Monday Musings - 24

By the side of where I am currently staying, there is a charming open air market called Galleria Mall. I have succumbed to its many delights including the sprawling Lakme Salon and Depauls cold coffee; I have also given in to its local pronunciation, a watered down Indianised version of what really is a lovely French name. Galleria market is this delightful assortment of inexpensive and expensive stores. And, there are always a few more stores, each time I go around.

Vegetables, fruits, momos and handloom Indian wear surround a circular waterfall that lies in the centre of the marketplace. I love sitting by the fountain, catching my breath…catching up with a friend. Life here has been fast-paced, and it’s lovely to sit down and watch the water fall; allowing only the sound of local artisans to interrupt the rhythm of peace. As I watch people pass by, there are always a few familiar faces, each time the tickin’ clock goes around.

Sitting there, I think of the people I have encountered. I think of the talented artist from Assam, the high-energy Bombay man, the cook from Bengal. I think of children of the Army, children from the Doon school, and the man from Chandigarh. There is such a thing as Punjabi pride, I have discovered. And, there is such a thing as succulent kebabs cooked in a handi; cooked to perfection. There are newer stories, each time the sun goes around.

Could I say then I have learned to marvel at life’s unpredictability. Have I succumbed to its charming adventurous side? Have I let go off worry? Perhaps, that really is the only way to be. It is easy to think of things as they would be, when they go wrong. It is easy to fret about what will happen, at the worst. But it’s better still to not think about it. And, occasionally dream of how it would be, if all went off as hope allows. It’s easier to get by, as life goes around.

And so, I am thinking of faces old and new this Monday. I am eager to embrace familiar faces, and I am eager to welcome unfamiliar too. For unfamiliar will someday turn familiar …an adventure could some day turn routine too. Or, it could just be that…a little slice of life laced with what never has been, and what never will be. I do not know. But, I know, I’d rather be on the bright side…

Allows you to smile at the coincidences, laugh at the idiosyncrasies, take in the grating side of novelty as experiences…does it not?

[More Monday Musings here ]