Was I lucky enough? Or Today I am?
Big Family, Happy Family
I was born in a family, where there are already 6 children, and I was the 7th one. We used to live in a family with our grandparents and uncle/aunties. Apart from this, on festivals like Durga Puja, Holi etc. We used to visit our other grandparents (Grandfather’s brother family) house for some days. There also we have lots of family members our aunts, uncles who are all not married yet. They also come to our home on weekends and occasions.
Life was going all well, we have surrounded with our family members all the time. Everyone was always ready to love us, teach us, took care of us.
We are also very close to our maternal grandparents (Nani & Nana). We used to visit there on our summer vacation for almost a month or more than that. Not only our own grandparents but their brother’s families all live together in the same house. So, in total four maternal grandparents and all uncles and aunties are there, and we have got loves and care from all. Because, my mother is elder sister, and no one has got married yet (in the entire family).
Such an adorable life where you can’t feel alone on loneliness for a moment. There will always be someone to took care of you.
That time, many persons might be struggling for their own privacy. But believe me or not that struggle was far less than today’s generation loneliness.
I also hadn’t realized the importance of family in life until I have faced it later in life.
In childhood, my thought was how lucky I would be if I have my own separate room where I can do whatever I want to do nobody will be there to disturb me. But I know that’s not possible, because there was total 9 children (including my younger sisters) and separate room for each you can imagine how rich we should have to be.
There were only three rooms one for our grandparents, one for my own family and the last one for my uncle's family. I always, dreamed of going to hostel. There I could got my alone time and will visit to home once in a month.
And that dream, became true one day. When I got admission in Diploma after my 10th class examination. I was shifted in Dhanbad with one of my friend Seema. We study there for our course. When I was about to shifted there, I was so happy that I can’t even express here. I thought I had got everything in my life, I can do whatever I want, I can eat whatever I want, I can go wherever I would like to go. There will be no family members, no restrictions will be there. I will be completely free; I will live my life on my own term & conditions. I was very much excited to shift as soon as possible.
But soon, I did realize within week itself that my happiness is slowly converting into sadness. My happy dream became my nightmare. There I could not find enough time after studies to do anything else and go anywhere else. We (me & seema) can’t eat anything we want, because we really have no idea how to cook and even have very limited money so eating outside is not possible either.
There is no family member around there, and now I used to miss them a lot. So, in result I used to visit home every week rather than in a month.
Sometimes, I feel so lonely there, that I wish someone should be here so that I can talk to him/her. And my friend Seema, she is a kind of sleepy person.
In childhood, I had never slept in the afternoon. Everyone used to sleep except me. I utilized that time as my alone time. I used to play, study alone. Because I was mad to be alone at that time.
How desperate I was to have some alone time. I had thought likes, how lucky those children would be whose parents are working parents (my neighbor). Because the children could have alone time. Not every moment, their parents will be present to guide them. Hey! Don’t do this or that, eat early, go to bed early.
But I was lucky enough. There is always a family member to guide and to took care of me. We used to watch TV every evening all together. Shows like Ramayana, Mahabharat & Shree Sai.
Electricity cut problem is very common, so that evening our grandmother used to tell stories of her time. And we are so fond of those stories, we completely dig down into the story.
How excited and full of joy life was?
Moving forward to current situation, at Dhanbad. Somehow, I managed to live there for almost three years. And the day come, when I am finally supposed to return my sweet home. I am of course not so much happy because being here for so long some kind of attachment has been established with my friend, with my classrooms and all batchmates.