My Home
Just a thought of these two words or just a mere utterance, brings such a
wonderful feeling in one’s heart. A feeling of ownership, feel of being
connected to something which is so safe, so sweet & so much a part of our
own physical existence.
Every corner of my home has a story.
It’s alive !!
It’s beyond & above the mere forging of Cement & the
bricks.
In such a place when one is surrounded by happy, smiling
faces of the people, the family; it pours life into every small space between
these walls.
The first light of the day is experienced from on the bed,
in “the Bed-room”, which is tranquil, cozy and have
everything which gives the body and the mind much needed rest for the night.
The soft morning light through the window curtains along with early chirping of
the birds from over the branches of the tree just touching window, gives me
enough energy and positivity to step out of the bed.
And the life starts.
Stepping into the living room and the sight of neatly
folded, still untouched and unread newspaper with its usual misty feel and the
sweet fragrance is enough to pull me towards it. This space of the home wakes
me up for the real world about to begin. The soft, slow morning breeze swaying
the leaves of the plant pots on my window, and the early morning playing of old
Hindi melodies on my favourite radio channel is enough to add much needed
flavour to my reading and enliven “My Living room”.
A little while later, the noise of the steel vessels from
the kitchen, transferring of some freshly cooked delicacies on the dining
table, calls me to get up and settle on my space for the first meal of the day,
my breakfast, on “The Dining Table”. And gradually all d
other members of the family, after getting through with their morning chores,
settles down on their regular places. Me, my wife, my parents, my daughter
& my son, getting into a little chit-chat over the breakfast, quickly going
through each other’s plans & priorities for the day, exchanging
pleasantries, some smiles, some grins and thus bringing this 8x8 space into
life for few minutes. So this space is very special to me.
The best time of the day for me is the time of the early
evening. I prefer to be back home at around twilight, getting into “The Kids Room”, and occupy the space on the swing with a cup
of hot steaming tea, overlooking the scene outside my window. These 30 minutes
or so, sums up my entire day, my thoughts and paves way to enhanced positive
outlook on everything which I am doing and I must do. This time and space is
“my time’, generally not interfered with any other intrusion. I have my most
interesting thoughts being generated on this swing. Most of my plans are
framed, flowcharted and being put into virtual action here in this room, in
this space, “On the Swing in my Kids room”.
The last meal of the day, sees us all back on “The Dining Table”, meeting each other again after a gap of 10
to 11 hours. This space, which no doubt, in recent highly demanding and
technically highly absorbing world, is the only common physical binding space,
which keeps us all tied up firmly with each other and with the roots. This
relieves the stress and physical & mental exhaustion of the day, if any. In
the current times, dining together, I feel is one of the best and the
healthiest act or an option which shall carry an Indian legacy, culture and
tradition of living together for the times to come. The only place where the
family members of 3 or 4 generations could exchange, share, listen and
understand what’s really is very precious. So this space has immense importance
for me as a person, as a family member.
An hour or so with the kids, post dinner, in their room has
become a usual regular phenomena. This is especially as me and my wife are not
pro-TV types and in fact love to spend time chatting or going for a drive in
the late evenings. This space of my home, the Kid’s room, is where the
innocence of my family breathes. The future of my family is getting prepared
here in this space. An hour or so with them, almost every alternate day,
results in sharing of their personal matters, queries and confusions which are
discussed and solution is arrived at. In this space the aspirations and
ambitions are at its peak. The emotions are extremes. I love this space and
time for myself, as I come face to face with many surprises, creative
discussions and debating, shouts, cries and hearty laughs, and these all is
necessary and a must pass through, as it belongs to the them whose generation
is going to steer and rule the world soon.
The night time bed calls me at its time and reading is more
of a must-to-do routine, a habit for at least 30 minutes before I call it a day
myself.
Again the cool breeze of the silence outside, an
instrumental playing on my DVD player in the back ground, and a few very
inspiring & eye opener articles in my read, allows me to be finally home,
at complete rest; before it wakes me up with the smile next morning.
By - Sanjay Jogani;
2nd October’2016
