Mindless chatter fills the usual silence of this bedroom,
Scores of people occupying a space meant for 2,
For the first time, I welcome the chaos and commotion,
And hope it never leaves me.
There are platefuls of food, drinks, traditional delicacies,
It’s a potluck of happiness and love,
Because nothing expresses love better than little bowls of homemade dal and boxes of sweets.
Today, there are board games strewn across the coffee table,
Leaving me scratching my head, “when did I get board games?”
Then the other voice cut in, “wait, when did I get a coffee table?”
They just know. Family just knows;
They know things you do, things you don’t, things you didn’t know you didn’t know.
It’s wonderful to think,
How much we work, commit, and suffer,
To be able to able to afford a good life;
To afford food, warmth, and a roof;
And to make it back home every year,
To a ‘home’ that has it all,
And a home we leave to live alone,
Somewhere cold, lonely, and far away.
The irony is overwhelming,
But I push the existential thoughts for another day,
A day like tomorrow,
When a house of two will be occupied by one,
And when I won’t be able to find board games on coffee tables.
(Photo credits: Pexels)
