we had a big family reunion of sorts yesterday, mom’s side of the family, at our house…the first one at that level after a long time…
i was thinking yesterday, as my khala and maamoon’s and cousins were all asleep in our house…and i was up…that…being physically close to ur family is so important…going away just breaks the ties…coz u r not involved in their daily lives…and everyday they have needs and things to be taken care of…and if u choose to go away u r in a way shunning some responsibility…
coz its a cycle…when u were a baby, they helped u grow…and now when u r a grown up, u have to return something to them…tho i dont really know how
like…when i was a baby, i couldnt do anything…and i was living in my nani’s house where my khala and all my maamoon’s except the one in UK lived and my nani n khala and maamoons and cousins used to do everything for me…
my maamoons used to be the one who carried me in their godh everyday to buy me candies from the neighborbood shops and who used to fulfil my farmayeshein n bring me mangoes n faalsay after work
khala and cousins n momani used to make me special dishes whatever i asked and cousins used to take me around, sew me nice clothes and give me so much love..my cousin used to put me on his shoulder n give me rides around the neighborhood …play joo joo paiyaan with me…those rides u give kids on ur leg…and also give me rides in his motorbike n my maamoon’s car…cousin bajis used to tell me stories to make me eat…i used to love sleeping on their bed…on eid they’d put mehndi and nailpolish on my hands…
my older cousin once saved me from falling into a well and took a fall herself n got injured..
my nani once saved me from an accident and got hit herself so that her head was bleeding..
these r just some incidents…but there r many many
basically my family has just done an unbelievable lot for me
but its weird, im so involved in my daily life…all i’m concerned abt is MY happiness…MY goals…MY life…my extended family doesnt come into the equation of my thoughts anymore when i plan my future goals…and being a girl, dont mean to sound corny but one day i’ll prolly leave my meka n go to my susraal…
just like how i went to amreeka for kaalij so conveniently…during that time my maamoon’s son passed away…and i wasn’t here to hug my cousins to give solace to my maamoon…my khala had a bypass…and i wasnt there to stay with her at the hospital…
what will i be able to give back to my maamoons and khalas and my cousins who have done so much for me since i was a kid…?
and the whole idea of families dispersing geographically…its just sad..
friends can be there for u…sometimes even do more…but…khoon k rishton kee baat aur hoti hae
