Memories to hold onto!

It is said that, ties of childhood, last forever and it is so true. It was after 7 whole years that I actually met ‘all’ the people who were an imperative part of my upbringing – My paternal cousins. I remember looking forward to birthdays or festivals as a kid, where all of us would meet and celebrate together, all we needed back then as a family ‘unit’ was a REASON to come together. Those were most definitely the times that shaped me as a person. The joy that one gets from family ties, seldom one finds elsewhere. I have learnt love, tolerance, sharing and caring only from my family, in those years that molded me as a person.

A random thought struck one of us that we should meet and go on a ‘picnic’. Picnics were a customary affair in those times, where all we needed was a public holiday to plan and off we’d go! I remember doing the most fun things on those outings; we’d sing random classics, play games, crack stupid jokes and most importantly, spend quality time together. This was another of those days where all of us were back from work and I was talking to one of my cousins and she said we should all meet up again, like a reunion sorts. Sounded good to me. All I needed was a weekend off to get to Pune from here, hook up with the rest of the bunch and go ahead. What started as a random idea soon culminated into a concrete plan and there it was! Poof! We were going to Kihim Beach, Alibaug!

P.S – I actually told people it was ‘Khilme’ beach for some reason. :P

The night before was a sleepless one, as the excitement set in. I imagined things that we’d do etc. I’m really not surprised it didn’t work out the way I had anticipated, since it was even better. Sometimes you just underestimate the amount people have changed over the years but what you don’t realize is the feelings are still the same and that was exactly the case here. I didn’t really feel that we were meeting after such a long time. It almost was like; it was just yesterday that we had all met. There were no weird moments of silence and bla bla bla that happens at times when you’re meeting someone after so many years. It was all perfectly scripted, as perfectly as a movie, not. Movies are lame. :P

The best part of the trip was that all of us were on the same frequency; be it of madness, of humor, of mind-frame or of intellect. It was a perfect amalgamation of insanity and randomness! That is the perfect blend for us! I don’t think we’ve ever had so much fun together as we did on this trip since we’re all big enough to have different kind of fun when compared to what we did back then. It was a trip to remember for evermore.

What touched me the most was, the binding of human relations. Across distances larger than ever, they sustain, ceaselessly. The feeling of togetherness is the same as it was 10 years back! The feeling of being with ‘family’ was blissful. The presence of each and every one of the four who were on the trip with me, made heaps of a difference to me and without who this trip would not have been the same. Karuna to have given me a flashback, Indu to have been my partner in crime and shared my insanity, Sid for his songs, expressions and randomness and Pooj for her extremely random comments at perfect times! It would’ve been great having Meg, Yams and Sinu on the trip, but maybe some other time. I love all you guys and will forever! Beyond testing times lies the real strength of a relationship. I’m glad I have you guys! Will never let go off all the amazing times we've had, ever!

At the end of the day, Family is Family and there’s nothing in the world that can be a substitute, ever.