No this is not about Maggi. Duh! Though that was a catchy line, whoever prepared Maggi in two minutes? This is about a prompt by friend and popular daddy blogger, Sid Balachandran which struck an instant chord with me. I am a person who loves observing people. I have always liked doing it when I travel solo, take a bus or during my evening walks. Sometimes my sons accompany me on these walks. And they talk constantly. At times I listen quietly because they just want to be heard. Mind you, I am listening but just keep silent. They wonder why I am quiet. It is difficult for them to understand that I am at peace with silence, to be thinking loud with my thoughts, to assimilate what is being spoken, to not give an opinion.
Yep, those who know me in real life know that I can talk quite well with strangers. But I can’t be chatty if you know what I mean. I treasure my silence. Anyway, so the prompt was to quietly observe things as they happen in 2 minutes. So after my heart.! So I keep my laptop away, sit in the swinging chair in my sitout and just look out.
This was afternoon so the street was relatively quiet. Coco was by my side on high alert as he caught a stray dog or cat pass by. He barks in that thick barking voice of his. An aunty from across the street chases her naughty whimpering grandson out of the home. He is apparently throwing a huge tantrum. I just let out a soft sigh. Toddlers can be so difficult. I smile sympathetically as she sees me.
My avocado tree is almost done with its crop of avocados for the season. Wow, she did deliver a bountiful harvest this year. I mutter my gratitude to her and Mother Nature. I spot another neighbor who is getting ready to venture out. We exchange some pleasantries. The sky is a beautiful blue today with wispy white clouds. It is warm, the toasty warmth of winter and I love the soft sunshine. When I take Coco out, I do stand a few minutes in the sun soaking the energy and the vitality that sunlight has always given to me. In another home, I hear the constant whistles of a pressure cooker going on. Someone is preparing lunch, dal is my guess.
I glance around me. I see a bunch of trees and the terracota tiles of our villas peeking out in sharp contrast. There is a riot of colours. It is even more beautiful in spring. The well paved streets are quiet now. And I silently mutter my thanks for living in this shady enclave where I have seen children being born, some growing to immense height right in front of my eyes it feels.
Ah! Life! It does sometimes feel as if an era has gone by in two minutes. So my tiny break is up. I pick up my laptop and glance through the mails. Time to get back to work. How blessed I am to be working from my sitout. Did I tell you that it is even more beautiful during the rains?
So would you like to do a 2 minute observation challenge as well?
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