days when sun never existed for us and now sun seems like a heater. Those were days when going anywhere was not a problem when we were together but now there has to be proper planning to decide how shall we go.

Sometimes I wish those days are back but it seems unlikely. People are busy with targets and deadlines more than anything. Future is something that is eating up everyone's time. Somewhere in a corner of everyone's heart is the desire to relive those old days but no one has time to address the concern. And in future people will become even more busy. With friends moving to achieve their goals there is no time left for old pals except in memories.

I just hope to spend some more days like the old golden days...............