Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Embracing what matters

Today, at 6 15am, I was angry. As I looked out of the rusted rails of the train window, steadily seething, I could only see red. After a little while, when I was tired of dwelling on things that are not in my control, I actually began to look at the green and brown pass by and I thought back to my 11 day holiday. Compared to my usual summers in Chennai, this was different. I got to spend lots of time with my favourite Aunt. I say favourite because I'm positive there's not another person in the whole world like her. She's knowledgeable about everything. And even if you ask her a question about  an unamusing subject like politics, she makes it sound interesting by the way she answers it. Her stories are remarkable. They make you picture everything with details and colour and sounds. I knew my grandparents for a very short while and I mostly remember how old they were, but through her little episodes of their lives and travels, I now feel like I know them a little better-as younger, stronger and active. I laughed at how she described my father's antics, and tried to understand his irrational fears- his childhood. Then there were tales about how my aunts met my uncles, my cousins' growing up, our old house in it's former glory. I was always most keen to hear accounts of my Uncle's life while at sea, his relationship with my beloved Aunt, his caring nature and large heart. She kept him alive through her memories, and in turn, he seemed around us always. Although she complains about being old and tired of life sometimes, for me she will always be the most enlivening and inspiring person.
In the grander scheme of things- a silly wall post, feeling sorry for yourself, looking for something tirelessly and not being able to find it- are all but petty issues. Values, lessons, positivity, strength, being able to learn from someone- things that you can treasure and hold dearly to your heart for a lifetime- these are the things that matter. And this what I have learnt from my Aunt this trip.