HAPPY REST OF 2023

 

HAPPY REST OF 2023

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

08/I/2023

 

From the week before Christmas to the week after the New Year had been hectic, busy, eventful, demanding, tiring but satisfying. This was the first Christmas spent in your own home.

 

Last year, the house was under renovation, though still we had barged in, but this year all had settled. No leaky taps, no squeaky doors, generally aware of switches, as one tends to switch on the fan instead of the light. Even the taps, which spewed hot or cold water, got under control.

 

The only chaos was to locate things which were stuffed randomly somewhere. As usual Mr Murphy would hide them in the last drawer to keep you busy. Never mind!

 

Winters are serious stuff in the Sun City. Thank God there is no fog. From the fog of war to the real fog has been a transformation, a journey which saw its ups and downs but we kept our heads high and sailed through the troubled and calm waters gracefully and we thank the Lord for his blessings.

 

From a school boy to crossing the threshold to become a senior citizen has been some passage of time with no regrets. We have lived life king size & plan to continue living the same way of whatever is left.

 

I remember, I wanted to buy a Bike. Dad insisted on me to buy a scooter and bought me a ‘Lamby’ instead. A couple of years later I bought a motorcycle but did not have enough money as an Officer of the Indian Army to purchase one. I still have a bike and love to ride it like a teenager even today.

 

Those days we never had shelled monkey nuts. It was fun going to a ‘Bharbhunja’ in town and asking for ‘Jhoonga’, which were a few additional peanuts which were demanded over and above what 25np could afford.

 

Our school blazer pockets would get stuffed with the quantity ‘mai’ doled out, weighed on a tarazu, not with weights but with stones. Those days it was ‘ser’ and not kilograms. Till date, I love to get those unpeeled roasted monkey nuts.

 

I still ask for those few extra kernels or rather stand at the kiosk and pick them up from the mound and eat them there only. My luck hasn’t changed though, the first mungfali is generally ‘foki or kauri’. (Kernel less or bitter).

 

Life has changed though. Our little girl is in college now and could not come over for Christmas. We missed her. It was the same feeling I suppose when Dad and Mom would miss us for the festival. We missed the cakes, we missed the pakwans, we missed the warmth of home and hearth while serving the country.

 

We missed decorating the Christmas tree for so many years and this year that vacuum was felt as a parent when our darling was not there. Everything though was made with time tested recipes and ingredients but did not taste that tasty without the complete family being together.

 

It was a realisation which dawned when one had to visit the graveyard for a funeral. That is where your final resting place is. We lost very close dear ones and course mates who could not celebrate Christmas. God Bless their souls. Why regret going there without not doing what you love to do.

 

Today, the cold subsided which made my fingers move freely to type, so I thought of penning some moments close to my heart. Somethings I have deep imprints within.

 

Friends, let us remain happy, share happiness, smile, laugh, meet, and greet. Politics and religion should be kept out of the realm of friendships. If you have to give, then bring a smile to a stranger. Respect every person, not for what he or she does but for being a human being. Animals too need your attention, love, and care.

 

Cheers, be good, do good, spread an infection called a smile. God Bless and GodSpeed. All the very best for the rest of 2023.

 

JAI HIND

 

© NOEL ELLIS