Living abroad...
I have been living abroad for a few years now. And there are many things I miss about India - my family, friends, work place, concerts, temples, festivals, various events in the family etc.
But what I subtly miss are the myriad ways of sharing and support, people being there for you in both good and bad times, appreciation and celebrating, correcting and criticizing. There is this chronic unease, gnawing of the heart, not too painful but definitely there; of missing something intangible!
Back home if I cooked something or bought something nice say like mangoes, sharing it would be so easy. And the joy of sharing would be instantaneous.
A new dress/accessory and the compliment it may bring.
A nicely cooked food item and the joy of sharing it
A good 'chaat' and eating it with cousins
A new addition to the family and the joy it brings
A new song and watching it sung by many in the family
A new slokam and its benefits
A pradhakishnam in the temple and the joy of seeing a good alankaram or deeparadhanai
A wedding/poonal and meeting people I care about
The smell of flowers - jasmine, roses, champakam
The smell of good food
Discussing a book, article
Sighing over gossip and jokes
Shopping together and giggling like small children
The joy of being there for someone else and doing something for someone else
Lastly but not the least- running into some I know and seeing the way their eyes light up in joy and chatting for a few small minutes!
But what I subtly miss are the myriad ways of sharing and support, people being there for you in both good and bad times, appreciation and celebrating, correcting and criticizing. There is this chronic unease, gnawing of the heart, not too painful but definitely there; of missing something intangible!
Back home if I cooked something or bought something nice say like mangoes, sharing it would be so easy. And the joy of sharing would be instantaneous.
A new dress/accessory and the compliment it may bring.
A nicely cooked food item and the joy of sharing it
A good 'chaat' and eating it with cousins
A new addition to the family and the joy it brings
A new song and watching it sung by many in the family
A new slokam and its benefits
A pradhakishnam in the temple and the joy of seeing a good alankaram or deeparadhanai
A wedding/poonal and meeting people I care about
The smell of flowers - jasmine, roses, champakam
The smell of good food
Discussing a book, article
Sighing over gossip and jokes
Shopping together and giggling like small children
The joy of being there for someone else and doing something for someone else
Lastly but not the least- running into some I know and seeing the way their eyes light up in joy and chatting for a few small minutes!