UBER-UMBILICAL
I write today, about a person very dear to me,
It almost fills me with a sense of responsibility.
Sometimes I wonder, you are born to certain people, but feel even more connected to certain others,
For me, it’s been my enate grandmother.
Whether in the kitchen or in her unwavering faith towards the Almighty,
I’ve seen her act with utmost dedication.
She would make us the perfect jams, fruit juices, desserts during our summers holidays,
We would almost start sulking at the thought of our regular school days.
Born to a prolific figure in the world of music,
My dear grandmother’s musical abilities were no less;
Though she didn’t go out there and conquer what would have been rightfully hers,
Her music, was the life of several parties and traditional dance performances at the Royal Palace.
An AIR artiste herself, my grandmother passed on her musical genes to all her three children.
One of her most endearing qualities has been her ability to spoil the ones dear to her
Her husband, her in-laws, her daughters, her son, her daughter-in-law, her sons-in-law,
Us grandchildren, her friends, friends of children and grandchildren, neighbours, acquaintances and many more…
She cooks, she smiles, she asks, she cares, she listens, she laughs, she cries,
She observes, she thinks, she empathizes, sympathizes, she endures, she cures;
Having had the privilege of spending the most time with her among the six of us grandchildren,
She’s been my friend, teacher, parent, occasional grandparent, philosopher,
I maybe old enough to contest Lok Sabha elections or host a dinner gathering for hundred guests,
But to her, I am never a day holder than five even today.
She calls me endearing names that come to her mind with sincere spontaneity-
Something that nobody will ever match perhaps
If there’s one thing the world could do with right now,
It would be kindness, the one thing she’s embodies in true spirit
She has played an invaluable role in the person I am today
They say nobody’s perfect, but to me, she is.
-AL
