It’s been a few days. Yeah, only a few days since I started talking to my parents over video call in the mornings. Actually, early mornings. And usually, I am waking them up through this early morning video call, to which they respond very sweetly.
Their smile, sometimes their laughter, and a bit of “good morning and have a nice day talk” between us sets a very healthy, loving, and peaceful tone for the fresh new day to unfold and bless us.
I didn’t plan or think of doing any such thing before. And today I think, why didn’t I? Because it is so amazing and so full of love. You know, I feel it is a priceless blessing of life to have and live moments like these.
Just imagine for a second that you are living with your partner in another state, and maybe now you won’t live with your parents like before, never again, but you are blessed enough to talk to them every day and see them every single day virtually (thanks, Internet!). It is a priceless blessing. I feel it honestly. And now that I am almost 30 and married, I feel it even more.
Sometimes, happiness is so simple yet so priceless. Yeah, the classic happiness thing! Simple and priceless!
My friend, talk to your parents often. If possible, then every day. And if you can, then even twice a day!
I can view, gaze, stare, hummm, sing, talk ( with the constant reminder from him to keep my mouth shut so he can focus on driving….and blah blah), and sleep as well. What a privilege!
Really, what a privilege it is to be someone’s passenger princess and sit comfortably right (actually left!) beside your partner, who is taking care of everything. Literally everything!
The GPS, the route, the road, the bumps, the traffic, the twists and turns, and oh my god…the important calls in between, along with pretending his best that he is absolutely fine, absolutely zen with me being me – the forever wonderful me!
Thank you, God! Thanks for this blessing.
I know driving is an important skill. And I have to learn it as well. It is very important and, in a way, empowering to drive your way on the roads, and in life.
In life, it’s pretty much 50-50. I think of the destination, and the universe shows me the path ahead. I stick to my north compass; the universe takes care of the twists and turns.
But on the roads in this three-dimensional world, right now, it’s 100 percent, my driver(you know who, right?). And I am enjoying it fully.
Till the day I finally learn to drive, happy driving to him, and happy living, gazing, viewing, staring, and talking to me!
Take care, folks.
And don’t miss out on being the passenger princes, or prince if you get the chance to be one!
I know it sounds different from what you have heard, but I genuinely think about this sometimes.
People say that time is the greatest healer. That time heals everything. But, is it really so? Does time really heal everything? Today, I feel it’s not the complete truth. I feel it’s not only about time, but it’s more about us. It’s more about us with time.
Time can only heal us if we are ready to accept in the first place that we are wounded and we need to heal our wounds. That we can’t carry the trauma of our past wounds to our future selves.
The acknowledgement of pain, the acceptance of prolonged sadness, and the decision to break the vicious cycle of ruminating over our past, coupled with a good amount of time, surely can heal us. Time alone can’t do much, I feel. The onus is also on us. On you and me.
I have seen people in their thirties and forties having grudges against their parents. Yes, their emotions can be valid. But for how long are we adults going to behave like giant children and complain about all the bad and terrible experiences we have had with our parents and in our families? For how long? Till the 50s? Till the 60s? Till the 70s? or till 100? Because time alone won’t heal us unless we are ready to forgive and let go of the baggage we have been carrying for years.
We are not going to become the enlightened ones in our 60s or 70s one day. No, it’s not gonna happen. I have seen even people in their late sixties who still have a few unresolved fights in their hearts with their late parents, and somehow, they never got the chance to heal themselves.
It’s unfortunate, but true! Are we going to repeat the same cycle? Or will we break this cycle? The decision is ours. Sure, time is with us today to help us. But we can’t get away without doing our part.
We have to take the responsibility to heal ourselves. Time can only help us a lot, not heal us on its own.
Well, this is what I think sometimes. What do you think?
Hot milk tea with just the right amount of sugar, with my morning breakfast, has been my favourite for so long now that compromising on that feels really bad. And despite all the love in this world for that morning tea, I have not had it for the past 15 days. Thankfully, tomorrow is the last day of my “tea without sugar” or no tea at all phase.
Suddenly, I had to stop sugar, rice, potatoes, maida, bread, and packaged food from my diet because of one of the medicines I am taking for my nerve pain. Rice is not a very big thing for me, and I don’t need it to eat every day. Potatoes I can do without for a few days, and maida and processed food are not in my everyday staple diet, so it was fine.
But my morning tea! The tea I am used to having for the past many years with my morning breakfast, sometimes infused with the grated ginger and crushed cardamoms in the regular milk tea with sugar, and more recently with brown sugar instead of white sugar. But no sugar at all? I can do without all those sweets, laddoos, rasgullas, even my favourite chocolates for a few days, but chai…I am honestly telling you it was difficult. And I am so, so, so happy that tomorrow is the last day of my “tea without sugar” phase.
You know, when I was younger, and someone used to say that they can’t do their work unless they have had their tea, or they feel tired and have a headache if they don’t have their tea, I didn’t understand. Though I don’t understand the real correlation between these things till today, one thing I’m sure of – tea is an emotion. We chai lovers love to have our chai, like we have it, every single day. Period.
Maybe chai is the one thing that gives us the feeling of “some things don’t change, and they don’t need to change” every day, amidst the ever-changing seasons of life. I don’t remember exactly when I started to hold onto my morning tea, but I guess it’s fantastic. Because sometimes I have to hold onto life with that cup of tea in my hands – one sip at a time!
If there is one thing for me in this world that can bring me a sheer amount of joy, bliss, happiness, peace, serenity, and sanity – without preaching any sort of gyaan – then that has to be the greens.
The greens – the plants, the herbs, the flowers, the balcony garden, the park, the forest, and the succulents on my table just beside my laptop, and a few on my window.
I believe they are the purest form of souls and beings on this planet. They are complete in themselves. Nothing like them is rooted in nature. They are the symbol of nature, creation, evolution, change, acceptance, beauty, patience, colours, joy, happiness, peace – and a whole lot of happy feelings, just by being there.
Their mere presence is precious enough to make your moments beautiful.
There are studies and research that show that plant gazing, forest bathing, and keeping succulents around your workspace lowers your stress and boosts your productivity. And you know what, you don’t need to go through any of those researches, data, or statistics if you don’t want to. It’s completely fine. You are not missing out on anything important.
You just have to do one thing. Make space for these beautiful greens in your life. Go to the nearest park, walk on the morning dewy grass barefoot, look closely at the different shades of green the trees have, go to the nearby nursery, convert your balcony into a balcony garden – one step at a time.
Sit in your balcony with nothing but your presence, and see, watch, and gaze through the beautiful green tribe you have managed to accommodate. Sit for hours to gaze at the beauty, go for forest bathing, and release every ounce of negativity with each inhale inside you. Make succulents your room partner, your workspace partner, and let life come to you peacefully, slowly, steadily, and sanely.
You will lose nothing. You won’t miss out on anything. You know what will happen? You will see life like never before. You will see them growing, flourishing, drying, and dying. Then, you will see seeds germinating, leaves broadening, plants growing, trees beautifying, flowers blooming, and greens beautifully thriving – by accepting, adapting, changing, growing, and blooming – all while staying grounded and deeply connected to their roots in front of your eyes.
They have taught me, and continue to teach me, the lessons of peace, sanity, serenity, growth, humbleness, beauty, and life like no book on philosophy has till now.
They don’t demand anything. They just need your presence. Can you give that? They will give you a lot. Sanity is just one of many gifts they have for you.
Think about it. And it’s never too late to go and meet one of these friends ever. Go visit them. Take them home. And love them. They won’t cheat you. I promise!
Wishing you all the greenery, sanity, serenity, peace, freshness, beauty, growth, and mindfulness.
Srishti Kumari 