Letters from the Past!

Prologue: There are 3 ways in which you can read this post; One: if you are a poetry person just read the poem that is in italics. Two: if you are a prose person, ignore the poem read the paragraphs only. Three: read the whole post at a stretch.

When in calm waters my ship sails

I’ll write to you of my travels and travails…

I love long letters. I’ve loved them ever since I can remember. And if you sift through my cupboard you will find loads of them stacked neatly.  Alongwith, you will also find memories of many years compiled and treasured. Papers of varying shades-right from brown to white and from green to red. You can easily spot how the handwriting has changes over a period of time. Sifting through them you will find reflections of teenage girls turning into young ladies. Almost ten years’ worth of smiles, tears and priceless moments captured by paper and ink.

For you, my life’s story I’ve painted

It’s been merry, high, low, and tainted…

Some of them are like puzzles with a piece missing here and a piece missing there. It’s like opening an ancient box and revisiting a time that faintly exists in memory. Pieces of paper that are solid evidence of a land that once existed. A place where we grew up, had fights with our best friends, cried when our friends moved to another city, had teenage crushes and wrote to each other saying we’d stay in touch long after this place would be gone.

I still find the words I need to say to you

Every time I write, it’s starting a friendship anew…

And then there’s evidence that we kept our promises. Though we moved away, we never moved apart. There are stories that narrate how we moved onto a new level. Of how we met different people but none like each other. How we loved being free yet missed being guarded. And, how we smile at those ‘kiddish’ things that we did while we were growing up!

I’ve journeyed through time as far as I could go

I’ve captured those moments ‘cos I wanted to let you know…

From being ‘kids’ to being ‘grown ups’, I have a whole stock that is proof of the fact that time can change everything that we ever thought. And it is a reminder of the fact that time can still change anything that we do think. Those letters are a gift of the friendships that I gifted myself. A friendship that has grown deep with every passing year and continues to intertwine us however far we may journey into time.

I am coming home; I’m coming home to thee

Instead of the letter, my friend, wait for me…

I know one thing for sure, we will continue writing those letters. Either on paper or over e-mail but that doesn’t dilute the bond we share. For such friendships we make for ourselves and we treasure them too. One day, long after we have played our parts in this wide world, there will come a time for us to slow down and that is when I’ll look back at my stack of letters and smile. Smile at how we would have managed to paint our friendship’s and lives with words. Smile that I gifted myself such friends and times to remember!

And when we’re home having tea together

We’ll have each other and a memory to remember.