When A Flower Takes You Back In Time!

I am gradually learning that it is the little moments of the day that make it blissful. 

The other day, I stepped out of the house to visit the temple in my colony. I saw my neighbor leisurely plucking flowers from a tree. There was something very calming about the scene - an unhurried human enjoying a moment of calm and peace. 

I was reminded about my childhood vacations. It was simply impossible to sleep in late. Firstly, the flat I lived in was on the ground floor and had a huge verandah which was home to many birds. Secondly, every window of every room was kept wide open so that sunlight simply rushed in with birdsong playing in the background. Thirdly, the days in May used to break out as early as 5.30 am. So, I always used to wake up early. My grandmother would send me off to bring flowers for worship. The building premises had lots of flowering trees. My friends too would join in the adventure, and we would have lots of fun, trying to reach the highest branch and seeing who managed to collect the highest number of flowers. 

Looking back, none of us realized that we weren't just living in the moment but creating precious memories too! My grandmother is long gone now, and the friends are dispersed in different parts of the country. But I think of those days every now and then. 

When I see a blossoming tree.

When I see someone collecting flowers. 

And I like to think that my friends too are doing the same somewhere - finding a way to travel back in time, triggered by a calming moment in the present.

Dear Time, If Only You Could Stop For A While!

The other day, I was at the mall with the kid, shopping for his birthday. We were just strolling by when the kid suddenly said, "In just a few hours I will be officially a teen!"

A cold feeling came over me. 

I wanted time to stop there. Freeze forever. I wanted all the clocks in the world to stop working. 

In a few hours, my kid would no longer be a child. He would become a teen. I did not want his childhood to end.

Through the foggy cold that had enveloped me, I saw all the thresholds that we had crossed together. 

First day of school when I left him crying inside the class. 

First time when he finally went to play on his own, not wanting me to wait and watch out for him.

First time when he went to school on his own while I waved bye to him from my balcony.

I thought about every transition that had happened in all these years. And I realised something.

Every transition has been difficult. But for every transition, I have tons of memories associated with each phase of parenting. And I am grateful for every moment I got to spend with the kid.

There are many thresholds to cross ahead. I know that every crossing will make me look back in nostalgia and yearning for time to stop. But I also know that the only way to deal with the swift passage of time is to move with it. 

So I look back at all the milestones of parenting with nostalgia and gratitude, and I look ahead for all the milestones to come, with hopes, prayers and good vibes. 

When A Small Bulb Made All The Difference!

Some evenings change the course of the whole day. 

My son usually has football coaching on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The timings are from 6 to 7 in the evening. 

That particular evening, I booked an auto ride for my home around 7.15. It was February and the days were still shorter, which meant evenings got dark as soon as 6pm. 

The lane leading to the main road from the turf had minimum lighting and I usually felt quite apprehensive while traveling by the dark road. I would breathe easier only after the auto had reached the main road. 

The ride for that evening arrived and I boarded the auto along with my kid. The moment I stepped inside, the driver switched on a bright bulb that bolstered my spirits. Along with the darkness, my fear too fled away. 

But more importantly, there was deep gratitude. Someone, a stranger of all, took the effort to assure me that I am safe and that I need not fear anything. In a life that is trying and testing me by the minute, this gesture remains a beautiful memory, reminding me of light and goodness that still exists in the world.