Childhood memories
Today, I woke up to a simple "Good Morning" message on WhatsApp (as is the norm these days, we Indians are known for this worldwide!!) from a very dear friend from my childhood and with it, came an image....
Fresh "shiuli" lying on the ground, possibly still moist with morning dew.... the night flowering jasmine flowers that most Bengalis can relate to....unlike most flowers, these bloom at night and fall off at dawn leaving an all too familiar carpet of flowers around the tree...usually heralding the season that reminds us that Ma Durga is kind of prepping for her travel to her maternal home.
A simple visual... yet it opened up the flood gate of memories....
My childhood home had such a tree and each morning I would be amazed at the carpet that was magically formed overnight; I remember handpicking the ones that seemed untouched by the soil it had touched and bringing them inside the house, placing them on a saucer filled with water, in the centre of my study table. They looked pretty, happy - the combination of white and saffron always looked ethereal, always brought a smile to my face and a lovely warmth to my heart.
Today, I felt that same warmth again simply by seeing this image. And I remembered ....I remembered my childhood home and all the sights, sounds and aromas that filled it. I reached out to a few of my connects that either knew what I was reminiscing about or understood the feeling and we spoke nostalgically about childhood memories, about times oh so long ago.
It felt like a good way to start the new day. A good morning indeed.
I guess this is yet another sign of being in your 50s or above .... when our database of memories has now accumulated into terabytes .... and the smallest of things can trigger off associations - pleasant and not-so-great - that can go back decades.
The older I get, the more my childhood memories surface. And I realize I am blessed because my kid memories are more good than worse.
I recall what my favorite SRK said in "Dear Zindagi" - something to the effect that one of the most important jobs of a parent is to ensure that his/her child has as many of happy childhood memories as possible. And I am blessed that my cup overflows in that respect. I now strongly believe that this is very important for shaping the future of the child. When a child has a lot of simple happy memories, there's less space for insecurities and thats a solid foundation for self esteem. For me, that's the best I can leave my child with - simple formulas for happiness, a strong self esteem that doesn't seek validation outside of her, a sense of self confidence to tide over whatever life may have to offer her. The younger you start, the better for them.
And this is pure science.
Life has shown me many examples of really well meaning people that have hidden insecurities most of which stem from their childhood, sometimes even unconsciously, and these have messed up their life choices and journeys. If we can help avoid them for our next generation, we should.....
So for those young parents out there, I say - fill the cup of your children with stupid, simple, crazy but happy moments, so that they giggle uncontrollably as that is etching their souls for the future. As they walk down their chosen paths, may the small visuals and experiences bring back so many happy thoughts to their minds that they find the warmth, the energy to surge ahead in the river called Life.
Fresh "shiuli" lying on the ground, possibly still moist with morning dew.... the night flowering jasmine flowers that most Bengalis can relate to....unlike most flowers, these bloom at night and fall off at dawn leaving an all too familiar carpet of flowers around the tree...usually heralding the season that reminds us that Ma Durga is kind of prepping for her travel to her maternal home.
A simple visual... yet it opened up the flood gate of memories....
My childhood home had such a tree and each morning I would be amazed at the carpet that was magically formed overnight; I remember handpicking the ones that seemed untouched by the soil it had touched and bringing them inside the house, placing them on a saucer filled with water, in the centre of my study table. They looked pretty, happy - the combination of white and saffron always looked ethereal, always brought a smile to my face and a lovely warmth to my heart.
Today, I felt that same warmth again simply by seeing this image. And I remembered ....I remembered my childhood home and all the sights, sounds and aromas that filled it. I reached out to a few of my connects that either knew what I was reminiscing about or understood the feeling and we spoke nostalgically about childhood memories, about times oh so long ago.
It felt like a good way to start the new day. A good morning indeed.
I guess this is yet another sign of being in your 50s or above .... when our database of memories has now accumulated into terabytes .... and the smallest of things can trigger off associations - pleasant and not-so-great - that can go back decades.
The older I get, the more my childhood memories surface. And I realize I am blessed because my kid memories are more good than worse.
I recall what my favorite SRK said in "Dear Zindagi" - something to the effect that one of the most important jobs of a parent is to ensure that his/her child has as many of happy childhood memories as possible. And I am blessed that my cup overflows in that respect. I now strongly believe that this is very important for shaping the future of the child. When a child has a lot of simple happy memories, there's less space for insecurities and thats a solid foundation for self esteem. For me, that's the best I can leave my child with - simple formulas for happiness, a strong self esteem that doesn't seek validation outside of her, a sense of self confidence to tide over whatever life may have to offer her. The younger you start, the better for them.
And this is pure science.
Life has shown me many examples of really well meaning people that have hidden insecurities most of which stem from their childhood, sometimes even unconsciously, and these have messed up their life choices and journeys. If we can help avoid them for our next generation, we should.....
So for those young parents out there, I say - fill the cup of your children with stupid, simple, crazy but happy moments, so that they giggle uncontrollably as that is etching their souls for the future. As they walk down their chosen paths, may the small visuals and experiences bring back so many happy thoughts to their minds that they find the warmth, the energy to surge ahead in the river called Life.
"what ones loves in childhood, stays in the heart forever"
- Mary Jo Putney
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