Chasing the Monsoons

I woke up to a call today morning at around 5:15 am. My father, being the elder in the family, received the call. It was from an uncle (mama) of mine, informing us about the demise of another mama based in Mumbai. This mama had been fighting cancer for almost a year or so, and succumbed to it in the early hours of today morning.

My parents and a couple of uncles left for Mumbai immediately. I desperately wanted to go, but couldn't for various reasons. The first realization that hit me when we got the news was that mama would never read that email I wrote him (but never sent it since I didn't have his email id).

I decided to blog that email, so that it remains with me through the times, and serves as a reminder that it is best to do today what you would have done tomorrow, and do now what you would have done today...

Dear mama,

It was a great pleasure to spend those memorable hours with you a few weeks back. It was nice to hear stories from your heydays. The stories about your life in college, and how you came across various opportunities to work on mega projects were full of wit, and hope about how one could rise above the odds through sheer hard work.

I especially remember the story about you having to visit a place down south, which in those days were inaccessible by anything but buses, and bicycles. You had just arrived all tired at a guest house and the bellboy/waiter had come up to you at around 8:00 in the evening and asked you if you wanted to have dinner, only he used a word that to you implied something else, causing you the blow your lid. Those were good memories. :)

I do hope you remain in such great spirits and get well soon. I shall try and visit again when I come to Mumbai next.

Love,
Bunty

This is the second time this has happened to me... I hope it never does again. Two times is twice too many for me.