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Credit: DH Illustration
It was a transition phase for me, wherein I was just then trying to tread on teen-age from tween-age. And it was the moment, rather melancholic, when I lost my mother to massive cardiac arrest.
Though a total tyro in culinary terrains, ineluctably, I had to take over the task of tackling the kitchen chores, as I was relatively better acquainted in that arena than all others at home.
Now, if having to churn up some delicious food was a challenge, cramming down the same, cooked by me, was a greater challenge! Naturally, in such a scenario, even a cup of hot beverage being offered to me by somebody used to feel like a blissful luxury.
During such turbulent times, what turned out to be true bonanza was the thoughtful gestures of two of our neighbours, who took tonnes of pain in trying to send us veritable tongue-titillating meals during all mega festivals.
More than their astounding act, it was their amazing, caring attitude that gave us abundant comfort, especially during those angst-filled moments. Their immense love, inordinate compassion, and incredible concern for us are all indelibly imprinted in my heart even today.
Incidentally, there are a few such folks, with phenomenal gusto, who are perpetually on their prime agenda, picking up possible opportunities to proffer succour to people around them with their personal services whenever needed.
My spouse’s maternal cousin, Jayanthi, is one such. When my mother-in-law was undergoing major heart surgery, she made it her mission to be with us all through that one long month. And, on that forbidding and mentally-fatiguing night, following my father-in-law’s demise, she was fast enough to fix up some food for our entire family. Her gestures were indeed mind-elevating, even more so during such morbid moments.
Not just at sombre times alone, even during joyous occasions, such as big weddings, Jayanthi, being full of beans and brio, would ever be busy, bustling around, helping the host, in handling a barrage of sundry tasks.
In our busy workaday lifestyle, wherein we are woefully incarcerated in our own worlds, these kinds of wondrous gestures indeed warm up anyone’s heart. And yes, sincere, scintillating gestures do speak louder than slick, silver-tongued words.