My Moments # 1

In less than 2 months, I am turning 30 ... I have been thinking about this FACT for the past few months and I am excited and I have been reflecting at my life for the past almost 30 years ... the ups and downs, the hardships and happy moments. The accomplishments and failures. I have been thinking about them.

Owing to these thoughts, I have decided to do a blip series. A journal of memories. There are some memories which are documented i.e. in the form of pictures and letters and there are some memories which our elders tell us ... yet again there are some which are our own and have been in our minds for ever. They are not significant, they are not important, they are not being recalled and reminded of ... They are those memories and feelings to some extent that are within us and they come back to us on the fly.

Yesterday, when I decided to start this series, I started to recall some memories and feelings which were my own. Nobody has ever told me of these and there is no documentary proof of these and have decided to share them in the form of a photo-series.

When I was born my father was a student of Civil Engineering at the Army's university of Engineering. I was premature at birth and I was told that I was kept in an incubator for 6 weeks (which was out of order and my father fixed it). My mother stayed in the hospital for 6 weeks and used to feed me milk with a 6cc syringe after every two hours.

This is what is told to me and ofcourse I don't remember any of this. My earliest memory is of when I had just started school (kids kampus in Lahore). I was almost 3 at that time. I was playing on the merry-go-round and I fell and had a head injury and I started to bleed. I remember someone taking me to the nearby tap and washing the blood off me.

The strange smell from the lunch boxes of kids when it was opened at recess time. Does anyone remember that odd smell of food which used to make me nauseous or am I the only one?

Used to love the art class. The hand painting and potato painting and cutting/pasting different colored papers to make abstract art.

The way to the school from the house and that the gate of the school used to be closed and there was a small entrance at the side of the gate.

The fact that egg sandwiches (for birthday parties) were made from nurpur butter instead of mayonnaise and that they were kept in damp cloth so that they did not dry out.

The way my mother used to feed me soft rice with mince meat and butter. No wonder, It is still comfort food for me.

Then there was a time when my father was posted in Kashmir and us(my mother, me and my younger brother) were in Lahore living with my paternal grandmother. During the summer vacations, we used to visit my father and live with him for a few months. Some memories from there are:

Me and my brother having Daal (Lentil curry made with spices and ghee) and roti (sort of like pita bread but not really) with the soldiers. The smell and taste of which I have not forgotten to-date.

Sunflowers and the fact amusing me that they are always facing the sun.

Looking at the fast flowing Neelum River from the bathroom window and wondering what would happen if somebody falls in.

Of burning wood and dried melon seeds.

Climbing on the window sill and then jumping on the bed.

That is all that I remembered. My series will not be consecutive blips. They will come as and when I remember my most precious moments.