By Geetanjali Sharma
It’s been difficult finding a topic to write about after a long hiatus from writing. I have sat up many nights in a row, thinking about and absorbing the charm of the changing season, a sweet chill in the air that gets us all pumped up for festivities, cheer and blissful calm. October, when the leaves turn golden and winter begins to say hello, is when my Christmas watchlist gets updated and the movie marathon begins.
Here, on a busy Tuesday morning, I sit at a quiet roastery after dropping my son off at school and find myself with this opportunity to sit still and gaze at the twirling autumn leaves as they gently land on the grass. The fairy lights outside still twinkle as the winter sun shines golden on our Dehra.
Many months have passed since you last read my column. And honestly, I find no great justification for that other than that my toddler was getting adjusted to his new routine while being the clingiest he has ever been. With little legs running all around the house, little hands touching and exploring all that they can, a smile that curls up at the corners of those soft lips, and an energy that toddlers seem to be gifted with, there is never a dull moment. At every stage, I have flung the advice that the next one shall be better. Yes, every stage is beautiful, but new developments lead to bigger changes, and learning as a parent has no end. The graph keeps rising with your baby, and honestly, you do begin to miss the chaos when peace stays for too long.
My cookie at the coffee shop keeps me company when my mind snoozes and the coffee refuses to break my writing silence. As I bite into the warm crinkle cookie, the crunch of sea salt sprinkled on its crust gives my taste buds something to celebrate, the expression of savouring something truly fine.
While the warmth of the taste still lingers on my tongue, I wonder how, sometimes, we discard more than we should in life in order to achieve what we feel is the correct way forward. Be it fresh paint glazing the texture of a canvas or policies that get tweaked time and again to please the chair. The demand for change is often self-created and, in doing so, brings more harm than good, emotionally or environmentally.
This festive season, while the fairy lights still twinkle and the annual cleaning spree takes over every home, unused stuff begins to surface. Redefine your decor with a sustainable style. Reutilise all that can be recovered. Reuse artefacts and maximise the fabrics spread across your home. It won’t just bring warmth but will also be a sweet reminder of how important it is to take out your precious purchases and put them all around you.
Be it a throw you picked up many years ago, a lamp that’s stored in the deepest corner of your storeroom, a vintage portable fireplace that’s been gathering dust all through the year, or those fabulous cushion covers that have finally seen the light of day after being choked at the bottom of a huge storage pile. Take them out and place them all around. When memories surround you, your heart begins to belong there.
This Diwali, let memories of your long-lost treasures turn your space magical and dreamy.
(Geetanjali Sharma is an author and communications specialist. She holds a post-graduate degree in international communication from Macquarie University, Australia.)
