SOUND the flute!
Now it’s mute.
Birds delight
Day and night;
Nightingale
In the dale,
Lark in sky,
Merrily,
Merrily, merrily, to welcome in the year.
-William Blake (Song of Innocence-Spring)
You know spring is here when you see the New Yorkers spending time at the High Line breathing fresh air. The perennial favorite landmarks of the city, the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty are all crowded with tourists taking selfies and ‘groupfies’. Oozing out Easter exuberance, “No, this can’t be that pricey”; I hear the dwellers bargain for the things that they are going to wear for the Easter Bonnet Parade as I closely pass them by. Ethan and Emily are fighting over the weekend plans and I am reminded of one such vivid memory of South California.
Being the younger one, I was always at loggerheads with my elder sister Liz, she always felt like an intruder in my space. We resorted to scratching each other’s back, aiming to expose our worst sides to our parents. It was more of a love and hate relationship where things were like “I have got your back always but dare not use my charger”. The berserk scenario at home ended when Liz moved to New York and I got shamelessly ecstatic as that meant asserting my will at home would get easier without a compromise.
Kate, my childhood friend was always there to lend her ear and she responded by sharing her story which was identical to mine. “You know Bob when things had gone really ugly between me and my sister, we didn’t speak for eight long months”, she said. “Then how did you guys get back?” I asked. Having severed all connections, the two got back at a family reunion. Her story had tempted me to sort out things with Liz and one such Easter, Liz and I had started afresh.
The memory of that Easter still reverberates as I express to Aaliyah, “I miss her Gnochhi sprinkled with hazelnuts”. The entire family was out for a church visit followed by a boozy brunch at the Big Apple champagne sailing cruise, Liz and I had fixed our issues that day. Time flew but the bond got stronger between the two of us since then. Aaliyah hugged me tightly as she said, “We can spend this Easter with Liz again”. “Yes, let us do that”, I replied.
“Why couldn’t we gel so well before?”, was always a question on my mind, not getting an answer, it was best concluding that perhaps it was staying apart that got us closer. Liz and I are best of friends now, valuing this accidental relationship gifted by birth. Alienation over assorted ideals and temperament has always been there in every sibling relationship, it’s the very essence of it.
To have a new beginning is always a great idea and is a matter of time. Holding back past grievances will only prevent going ahead in life. The deep-rooted fissures and scars heal only by letting go off the bitter past experiences. Moving on and starting anew has always been a wise option. Without holding back, giving a shot is always worth it. Rekindle the old relationships with a fresh start this Easter! Happy Easter everyone!
