Her big, lovely eyes slowly transformed into glistening pools of molten lava. While browsing through her wardrobe, she chanced upon a dusty box of memories. Old family albums from back when hard copies of pictures were the norm. Each special moment was captured carefully. She used to do these little doodles around the pictures, and touching them she remembered how she also wrote smallish notes behind each photo. She gingerly picked out one and looked behind it at her own handwriting. Those were the days when she was bubbling with enthusiasm. When love songs played most often in her head. Those early years of her marriage – she looked at her own younger self with much appreciation and some pride too. Wow, they looked good and had a heartwarming innocence that seemed to seep through these photos. They had wooed each other with Bollywood songs, some cheesy others really emotional. There was one of her in pregnant bliss. Like soft strains of music; she could hum the memories in her mind’s eye!
And then her world changed. Diya was born!
Just like her name, Diya breezed into their lives, like a fast-paced, edgy song, wailing and kicking, brightening up every nook and cranny of their lives. From then on, it was Diya in every frame – as she wept, laughed, crawled, walked, fell, performed. She and Diya both loved music often singing together loudly off key!
“Ma, look what I got!”
“No, Diya. We cannot keep a puppy. Sorry darling!” She had cried so much. Her girl was always sensitive.
Looking at this pic of a rather morose-looking Diya, she laughed back tears! Diya had lost both her front teeth and was terribly self-conscious. She seemed to have become a drama queen spewing sad songs!
Diya in a make-shift sari made with her dupatta with badly-applied lipstick and her high heels. She promptly fell when her mother walked in on her. The pic was taken when she was prancing in front of the mirror to the tunes of a sexy Madhubala ditty!
As she sifted through time, plucking each memory out, laughing and crying with it and then keeping it back snugly and progressing on to the next, she saw her girl grow up from a teeny weeny little doll to the self-assured young lady that she was now. The songs in her mind underwent their transformation from 70s impish to the modern and upbeat 21st century.
The last picture was a recent one in which she and Rahul were posing in a filmy Ranbir Dipika pose!
She kissed the albums shut, closing the gateway to memories with a warm heart till another day when she will reach out once more and savor them just like those soulful Sufiana songs.
The nest was empty, but the satisfaction and happiness within her was immense. She had cherished each moment! Her life’s songs had played out well. It was now time to enjoy the new tunes!
Pic courtesy: Freedigitalphotos.net
Nice story, was a good read!
Thank you Chatty! Glad you liked it.
Very interesting story. I kept my eyes glued to the story till the end.
Thank you Ushaji! Your appreciation means a lot.
Looks like empty nests are on many a minds ! A nice read, Rachna
Thank you Rahul :). I recently saw a touching video that made me go along this line.
Hey very nicely written. Empty but happy nest…something to look forward to 🙂
Thank you Sfurti. Why mope and cry? Life has a way of giving great surprises :).
Nothing like digging into pictures and reliving those moments. Such a nicely woven story.
I absolutely love going through albums. Thank you for reading!
Loved the graph of the story….an age old story but well told 🙂
Thanks so much, Smita! True the story replays in every single generation.
beautiful… Memories they are like hearth touching scenes playing in our mind’s background, sometimes more vivid and louder than usual..!
Loved every bit of it!
You are absolutely right, Naba! Memories keep hovering at the back of our mind. Thank you for so much for liking it.
Rachna this is incredible. It seems like you are narrating snippets from my own life. like you are telling my story. Well this could be anybody’s story. So clearly expressed.
Thank you for sharing vivid images through words. Going down memory lane through pictures is one of my favorite to do things. Sometimes i go to the closet deliberately just to do that.
Often land up asking the same question to my hubby dear, ” Honey do i still look that sweet anymore…? ”
Wonder if the she in ur story also looks foe reassurances.
Will visit ur page again the darn server…video is taking longer than usual to open up.
Thank you so much Shivani for your lovely words. I am so glad that they touched a chord with you. Oh yes, all women drive their husbands crazy with that question :). And it is surely a story of all parents.
Browsing through family albums gives much happiness.I am into it nowadays-it is as if a newsreel is being played in front of my eyes-just as you have written.
I love browsing through family albums, Indu! It is my favorite pastime. Thank you so much for reading.
I can try to understand how it may feel…my kids are growing up and with each passing year, they are more independent. I push them to be so…and yet, I wish!
Nice one.
Thank you Janu! And then one day they will fly away to make their own lives. We hold their hands and make them walk and release them to live their lives.
Yes, the tunes keep changing with time. Each one is as melodious, though there are times when you are the only one enjoying the song. So we enjoy simple melodies and wait for our son to visit us when the house begins to rock and roll once again.
Compelling narration, Rachna. I could identify with this one. You still have some more time. Enjoy every note, every tap and every beat.
Thank you Alka! Yes, I am trying to hold on to the time and enjoy it as much as I can. I know this is inevitable; one day they will be gone doing their own thing just like we did. The music of life!
This is a nice story, very relatable. A story which could be anybody’s. Nice narrative, neatly woven and vivid.
Thank you so much, Rainbow Hues! Yes, this is a story that plays out in every house!
I can imagine what a terrifying thought it must be for a brand new empty nester, to suddenly be without the one they nurtured for twenty odd years.
But, of course, the right spirit is to embrace the next phase of their lives. And make new memories.
Nice story.
I guess it must be terrifying. I remember when I moved out of my own house. And I still have some way to go with my kids. And then one day, they will take off just like we all must do. The circle of life plays on over and over again. Thank you for liking the story!
Thoughts and snippets as the one in your post are sure unnerving. But nothing can deter a vibrant spirit.
Rachna, you revel at story-telling as well.
Joy always,
Susan
Thank you so much, Susan. I am glad you liked the story. This one was so close to the heart. I loved going all poetic for this one :).
Nicely told….
And I suppose very soon I will be ‘jobless’ as a story teller. 😛
Thank you Bhagyashree. I am just a rookie in front of the master storyteller :).
Loved the story. The music of life changes tunes every now and then. The real problem with us is that we don’t want to sing along the new tunes and that pushes us back.
Well said, Diwakar! Thank you for reading.
Beautifully written Rachna.
Thank you Amit :).
To be nostalgic can be wonderful most of the times and a curse at other times. Loved this account. And that song is the perfect way to sign the post off 🙂
Thank you Maliny! The song was a prompt that brought forth the idea of the post.
It is such a pleasure looking at old family pictures..We have one at home with four generations in it..It is awesome
Wow that must be so special, 4 generations in an album. Indeed it is such a pleasure looking at old pictures.
Beautifully woven tale of the empty nest syndrome
Thank you so much, Deepak!
God gave us memories so we could have roses in winter. You weave a nice poignant tale.
Dropping by from that tuesday thingy.
Thank you Suzy for dropping by.
Very nicely narrated. Relevant story.
Thank you TF!
Interesting story, Rachna 🙂
Thanks Ruchira!
Rachna, what a wonderful post this was. Yes, this could be me, you or anybody. And so many times, I look and pictures and I am in a happy little space of my own. True, not everything needs to be a waterfall……some can simply be a dancing fountain. 🙂 Good luck on the contest.
Thank you Vinita! Ah my absolute obsession with pictures. I just get immersed in them every time I open an album!
Very nice story…am still smiling 🙂
Thank you Pooja for dropping by :).
I do it all the time, Rachna. And I prefer the old fashioned photograph albums to the digital ones. Somehow the former brings back memories thick and fast.
Absolutely, there is something specatacular about running your hands over photographs. I feel sad that my parents were not photography buffs. I hardly have any of my own childhood.
Empty nest …. One just stops living for a while when that happens. Painful period in life … but then life goes on, doesn’t it?
It goes on and very well too. Of course any transition is painful. Haven’t reached there but know that it will be difficult. For now, I am bracing for the teens :).
I love looking at albums too. Very nicely written.
Thank you Shail :).
everyone has already said..nicely written..as always rachnaji…have fun..cya
Thank you Ramesh :).
That’s going to be me in too soon a time frame!! Lovely post, Rachna!
That’s going to be each parent sometime in their lives! Thank you for liking it.
Such a lovely story !
Thank you Ruchira :).
Very nice post Rachna. Written very well.
Thank you Jas! I went all lyrical for this one :).
Oh that was BEAUTIFUL, Rachna! So very well written! Loved it!
Thank you Deeps! So glad you liked it :).
I reserve my best for her and cherish the few months I get to spend with her.
And that is the perfect attitude, Purba!
Beautifully written. Jeena isi ka naam hai… 🙂
Thank you DC! Jeena isi ka naam hai as you rightly pointed out :).
Very nice, Rachna! Time to enjoy the new tunes and not become a helicopter parent 🙂
Thank you Giri! I am still some way away and certainly it is a time to enjoy not mope and cry!
life is but stoppable !! frames of life .. one after the another .. just to rekindle the moments good and bad happy and sad … wonderfully written Rachna
Thank you so much, MySay! Just like the frames and strains of music, memories change colors. Thank you for reading.
I was wondering how you would include the song in it and bam! the last line. It was like you said it all and it made so much sense with loads of emotions.
Thank you Saru! Music is really an integral part of the journey of life. In the way life plays out and also how music enforces our emotions and memories. Glad you connected with the post!
While reading I kept wondering if my mother felt the same…
Life is so weird. We keep moving around in search of love and fulfillment when the best is at home…
Profound thoughts there, Nisha! Indeed, we have so much within the 4 walls that we don’t realize. But then a child that has turned an adult has to explore on their own. It is nature’s rule no matter how much it hurts the parents. And they must move on too with doing what they love.
Wonderfully written Rachna. The heart is full and the nest is empty. I could so relate to it. After a few years, when people move on, all we have are the memories to cherish upon.
Thank you so much, Ashwini! I see this happening a few years on for myself as well.
Aha! That’s one interesting story! Way to go, Rachna 🙂
Thanks Shilpa 🙂
Beautifully written Rachna. Thats why I keep taking pictures at every occasion. ha ha
Thanks Jaish! I am also increasing my stash of memories at every possible occasion :).
Beautifully written Rachna. I’m trying not to imagine what an empty nest feels like 🙂 But yes, capturing those memories will help soothe the “pain”. Enjoyed the post thoroughly
Actually, I am also not looking at an empty nest any time soon. But going through photographs is one of my favorite pastimes :). Thanks Sid!