From Moments To Memories

That day, the kid told me, "I have finally cut my nails! What a relief!" I suddenly realized that I could not remember when was the last time I cut his nails.

I smiled wistfully, thinking about his younger days when I would cut his nails. If it pained him, I would exaggeratedly groan and tilt my head, saying, "God is pulling my ear because I hurt you!" This always made him laugh and helped to divert his attention from the dreadful nail-cutter.

Recently I read The Book Of Ichigo Ichie by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles. Ichigo Ichie roughly translates to, What we are experiencing right now will never happen again. And this makes the current moment precious, since there is no chance that we will experience the same again. I feel nothing brings in the realization of Ichigo Ichie as parenthood does, as we see all the small moments of joy and wonder slip away at alarming speeds.

Every day I deliver lunch to the kid in the afternoon as his school is just a kilometer away from my home. Usually I would put on headphones and listen to a song while delivering the lunch. But that day when he started cutting his nails himself, I left the headphones at home and went to deliver the lunch, all the while soaking in the aura of the school. The excited chatter of the kids, the teachers' commanding tones, the joy of the kids as they played on the ground during PT - someday all these would become treasured memories. I want to soak in these moments so that I can return to them years later.

For now, these are the moments I get to live, and as Ichigo Ichie reminds me, I intend to live them to the fullest before they turn into memories.

 

A Special Walk On A Special Night!

Once I have my dinner, I step out of my home every night and walk across the floor where my flat is situated. 

I have come to realize that every walk has a different aura.

In the morning, when I go to the temple, that walk feels fresh, active and lively. In the evening, when I walk in the park, that walk is more health-conscious as I clock-in the time I started the walk and ensure that I walk for at least 30 minutes.

But this walk - the one after dinner - that is immensely relaxing. It is a reminder that all the chores of the day have been dealt with. Most of the days the walk is uneventful. I walk for around 15 minutes and then get inside my home all set to do some reading. 

But sometimes, this walk becomes special. Extra-ordinary. Something to write about!

So that night I was walking as usual when a pleasant aroma wafted in the air - the aroma of some delicious food being prepared. I couldn't make out what the dish was, but the aroma was too good. Some spices, ghee and coriander leaves - an utterly delicious combination that you will never go wrong with in any snack. Try as I might, I could not figure from which house the aroma was wafting. I just kept walking, inhaling and wishing someone would offer the dish to me. 

I was still reeling under the sensory attack when sounds of laughter drifted from the house of the caretaker of the building where I live. I could make out that he and his wife were laughing. 

The laughter was infectious and I found myself laughing lightly. It also brought in a certain wistfulness - the ability to be able to laugh this wholeheartedly seems like a lost art to me. But the whole family of the caretaker, while having their own set of troubles,  abounds in one thing - there is plenty of laughter amongst them always. They smile a lot, they celebrate festivals with fervor and they have a very positive aura, no matter whether they are having a good day or a not-so-good one. 

That night, as the sounds of laughter drifted from their family, I smiled and laughed along with them while being on my own. It felt wholesome!

Sometimes it takes a combined sensory attack - on the olfactory and on the ears as well - to feel grateful about the simple pleasures of life - delicious food to eat, a family that laughs with you and the ability to appreciate the simple things in life. 

 

What Is Your Ikigai?

The concept of Ikigai has fascinated me ever since I came across the term for the first time. Ikigai is a Japanese term and refers to the purpose of your life, a reason to wake up, to be precise. 

I have often wondered about what my Ikigai would be. The answer is opening up to me gradually as I go through my daily routines.

At this moment, my Ikigai has come to bare minimum - to live every day fully and to make it all about the journey and not the destination.

There was a time when I wanted to make a difference to the world, to contribute to the society in a good manner. And the only way I knew I could do this was through my writing. But today I am wise enough to know that I myself need help, and unless I am completely sorted, I cannot help anyone else. It was time to find a new Ikigai!

So I choose peace every day, growing through what I go through and most of all, enjoying the journey of life without thinking much about the destination. If asked today about my Ikigai, my answer would be - to lead a contented life.

Because sometimes that is all you can do. You do not need a higher purpose or big dreams; just a small reason to wake up every day is enough.

When I Got A 'Why' To Get Through My 'How'!

As I sat in front of the open laptop another day, and couldn't add anything to the short-story collection that I have been writing since a very long time, I realised that it was time to step back from fiction-writing. It wasn't going any further.

It seemed like my days of writing fictional short stories have come to an end. Why, I couldn't even read fictional stories, leave alone writing one. For a while I made peace with my decision to step back from writing anything.

But that peace didn't last long. It started bothering me, my inability to write. I started feeling restless, like I wasn't doing anything productive. The evenings started chiding me - another day gone without writing anything!? They mocked me.

But then that day I came across a quote - 'If you want to become a writer, write!' It was as simple as that!

Well, not simple, to be honest. It took a lot of reflection to find out what I should write. And then came the idea of blogging, my first tryst with writing.

I am happiest when I blog - not when there are readers, not when there are comments and likes, but when I blog. And just like that, there came the idea of writing non-fictional blogs, for they felt easier to craft.

And thus, Mindful Musings came into existence.

I have always thought that it would be easier to write if we get the answer to the question - Why should you write? And my answer is - because I cannot 'not write'. Being a writer is my identity. It's satisfying to create something, have a creation of my own.

It became easier to get through my 'how' when I found a 'why?'!!