Waking up to the sounds of thunder and pitter patter of rains ,I looked out of my window. It was dark ,what else can one expect at 2 o clock in the night.
But the sound of rain and thunder took me back to those monsoons in Calcutta those wonderful years with my friends where we were often stuck up in each others houses because the rains had come unexpected and roads were flooded. We used to walk in those flooded streets ,our dresses and hair drenched by the water when the cars splashed the flood waters , watching the movements of the people in front so that we know where the manholes are , holding each others hands so that we dont fall.Our mothers were ready with food to be served accompanied by warm tea . We would just talk and laugh. Life was fun . Rains were fun.
But the sound of rain and thunder took me back to those monsoons in Calcutta those wonderful years with my friends where we were often stuck up in each others houses because the rains had come unexpected and roads were flooded. We used to walk in those flooded streets ,our dresses and hair drenched by the water when the cars splashed the flood waters , watching the movements of the people in front so that we know where the manholes are , holding each others hands so that we dont fall.Our mothers were ready with food to be served accompanied by warm tea . We would just talk and laugh. Life was fun . Rains were fun.
When I saw the roads in front of my home flooded, I recalled those days. I wish I could still walk in those flooded waters, drench in the rains and enjoy. But today , something stopped me from doing those. What will the others think ? I have a job, people know me and I play the role of a wife and a mother. These inhibitions stopped me from enjoying the rains . At that moment , the lines from the poem " Ode to the West Wind " by P B Shelley came to my mind.
"
A heavy weight of hours has chained and bowed
One too like thee: tameless, and swift, and proud "
Why is it that as we grow old physically, our mind also grows old. Why do we bind ourselves to the norms of the society . Why can't we be ourselves and do what we want and not what others want ?
Unfortunately, that is the reality of life . When we are young, we want to change a lot , but as we grow older and responsiblities become a part of our life, we compromise on our dreams and individuality and we also become a part of the society not a change in the society.
Wow! That was filled with nostalgia. Loved it! And I'm sure, if you had just one friend from that past standing with you at the window, you would have ended up in those puddles. I dont think we change much, but life changes. If I would sit in a bus with you again, we would pretty much fall back to our usual selves.
ReplyDeleteA great read! Keep it up Indu....
Thank you Shama. Never had confidence in myself to express my views. Yes I know, in fact when it rained and we were all told to go home , I remembered the van drive in the rains when we were all stuck up near the Petrol Pump .
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