Today, as the six—year old twins and =their mother, my daughter, leave my home for New York, I found what I’d written when they first visited India, and left five years ago:
‘The twins are no longer with me; they’ve returned! Yet, in the quiet of the day, and in the silence of the night I hear them! I hear the first word they uttered, as hearing my daughters call out to me, they also called me by the same name.
In the stillness of the day I see them taking their first steps, all across my living room, timidly at first then over the days with growing confidence, balancing themselves ever so cutely with their little rumps, learning to run across, fall, get up again, making giant discoveries with baby steps.
When with a triumphant shout, opening my door, they’d find me buried in my daily heap of words, sentences and pages, which they with disdain would treat, walk over, nay waddle to where I sat and with proprietary right, insist I place them, not one, but both on my window, and there with surprising quiet they’d watch my feathered friends come and greet them, and also a squirrel or two to whom I’d introduce them to!
My harmonica became theirs and like trumpet players at a wedding, they’d march, each with his own set of sounds, blowing no tune, but sweet music into my ears!
One on each arm, I carried them up to the roof to show my hidden seat, and there under my peepul tree and neem we’d sit in silence, listening to the rustling of the wind whistling through the leaves. They loved the place and sometimes, when ear ache or colic visited them, I’d take them up, and in the hush of nature, they’d calm down, soothed by silence.
But the twins are no longer with me. They’ve left for their home in New York.
People ask, “Do you miss them?”
Of course I do, who wouldn’t! But do I feel depressed they are no longer around? No, I don’t!
Thankful yes, and greatly so, to have been blessed with four months of their little lives. To have heard their serious conversations, with no clue what they were saying to me, except, I listened.
Thankful yes, to have seen their first steps, shared my secrets, and seen them grow to know me, as much and more I grew to love them.
Thankful yes, and plentifully grateful to God above who gave them to me for a window period of sheer bliss.
Thankful, yes, that they have not gone away but will always be there, giving me such periods of joy through the rest of my life!’
Today, as they leave along with my dear daughter, my sentiments are the same; thankfulness in large measure for the time they gave me and I was able to have with them…!
Email:bobsbanter@gmail.com
