Hello dearest Reader,
Hope you’re world is not going through portal of changes like mine and you are enjoying the last of the summer’s if you’re from the west. And if you are a part of the east, then may be the monsoon is bringing you a bout of relief from the sultry, suffocating heat. My part of the world has started its festive season with Krishna Janmashtami and we are still in the throes of Ganesh Chaturthi. We will go on till fall touches us as we celebrate the passing of the season and the position of the stars with different representations of divinity.
But my letter comes to you not from the shores of Mumbai but from the banks of Savannah. Faraway land where I have come to see off my 18 year old who is embarking on the adventure called life. As he starts his undergrad days in this quaint historic town, I get to savour the idyllic charm of this place. You must be wondering how an empty nester is coping with the stress. Reputation of Indian moms precedes them. We are prone to mope a bit more than the others. But of course, you see our kids to us is the best Universe could create. We are those special beings brought to earth for nurturing the celestial creations, so letting go does not come easy! The natural instinct to protect the eighteen year old infants are so strong that we sometimes tend to forget our place in the scheme of things. Well retributions come super fast too. The helpless eighteen year old snaps and snarls like a wild beast and before long we give up. Albeit not at all happy.
Folks around me threw a billion platitudes. Some very philosophical - asked me to let go. Some very frantic was absolutely convinced that I’m heartbroken. Some prophesies that I would embrace my freedom and some thought I now have all the time of the world. So let me share snippets of my quirky mind . It may help you, if not it sure will bring a smile to your face.
Have you seen two overlapping lines? When we were kids. We would draw pencil lines on white pages. And then to make it a bit thicker and bold, we would draw a darker line on the original. Having a baby boy (because mine is a boy) is somewhat like that. Your life moves like a pencil lines across the spectrum of the universe till you start nurturing a life inside you. Once you’ve another heartbeat inside you, it’s two lives walking similar paths. You holding, nurturing, caring and protecting another life. If fierceness had a face then probably that’s how mothers protect their babies. The instinct to create, nurture and shield is as primordial as creation itself. And then at one point in the journey you have to let that life go its own way. One single line diverges. They run their own course, sometimes running parallel to the mother line, sometimes crossing and sometimes simply touching before parting once again. But today’s story is all about the mother line. What happens to her when the weight of guarding a life slowly shifts. I don’t know about others but let me tell you’ll about mine.
As I walked the streets of Savannah, guarded by aged tress, Spanish moss laden and dark, a strange sense of completeness wrapped around me. The mossy entanglement decorating the branches like that of Christmas decoration, made me feel lighter. Like a feather. As if I have completed quarter of a purpose of my life. Done and dusted with the karmic give and take. I felt free. Something lifted off my spirit. A feeling of accomplishment. A job well done! And I felt I can go my way without turning back. It may sound strange to your ears, but a sense of peace engulfed me. The antique shops, laden with curios, the Savannah honey - enticing tourists, the paintings and the artwork on the street, the graffiti on the walls enchanted me. The southern sojourn was like a breath of fresh air after crazy last few months. We walked miles, tasted the hot chicken wings, laughed as we devoured gigantic dollops of ice-creams and my boys and I had a blast. The cruise on the river Savannah was like a lullaby and the trip to Tybee island was enchanting. We toured the city on a trolley and also took ride to check out the most haunted places in the city. Savannah had its history wrapped round numerous folklores. It was exactly what the heart required. There was no agenda as such, we only needed to settle the young lad into his new life. And as one of his quintessential wisecracks go - “Change is easy when you’re easing into it” - we all were easing into the changing life. A change for each one of us.
When you will read this letter, I would still be walking the streets of Savannah, enjoying my summer break, shopping, eating cookies, sipping on ice cool slushes and splashing on the fountains at the public parks. A few more days of trying out new restaurants every day, tasting the Savannah reaper, enjoying the glorious sunsets, before I say goodbye to the town which would teach my fledgling to trail blaze his sky. I am thrilled to bits as I can embark on my own adventures, of discovering new stories and charting my own path through the stars.
My letters will bear testimony to the zing of my life and I hope my pocket will be full of stories to share. Till you hear from me again, keep yourself happy. And write to me if you feel like. Stories are always meant to be exchanged.
Always yours,
Pocket full of life
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