30X30: Fragments

Does it bother you that some of the most significant moments of your life are blurs of memories? Like clouds from a time long ago. White, puffy and ethereal. I can catch, remember and savour only fragments of the time. The time that shaped my love for writing. In a dingy, hole-in-the-wall in 4 Bungalows. I was thirteen-years-old. And, my mother had enrolled my sister and me in a Raell Padamsee summer workshop.

I cannot remember the name of the workshop, but I know I have the certificates saved for posterity. I cannot remember the name of the teacher, but I can remember distinctly his black grizzly beard, his youthful exuberance. I can remember looking forward to each class.

And, I can remember my bit-sized, ten-rupee notebook wrapped with silver paper and plastered with stickers. I can remember sheets of printer paper I misused to write stories, because sometimes writing is about the paper you use. And, the size of the font. And, the colour of the pen.

We used to have writing exercises. We had to create stories and use words beginning with a letter of the alphabet. So, one day a story was about Gareth the grizzly gardener, and another day there was a story on the bear who wouldn't bare. The more words you used whilst twisting the plot, the higher your ranking.

I remember secretly hoping for that A plus. Or, that little star. Or, a very good sealed in pink ink upon ruled paper. And, in that little room lost in the dark, with a window for good measure, I remember falling in love with the power of words. The excitement of turning them into stories, and using them, and challenging them.

I cannot remember his name, but I know whom to thank. The man with the grizzly beard, and the encouraging smile. Who led me to write. Of course then on, like anyone who loves what they do will agree, it has been a journey of constant learning and unlearning. But a journey of growth.

Somewhere in the middle, I can remember creating a alternate email address. I held a fascination for life lessons, and I remember sending out Emails to friends with little snippets. This was in tenth grade, and I think I wanted to change the world. With emails. I think of it and smile. I do not have those Emails, but now I wonder if somebody, somewhere does. Ah, time sometimes leaves its trail in fragments.

[30X30 is a series of 30 unrelated posts in 30 days by Gayatri Makhijani and Anuj Gosalia. One post everyday, for the next 30 days. Follow the string here ]