Volatile Melancholy

There are so many things in life that I choose not to think about in whole...but when I actually do think about them I get so melancholic that often packing them away in the out-of-reach, out-of-sight, top-most shelf seems to be the best way to go. 

Baba has very willingly stayed back a few extra weeks to take care of I while he waits for school to start so that M and me could go back to work after the Christmas break. Yes you heard right. School! Little I starts 'big-boys' school this year. Time flies. Just the other day Ma was down in Chicago to help me out for the first few weeks after I was born! And now as if with a blink that little fellow is getting ready for school. In no time he will be off to Uni and then will be off to his own place, pursuing his own life and we will be Empty Nesters like Ma and Baba.

And when I come to think of it, Baba got the time to stay back and spend some extra time with us because he has voluntarily retired! But I almost wish he didn't. Not because the extra years of service would be of some financial gain to him or it would keep him busy or anything like that...just because the selfish me would still get to live with the comfort of knowing that my parents are still young and far away from being 'OLD'. Being old has so many different meanings at so many different levels...I don't even want to go there! 

And then when I actually pack these thoughts away it does not look so bleak and forlorn anymore. I is growing up (fast) to be the perfect 'son' that everybody hopes to have. And he is lucky to get to spend this time with his grand-dad. It is that special time of his life which he will probably remember only snippets of, but they sure will be fond memories of a summer well spent! And Baba is able to spend this time with him only because he does not have to go back to his 9am-5pm life and I am sure he will agree that this 'job' is far more exciting and rewarding at the same time.

 

I was lost in these thoughts when I was working on this painting of mine. The sudden bright golds and the foggy silver envelope the tall weeds as if entwining my fleeting thoughts and ephemeral melancholy and capturing them forever liberating me to spring back to my normal joyous self!

 

 



Volatile Melancholy by Dita