Penny thoughts

La Familia

So, my beautiful life in Mangalore, I will have to let you go. But, I will fondly cherish you, hold you dear to my heart. If I had to have my way, I wouldn't have let you go but life is calling.

I don't write often. I write when I feel like and that kind of explains the delay. I grew up in the 'Monteiro' household. A house, (correction home) named 'Nandan' where my identity exists. Where I remember growing up with my grand parents. The best days of my life.

The house was always full, with Dad's brothers/sister and their families. My life although revolved around the visits of my cousins which I so looked forward to. We shared a love-hate relationship. We often tried to outdo the other. We played endlessly in the busting heat of Mangalore. We were mean and manipulative; at the same time caring and protective. Since we are sixteen grandchildren on my dad's side we were divided into various groups. Within these groups we liked some and hated some. At the end of the day all was well and the next day we started on a new note. I can't forget the trips that we made to my aunt's house in Urwa, or taking orders from the ring master my eldest cousin, or bullying the smaller ones, carrying them, flaunting them, or singing lullabies for the little ones, or making every uncle who came down from the Gulf buy ice cream from Classy, or praying for the thunder storms to stop, or dosing off during prayers, or going to my aunt's house for Kannada tuitions or playing seven tiles and endless other outdoor games. The tears, the joys, the list is endless.

Why-o-why am I writing about all this? Perhaps because my little girl will not have all this. Her life will be a hankey dovey 'I-ME-MYSELF'. She will grow ignorant typical of the generation next. I can only try to tell her that Mamma's cousin this one and that. Nothing beyond that I guess.

I love the idea of a joint family. Yes, I do. I kind of grew in one.

I speak for myself: It is very different now, we are such a nuclear setup, all of us engrossed in our own little world. Acknowledging or rather failing to acknowledge each other. Waiting for the other to make the first move. Well, the ego trip is endless.;-).

I wish I could re-live a few golden moments with my grandparents and cousins
again. I can write pages and pages about my growing up years, but then one cannot cling on to the past forever. So dear-ole-me, close your eyes and I will kiss you; tomorrow , I will miss you...