The Okay People

Always count your blessings, and when you count them do not forget to count your family. I have realized this in the twenty five years I have spent in this world in all the growing up with three simply complicated people I know of, personalities just poles apart and yet there is one common denominator that binds the four of us.  Love and understanding are some underrated terms if I use them here. Until today I have not understood what makes us bear and care for each other so much, because disasters like quakes and tsunamis are a common scene in the house. It kind of keeps us going. And right now being away from home I miss them and more pretty much. Funny but true!

This may sound philosophical,a fact nevertheless, a family grows like a tree with branches facing different directions, and yet they stay together sharing the same water and light. No matter where we are. No matter what we do. No matter what is happening in our life. No matter if we are sad or happy.  If there is one thing which keeps us rooted to life it is our family. And if we were asked to pick just one person amongst them or just one moment that we spent with them, I guess that shall not be enough justice.

I realized this when I found this photo frame in the attic while cleaning the house few days ago. It is calmly but oddly sitting on my bookshelf right now. And not very surprisingly I still am figuring out which photograph to put in, the problem is not the lack but the choice.  A family gives us enough moments. Some in photographs, some in gifts, some in talks, some in fights and some by just being there.

I shall tell you my first and the best. I was equally hesitant and curious when the brother was born. I had rocked his cradle for almost the whole day with all the lullabies the mother used to sing to me, so my folks tell. I was three years old then. Our story began on that day, and has continued. The mother always told me that he is my ‘only’ brother and with him I shall share “Is it okay?” and this she wouldn’t mind saying even now. The father like most fathers has always been the kind who would get toffees and chocolates without any tummy or toothache issues. He would hand it over in my hand and say” Is it okay?” and he wouldn't mind doing this even now. I have always been the sister who has shared her stuff with the brother, even the birthday chocolates and Christmas goodies given in school were opened only at home.  Back then I used to give half of anything that I owned to him and say “Is it okay?” and I wouldn’t mind doing this even now. We have made this ‘Half-Half’ pact for life. I told you, we are weird people.

The brother is not any far behind, with all the news about the quake and tsunami hitting the coasts today, guess what he did. For unknown reasons he is not one of those phone people, but today he called me soon after the news was on air only to ask “Is it okay?” just because I live in one of the coastal cities, and more  because he cares. It made me smile, now tell me how do I capture this moment? I cannot click a picture of it, neither can I explain it. But the feeling was priceless. I have had many such moments, I am sure you would have to :-)

The best moments of life with your family, well according to me are not in any photographs, are not in any gifts, and are not in any hours that you spend together. They are in what you have in your heart and what you feel for each other. They are when your dear ones are somewhere around and make you believe now and then that  "It is really okay”.

"If you don't have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don't have much at all."

-Professor Morrie in Mitch Albom's 'tuesdays with Morrie'-

PS: This post is for my Okay People. I love you. You make me and my life.

-R.

This entry is a part of the contest at BlogAdda.com in association with imlee.com

A Tale Of One City

There is something special about the place that we belong to, in a way or the other it just runs in our veins. Look at or hear to someone, you know where he or she comes from. On fair occasions life does give us chances to look back at our roots. Fortunately I am getting to look at and live in it for three complete years. It has been close to a year in Mangalore and there are many things that I have come to know about this hometown of mine during this period, of which previously I was not very aware. There is more to this place, more than the world thinks.

The ‘Maraya’ Mockery

Mangalore Kannada has always been an object of fun. Speaking in it is not just about adding ‘maraya’ after every word that is uttered, it requires some good hold over the language. Nowhere in the state of Karnataka, the language Kannada is spoken in the purest form of its grammar and vocabulary. Here in this place what is written is what is spoken. I am happy I can do that :-)

The Fifth Tree, the Fifth Building

In Mangalore every fifth tree is a coconut tree, quite but obvious and every fifth building is a doctor’s clinic. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that this is one place in this world probably where there are doctors as many as patients! Mangaloreans care ;-)

A Not So Fishy Food

Food here is not just about fish, although most people survive on it. Mangalore cuisine includes some of the best vegetarian recipes. Start from the roadside Churmuri, Golibajje, Biscuit Rotti, Buns, Patrode, Menaskai, Tambali, Koddelu, Majige huli, Rasayana, Holige - the list is endless and leaves you drooling. So the next time you meet a Mangalorean, please do not think something fishy ;-)

I Scream You Scream, We All Scream- Ice Cream

Give us no  rice, give us no fish, give us no chicken, but please give us Mangaloreans some Gadbad, our staple food. This is a must have if you drop in here, take my word you will never regret eating devouring it :-)

Umbrellas Are THE Amigos

Come summer, come rain an umbrella is something which you cannot do without when you are on the roads. You may forget your wallet, you may forget picking up your friend but never forget carrying an umbrella, never! If you do, well you shall pay the price!

 MRP - Mangalore Rigid Price

Bargaining is a heinous offence. 250.50 Rs does mean ‘Two hundred and fifty rupees and fifty paisa ONLY’ Bargain and let the shopkeeper, even the rest of the customers around you know that you are not a Mangalorean. In fact it is better to be called a thief :-p

 

Road Rockets

“Ponk ponk pon” hear this and you know you are in the lanes of Mangalore. Here buses run like rockets. Traveling in them in and around the city is a weird pleasure by itself.

Sunday ‘Is’ A Holiday

It is a funny thing, when the rest of the world prefers going out on Sundays here in Mangalore this day is truly meant for some rest. Most of the shops are closed, most of the roads are deserted. And these days all life and movement happens in the malls. A changing trend, courtesy urbanization of course. Mangaloreans have bowed down to this as well!

People All Beautiful

There is a certain panache in all Mangaloreans, simple yet flamboyant. No offence to anyone, the ones you and me know are just one among those many stars in the skies of this city. It is hard not to like us, at the least you will notice us;-)

This I know does not end here. I could go on, but for now I have come to understand one definite thing:

‘You know you have lived in a city, when the city starts living in you’

What about you city lives in you, do let me know:-)

Love and peace.

-R.

The Dead Bird Theory

We found this blunt looking couple by the window today while we were in tandem with our routine work in the lab. At the end of the day what occured to us was neither of the two had moved an inch since morning. We folks wondered what made them sit there without having anything to do. It was quite a puzzle. Birds are supposed to fly! Aren’t they?

While we were watching them and discussing their inertia at length, a friend amongst us mentioned ”Maybe they are old, blind and are dying!”, you know the sort of empathy and mood  that floats in the room when someone says something  of that sort. Well I carried some back home. I haven’t stopped thinking about them since then. Why would someone want to sit like that and wait for death of all the things. Or maybe it makes more sense to take some moment off from our daily humdrum, just to sit and think how much closer we are getting to death day by day. Freaky stuff, isn’t it? I guess thoughts like these makes you make your life more livable, so go out there and make the most of it.

Here is what my favorites have to say about this theory:

-R.