Edited by: Devaki Divan
Excerpt: Summertime brings together love, family, and development. They make us choose between our freedom and the comfort of home. Crushed flowers, late-night conversations between siblings, and the enduring love that makes it all worthwhile can all be found in this harmony. It’s a journey of comprehension and the dependable support of family.
Family—such an intricate yet beautiful dynamic. We want to live together, but at the same time we don’t. I want to chat to my dad all day about his interests and gossip with my mum, but the moment they turn the conversation to me, I get up and start whining about how nobody in the world gets me.
It’s strange how we feel the most at ease discussing what we want, what we enjoy, and every aspect of our lives with our family while being the most hesitant to say things that may offend them or be used against us for the rest of our lives.
It was really tough to adjust back home when the summer holidays began and I was away for three months; it was almost as if I had forgotten the days I spent with them. I was continually reminded of how much weight I had lost in college, how terrible my sleep schedule was, and how much I had changed as a person. When I stayed home too much, they would complain I wasn’t making the most of my time, and when I went out a lot, they would complain I didn’t spend enough time with them.
But eventually, as the days passed, I got used to a lot of things. I got used to the fact that my parents woke up early in the morning and played their bhajans loud enough to make sure we couldn’t sleep anymore. Our small family meetings where we all sat in the bedroom and talked about each and every aspect of our lives in detail—from our emotions to our jobs and studies. These conversations went on for hours and we could never make out where the time went. One time, I remember my dad bringing me flowers after he went on a walk in the morning. He kept those flowers on the bed while I was still sleeping, only to find that I had crushed them by accidentally sleeping on top of them ten minutes later. I do, however, remember being so happy that dad got me those flowers. The love behind those crushed flowers was hidden yet so clearly visible, and I noticed how something completely crushed could mean so much.
I frequently found myself criticising my parents for their excessive tea consumption, lack of exercise, and neglect of their wellbeing. I even hid the tea leaves at our house and inorder to wake them up and make them walk, I got up at 6am myself. As the family’s eldest daughter, I had finally begun to assume responsibility, and both my parents and they allowed me to do so. I quickly adapted to the idea that no matter how hard we try, we can never significantly alter the way our parents work but we should never stop trying to help them in the right direction. They have a certain way of living, and it need not be the same as our beliefs and practices.
The best part of the vacation was being around my little sister. During those months, I had the opportunity to see her life and emotions from a completely different perspective. I watched as she transformed into an amazing yet occasionally exasperating teenager, navigating the turbulent waters of adolescence with resilience. I learned about her crushes, her school adventures, and her unique outlook on life. What struck me most was how little my opinions, or anyone else’s for that matter, seemed to matter to her. Her world revolved around the activities of her friends, and I couldn’t help but recognize my younger self in her single-minded pursuit of peer approval.
At the end of the three months, I had experienced so many emotions unknown to me. Coming back home after college, home doesn’t feel home anymore. Living there for a while, no matter what emotions it makes you feel, makes you realise you belong there. You are one of them whether or not you like it. Growing up, and living away from home teaches you so much. It teaches us not only about the world beyond our family but also about the enduring bonds that tie us to the place we’ll always call home. In the end, it is the mixture of love, growth, and understanding that makes these summer vacations a cherished memory, reminding us that no matter where we go, family will forever be our anchor in the ever-changing sea of life.