A perfect Moment

Went for my violin class today morning.

A student my Madam was expecting arrived when class was half-way through. My Madam had described her as a girl, actually 'ponnu' which means a young girl... so I was surprised to see she was actually a married lady with a pretty grown up kid (gauged from listening to their conversation...don't narrow your eyes they weren't discussing anything personal!). And she took the grandchild of my Miss and played with him. But he was really hungry... just moments before the 'ponnu' had entered he was crying badly and his mom had just taken him to feed him. So you know how it is... all the people of the house feel bad if a small child is crying in the arms of a visitor! So my Miss just took him and started bouncing him and singing a child's ditty... roughly translated it goes "Don't climb on the coconut tree... don't pluck the coconut... *2 more verses which I'm not able to remember*... shall I put you in the river or the well?!!" It's totally meaningless... but it always makes the kids laugh! I know because my mom does that to the neighborhood kids all the time and they love it ;). And love it the kid did! He had this big gleeful tooth-less smile and the way he was crying 2 seconds ago as if his intestines are being squeezed was forgotten!

But what was really wonderful was that one (perfect+ glorious+ touching in the way that it makes you laugh out loud) moment of bonding between grandmother and grandchild. I know that my teacher is a really loving grandmother because either her small 3 month old grandson or her nursery going grand-daughter are always around the house and it's clear how much she loves them and how much they love her. But I had never seen this side of her- spontaneous to the point of being even a little goofy but it captured my heart! Because it gave me that feeling... when you've known someone for a long time and all of a sudden you get a glimpse of something you've never seen before. Part of you is stunned and part of you is mesmerized by what you are seeing... a moment which like a drop of water falling into a still pool... creating ripples, echoing, spreading out its essence in all the directions. It was a perfect moment.

It took me back to my own childhood holidays spent at my grandparents' place... those lovely, beautiful memories which are like mute short films. You don't remember any profound conversations ('cause at that age you really couldn't have had one!!) but just a silent visions... sitting in a dusty kirana shop while grandmother shopped because she couldn't handle 2 naughty kids and manage to shop also! Playing with your brother, falling down, getting hurt so bad your whole knee was bloody and having grandmother put Nycil powder on the knee! As soon as I arrive at the my grandparents' place running into the house to find where my cute little cousin is so that I can play with her ASAP! After searching the entire house finding out she's playing at the water tap right at the entrance! Knitting a shapeless sheet of wool as long as the length of the knitting needle and grandfather praising me for being so good with my hands! All those wonderful years and such few memories... but instead of feeling bad about it I feel happy that I'm able to remember at least this much! I'm remembering many many more of those beautiful moments but I'll need a lot more space to explain them all! So for now... will leave you with these but will surely try to update! In the meantime why don't you also enter the lake of your lovely childhood memories... those wonderful times spent with a grandparent or grandparents, aunts, uncles, that one special cousin you always used to have fun with! It's bitter-sweet that they 'may' not be a part of your life or your priorities today but still they once did hold a special place in our hearts. And they'll always hold a special place in your memories... do make that special place even more beautiful, inspiring and glorious by visiting it often!