Nostalgia

This is a very weird state of mind- nostalgia! Nostalgia kicks in unannounced and more prevalent after returning from our roots-India. I often start playing the mind game of –what if?

              Even though my husband & kids didn’t take this memorable trip; just seeing the goodies from India took them instantly back to those roads, that honking, that crowd, even the khadus/mean shopkeeper-who now seems so integral to our memories that we miss him as well! While opening the packet of the Indian snacks or putting the long-lost Poppins on tongue transforms us to our childhood memories. Each small thing, even the smell that is so peculiar to India of udabatti/incense sticks & moth balls and so much more-creating that mesmerizing sense- gets trapped in the bags that travelled across the globe! Kids keep on opening these bags for months just to travel to that happy memory lane and keep searching what is this smell exactly like! I find myself being lost in the conversations that I had with loved ones, with friends, even the negotiations made with the street-hawkers! These memories are the lifeline to get through the everyday responsibilities and life here-away from our roots, family, and friends! Kids keep going through the photos and sighing, “I wish I was there!” All of us keep talking about what happened back in India and who said what, what was on the menu, what are our traditions, and gossip and and…. It is never ending to keep traveling on that memory lane…

              Well, time to remind myself- “You are where you need to be!” Until we realize that we are not!