Chai Garam and memories

It's 1:00 am in the morning here and I have this nagging cough and cold. The American health system is absolutely retarded - but that's another story in itself and has already been told my michael moore so I won't mention it.

I'm not sure why but I suddenly had the urge to make some tea for myself, probably because of the cold. I also remembered how my Mom makes the most awesome tea with organic black pepper and cardamom in to help with the cold! I hunted around in my bag and found a box of the mix my mom had packed for me :) ! Ma you're the best !! Who else could you count on in the world to pack something so seemingly insignificant but something that she knew I'd miss sooner or later.

So here I am cuddling before my screen with the warm, comforting tea in my hand, the subtle aroma of bringing back fond memories and almost transporting me back in time. The number of nights I sat up with tea at night struggling to keep myself awake studying Physics, Chemistry or Maths for the JEE exam, the feeling of doubt whether i'll ever make it, the effort to find the hope and courage within. Travelling on those overcrowded north east trains, being woken up late into the night by the sound of the tea vendor calling out "Chai Garam" (hot tea), fumbling in my pocket for coins and sipping the hot tea in those clay cups with a couple of friends - excited to be going home after a long semester.

It all seems so long long ago. Like I've written earlier, sometimes the simplest things in life are things that you hold on to and which mean so much. It never fails to astonish me!

Back to my perl homework and then maybe I can read a chapter by Swami Vivekananda before the long awaited friday night sleep!

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