Life's cycle....what goes around, comes around....

Holidays, festivals, fun and frolic. All these come together for a child twice, thrice a year and where is a better place to celebrate it other than 'ajja mane' or 'grandfather's home'?
As it would be a ritual of relaxing for all parents and a time of excitement for all grandparents, every holiday was a dream welcome gift to a child. Yes, I too was no exception to this. Till date, no place on this planet attracts me like my cozy ajja mane.
When the school bell sounded the end of classes, I used to rush back home and try help my mother give finishing touches to packing. then taking our tickets, going to the railway station was definitely fun. Hopping on the train, we geared up for a tedious yet enjoyable 18 hours on the one and only Indian Railways.
Excitement always rose as we neared our destination and I was always sure that my ajja will be there waiting to pick me up from the station, no matter sun or rain. What more could be exciting for a child? It was ajja's lovely car- Mitsubishi Lancer. That maroon coloured vehicle always brought out squeals of excitement and laughter in me.
Now things get even better. I always loved sitting in the front passenger seat along with ajja, which was typically refused by my mother and encouraged by ajja.Eventually I did legally win the battle to sit in front in spite of my minor age-I know and definitely knew that ajja would take care of me and i didn't have to worry about anything. That ride was about a short 40 km to the village where I would be blissfully spending my holidays.
On road with ajja was even better. He was a careful yet expert driver. You could say that he did not drive the car rash as if he were to blaze the trail, but it was as if a stately elephant was coming and with respect all spread out and gave way.
After we reached home and relaxed, then came washing time.With no exception, the one who came in the car had to wash it. It was one ritual that I incidentally loved to do for a long time. The smooth and shiny finish of the car, the tires, the neat and clean plain window glass were all scrubbed and cleaned of every speck of dirt. Of course, ajja would be thereto ensure that we cleaned more and played less with the garden hose. By the end of washing, I would be completely drenched and washed too!!! It gave me a sense of pride in working hard.
This whole thing repeated itself every year as I grew up and looking back now, it seems as if years have passed like seconds. Standing at the fag end of teenage, I was literally pushed by my mother to learn driving. To top it, my mama's (uncle) constant making fun yet his expert advice made sure that I did learn to drive and started taking out small vehicles and cars. In spite of this, confidence was never on high gear for me.
Again came another holiday where I went back to my ajja mane for a visit. That day both mama and ajja had to go out. As the doctors had advised him not to drive in spite of his excellent, ajja just decided to ask mama to take him out. Then came the shock, mama asked me to take ajja out and to my surprise, it was in the Lancer!!!
I was thrilled and excited, happy yet nervous. I was definitely not an expert driver as ajja was but it was an opportunity to do something that he has done to me all this time- take care of him. Getting the car ready, I waited for ajja to get ready and come down. As the gentleman he has always been, he got ready and sat beside me to go.
starting the engine, I began to drive and he did not say a word to me nor did he guide me or even teach me how to drive. Rather we were chatting on the happenings around us. It was a happy time but I made sure that he reached his destination safely and very much on time. As he got down, he only instructed me to drive carefully back home. Again i came to pick him up and it was a quiet 6 km drive back to ajja's home. Parking the car in the shed, I walked back to the dining hall where ajja was mot only eating but also explaining to ajji (grandma) how I had maneuvered the Lancer skillfully.
  At that moment, i don't know what filled my heart- happiness, tears of joy, gratitude or care but all I know is that for some reason I was paying back a little towards an endless debt of love and care. It is now my turn to seek and give unconditional love to that man who has spared no effort in giving his love to me.
The car had to be sold for many reasons but the last time I saw that beautiful, shiny maroon Lancer, it reflected back all the wonderful memories that I had built with my grandfather. The car might have been given away for a certain amount or price but the memories in my heart with it is nothing short of priceless.
When my elders used to say that everything that you do comes back to you, I never believed but now I know, it is definitely true. Ajja taught me how kindness and care work and in a way has also taught me how to lead my life in future- with kindness and care for all....



So always remember