Happiness is storytelling?

Photo: Jazzy J

Photo: Jazzy J

Picture yourself in the care of your granny who amazes you each day with a new story.
Stories of bravery, pride, courage, wisdom to those of anger, jealousy and love.
Stories grow happiness.


Picture yourself with a group of friends, each letting on some secrets. From the first kiss to gossips.
Stories exude happiness.

Picture yourself sharing a cup of coffee with your beloved. Talking about stories of the past and expectations from the future. Stories of hearty fun to yearning.
Stories dream happiness.


Picture yourself with spectacles on a wrinkled face, sitting in the summer sun.
Thinking about stories that you shared with others, and others did with you.
No longer, those people remain, but only the stories.
Going over the times when stories were to convince others, now they simply mean existence.
However old and alone, stories remind happiness.

'I tell you, these kids!'

Come home kids! Taken: Jazzy J, Deepavali, 2012

They don't talk if they are angry with each other. They fight over TV shows. They sulk over the smallest of issues and gossip over the big. They start with their daily rant in the early mornings and continue them till night. They love to pull each others' leg and wait expectantly for my reaction. Each of them wants me to be on their side. This tug of war continues each day and every minute. 'I tell you, these kids at home'. 

Growing up! Taken: Jazzy J, July 2013

They love to make me do things. They talk to me about maturity and show nothing of the same when necessary. These kids at home blow up issues and see everything from one perspective; which is their way of seeing. They give me scores of reasons to shout and then complain how I have changed over time. They want to know everything and when I start telling them everything, they drift away to other "important" stuff. 'I tell you, these kids'.

Sometime dark, sometimes light! Taken: Jazzy J, July 2013

They make me feel wanted one moment and act as strangers the very next. They think of me as a grown up  when they want to and then make a mockery out of my grown up life. These kids simply put the words in my mouth and then enjoy rolling the strings. They seem to love waking me up in the middle of a nap to ask for a random number. They are head over heels in love with the flocking guests but don't like their everyday neighbors. They give me some reasons to smile and plenty of reasons to imagine Hitler personified. 'I tell you, these kids'.

And before, I know or can say anything, time passes away and they grow up in front of me. I can only cherish those memories and they see shades of themselves in me. 26 years of togetherness is a wonder and the yield is me. 

Meet the kids! :) Taken: Jazzy J, July 201

 'I tell you, these kids', are my Amma and Appa (Mom and Dad) who happen to see me grow up each day while, I happen to see them grow the other way.