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Friday, January 18, 2013

And when it rains...

I was woken up twice last night by Nature's son et lumiere show! It was grand indeed. Flashes of lightning, deafening claps of thunder and a steady hail of hailstones beating a tattoo on the roofs of cars parked in the open parking lot. But unlike interrupted sleep on other nights, that keeps me awake and frantically trying to go back to sleep any which way...even counting sheep that turn into goats and puppies, and never allow me to go to sleep because I'm concentrating so hard on the blooming numbers, I was KO'ed as soon as I snuggled back in bed. Rainy nights, winter or summer, are the best sleeping pills for me. I'm sure there are many of you out there who know what I'm talking about.

I'm not a big winter lover. Actually I'm not even a small winter lover. I become an onion with layer upon layer of clothes that stifle me and restrict my movements. No I'm definitely not a winter person. But a rainy, winter day is an exception to the rule. I don't feel so cold, I enjoy myself in the kitchen, at my lappy and my mind unfreezes along with my limbs and their digits.

My kitchen is a place to sing, dance and pour out love. And when it's raining there's so much more happening as I stir, toss, pour, boil, fry and give myself up to what makes me happiest... I'm still talking about food! There's something so romantic about rain...Oye, I'm talking about normal not cyclonic storms and hurricanes!
 
 
Talking about storms, I remember once long time back, my brother and I were returning from school when we ran smack into a hail storm. The hailstones were quite big, and though we managed to find shelter it wasn't before we got some stinging smacks from those frozen balls. And back then, I enjoyed it and found it great fun. I enthralled my classmates at school the next day with a narration full of exaggeration and humour.
 
 
But through all this I am not unaware of all the homeless people who live on the pavements and the rain only adds to their woes. I feel sorry for them. And the news of patients of cancer and their families making makeshift dwellings on the pavement outside AIIMS, one in particular for the past three years, moves me to tears. But every cloud has a silver lining. A drive by a leading news channel, has got them into proper shelter, provided funds to them and many others in a similar situation via donations.
 
I am thankful that humanity lives on and like stars in a black sky makes its presence felt across the darkness. As we save for a rainy day, we should donate for a rainy day too. There are many genuine agencies who could take our small/big offerings and bring some hope and comfort to people. They go where we can't and do what we couldn't, through our combined effort.
 
The day progresses as my mind races to other things. I'll just leave the outpourings for another rainy day!
 
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6 comments:

  1. Isn't it funny that in my mind your part of the world is in perpetual summer? I so love hearing about your life but have missed much. I am putting your blog in my blog feed to keep up.

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    1. DHH, India is a diverse country in every sense of the word! The terrain, weather, food, language, culture, clothes and life style changes as one moves from state to state up North, down South and from East to West! If it wren't for English and Hindi we wouldn't be able to communicate with one another!! And many times in the interiors of some states I've found myself doing a 'dumb charade' act to get through to the people. So we have severe winters in the North and higher up the hills closer to the Himalayan range. Burning desert heat to the west in the Thar desert, and tropical rains down south and so on.

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  2. Hi...I actually don't mind winter. Its only when muscle cramps hit me, then I start hating winter. Sometimes sever cold makes me cramp.

    If I remember right, you are somewhere in North India. Winters are harsher up north than down south.

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    1. Yes Rachna, winters are harsh here in the north. I like mild weather. Extremes, hot or cold, are just not for me. And yet I've spent a major part of my life in such climates: Rajasthan's arid, hot areas and the northern belt's cold waves! South is so comfortable.

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  3. It is interesting to hear about your weather, and how it contrasts to here in my part of the US. Right now we have below freezing temperatures, so I suspect you wouldn't like it very much!

    Have a great week!

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    1. True Karen, I wouldn't like such sub zero temperatures. But I have lived in such places in the hills too. However I had a job so whether I liked it or not, I just had to weather the weather!

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