Summer holidays will never be the same again.

It’s a lazy Saturday. And I have nothing concrete to do. I am sitting and thinking what has changed in the last few years around me, and what is it that I miss the most? 

If there is one thing that I miss the most, it has to be my summer holidays! I am sure many who have got sucked into this cycle of work would agree with me on how much they miss those 2 months. For many, the 2 days off on weekends is nothing less than those 2 months!

If my memory serves me right, all my vacations in school (except for Std. 4^th) were spent in Kerala with my grandparents. The one vacation that I missed was because of the sudden demise of my dad. And since then, year by year I had just being growing closer to my grandparents.

Tickets used to be booked much in advance. My mom used to manage to get some leave from work to drop my sister and me at our native and would return back in the same week. And the 2 months to follow were the best ones in the year.

Playing around the house, eating all the time (it used to show once I was back) visiting the neighbors (and eat there as well!)  And staying at my aunt’s house, the fun times with my cousins and what not!

In all these years, slowly and steadily the bond with my grandparents just got stronger and stronger.  After Dad’s demise, this was a shock for all of us, my grandparents used to wait for both of us to reach there year on year, and more than us they would want those 2 months to go by slowly. 

I remember crying out loud while sitting in the train and not wanting to leave them and kept asking everyone that why I can’t stay back with them? 

While leaving us at the station, he always used to take a promise from us that we would write letters to them regularly. And we never failed to break that promise, both of us used to write and eagerly wait for their reply. The best part used to be, the next vacation they used to show us the letters that we have written to them throughout the year! My grandma also shared a secret as to how my granddad used to read those letters again and again!

20^th December 2006, my granddad left us and I couldn’t meet him, even though he kept asking me, when are you coming to meet me? I think, not meeting him before he left me will be one of my biggest regrets.

A lot has been learn from him and for me, he will always be a role model. 

Today, I am working in the same organization that my granddad worked for 18 years. I am sure he would have been really happy to see me there.  

Last year, with grandma being really serious, spending some time with her was least that I could do. 17^th September 2011, after battling for months she left us and joined my dad and granddad up there. I am sure together, they must all be in smiles. 

Even if there have to be summer holidays ever again in life, they will never be the same! 

 

Photograph clicked in December 2004 when they were in Bombay to celebrate Christmas with us.