The Place Where I belong....

Today was one of those days, when I had some real quality time with my sister. Even though we were surrounded by too many people, I think we spoke a lot today without saying much...if you know what I mean. We laughed, shared jokes and some real light moments. In the recent past, our conversations have been pretty serious... life that has gone by, life to come, her fears and mine... Sometimes I wonder, do we have to make life so complicated?? I mean, with every conversation with her, I felt she is stressing way too much and sometimes I wished I could just ask her to chill. Its easier said than done.

So, we went to get ourselves something to eat...coz the last night we both ate "PAV-BHAAJI" and had skipped breakfast in a hurry to reach my aunt's beauty parlour (mom had work...we are beautiful the way we are :P). We sat at her place for a while before we had to finally give in to the requests of the rumbling stomach. We took an auto for a distance which is less than half a kilometer. Man, I didn't want to walk that much on an empty stomach. We went to this restaurant that we like, ordered some stuff and for the first time in her 17 years, my sister enjoyed "FRUIT PUNCH". She is very very very choosy.

We got our food and left the restaurant. We decided to walk the distance, for the mere fact that there was no auto available to back to the parlour. I told her, "500 Steps and we'll reach there". She thought otherwise and challenged me... for some silly reason I accepted it. And so we walked quietly, counting our steps. I kept glancing her and giving her a smile now and then. And damn, was she concentrating hard on her counting!!!! Normally, she'd look from the corner of her eye and find out if I was smiling or giving her any sort of facial expressions. Right then, she couldn't care less. Sometimes I think she's a MONICA (from F.R.I.E.N.D.S). Very competitive.

I lost my count at number 302. I saw these two young college kids at a "Paani-Puri" stall. They were having Paani puri as they stood there waiting for their bus. Suddenly, one of them shouted, "That's enough uncle....no more...the bus is here...see you tomorrow". And the two made a dash for their bus.


At that very moment, I smiled to myself. I thought of the various "Paani-puri" moments I shared with friends throughout my school and college days. How the local paani-puri bandiwallah became our friend and knew the tastes of the whole gang. Some days they were. Don't you think this is the only place where we can enjoy such moments?? I mean sure, every person in every country has a different perspective of this. But since I've lived here for all of my 21 years, I cannot imagine a life different than this.

My cousin told me a few years ago that I should come to USA for further studies and probably settle there. "Life is pretty easy there", he said. Screw it!! Sure I get mad about various things that happen here. I don't want to run away from it all. I feel guilty many times, about many things I do... about certain priviledges I have. But I wouldn't want to trade this life I have here for anything else, EVER.

YES I will go to the US someday(all my relatives who've asked me this)... for sight-seeing. Gosh everyone is globe trotting these days. It isn't such a big deal. I'm very happy with whatever I have here. And I want to see all the changes and development taking place here with my own eyes. I want to participate and be a part of it, in any way that I can.

This is the place where I belong, where I was born, where my ashes will be scattered... but not before I make my part of contribution, and hopefully MORE!!

Peace!!!