The heat is
stifling. I am in India now! Visiting family for a month. Should have expected the heat since I was born here and grew up here. But I had "imagined"
it would be better when I visited this time. Now would be a good time to let
you know I don't have a great imagination. Somehow thought, the weather would be kinder
to me. No luck there! Well, the fix for the stifling heat is a hot cup of tea
and if you're lucky some air conditioning. I say the former with a bit of sarcasm
and the latter with a lot of humility. Not all have air conditioning. That says
a lot about the people who put up with the heat without realizing things could
be better- which brings me to the point of ' when you don't know what you are
missing there is no place for whining'.
Despite the
heat, my kids are champs. They've mastered their bobble heads, reply in
Tamil(my native language),know what TV channels to watch and what foods to ask
for. So observant, so patient. I have loved watching them try new foods and
pick their favorites. I have enjoyed watching them 'namaskar' our relatives
with folded palms. I have relished teaching them to be proud of where they are
from . I have utter joy in seeing them interact with their grandparents and listening
to stories about their mom when she was young(er). Heat or not,
this trip has been beautiful so far. I have loved blending in with my Indian crowd.
Once I slip into my Indian clothes complete with jasmine flowers in my hair, I
am one among the crowd. Yet, I love it when friends recognize me and taunt me
for trying too hard! I love reminiscing old times with my parents, love finding
age old pictures of myself in an album or a piece of paper with my writing on
it.
Life is a strange thing. You yearn for things in your memory all your life and
yet as time passes that same yearning looks onward to the life you need to
return to. It hurts at the prospect of moving on and yet you do, you move on
with your life. The vacation will end, life will start back on. But my memories
will be richer and my life will be fuller. I just know it. But for now, I will
pack my boxes as the trees outside consider the light breeze coming on and
wonder if they should sway or not.
