I realised today that the whole point of life is to live. To laugh and cry together, maybe even alone; to tease, to get teased; to run around; to walk for hours; to get lost; to eat food (food which makes you happy); to eat ice cream even with a sore throat in November cold; to look at dresses and imagine your friends in it; to meet an old school friend you hadn’t seen in 24 years; to dance on the streets with your 5 year old sister. These are just some instances of life, some pictures still vivid in my mind.
But there is so much to life that I realised, sitting and crying for the future or even tomorrow will make me miss out on today. It’s right on my fingertips. This today is something I will never get again. It will only exist as a memory, a picture in my mind.
Memories are an integral part of the experience of being human, they make life beautiful. In every sense. It’s not true that every memory gives us the same sense of joy, some can make us cry while some can make us smile but every memory adds onto the layers that make us human.
I’m deeply fascinated by how memories can just mould themselves into the shapes that we like, how they can just wear colours that give us comfort. Sometimes what we remember might not have been what it was, but that’s a part of who we are. We can imagine whole worlds, universes and even multiverses in our minds. The stories we tell ourselves through memories can sometimes be woven mostly by us but that’s the reason our existence is in our own hands.
Whether we hold onto some memories, stories or not, is entirely up to us and it’s okay if we can’t let go. The memories which put us down are also simply adding some darker tones to our painting, our story so it’s alright to keep them. But, it’s also important to hold onto the brighter colours, the ones that light us up like childhood friends, ice cream, and stars.
Today, my mother met one of her best friends from school and I couldn’t help smiling. They were so happy to see each other, I felt as if happiness had taken physical form and it was standing right beside me. There was a Mohiniyattam performance going on behind us, a beautiful form of art, but all we could see was the glowing, smiling faces of my mother and her friend. They were the celebrities for our family.
“Family”, what a beautiful aspect of life. Whether you are born in one or you find one through the journey, experiencing family is what makes life complete. To your family, you are the celebrity, the nobel prize winner, the artist, the muse, the poet and the life. To your family you are everything and that’s the most beautiful part.
With family you can make promises, memories and stories. With family you can be who you are. With family you can be happy. With family you can go drifting with the wind on bike rides or plead for a bicycle to take to college. Only with family, can you get away with all of your stupidity and still be loved.
Oh! To love and be loved. That’s what being human is all about.