Treasure. Writers island-8
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Treasure.
Treasure means different things to different people. Something you treasure can be meaningless to someone else. I never realized this simple thing for a long time. I guess it is because, we think that just because we feel about certain things in a certain way, everyone else too feels the same.
When I think of what I really treasure, it is undoubtedly the deep and loving bond that I share with S and with my children. I feel blessed to have a really loving family of my own. (Touch wood!)
I treasure my friends. I feel blessed to have people who really care in my life.
I treasure the huge collection of Children’s books and our books (numbering more than 800) that we have built over the years.
I treasure my ability to paint and express what I feel. I treasure my collection of paintings—the ones I painted as well as the ones Niall gifted me.
I treasure my book of poetry—that I have been writing since I was 17.
I treasure my grandfather’s antique wooden table with beautifully carved legs, that my dad used while growing up, I used while growing up, and my children using it now! The table has moved with me to thirteen different places that I have lived in, in the 36 years of my life.
I treasure the golden, sparkling shiny, tumbler made of an alloy of copper and brass which my grandmother used to have tonnes of black coffee from. My grandmother is no more, but I am so proud of her and her spirit. (shall save that for another post)
I treasure an old old book, with yellowing pages, that my grandfather gave me. It is a childrens book called 'School boys' that won the Stalin prize in 1951. It was printed in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic. U.S.S.R does not exist anymore. Neither does my grandfather.But oh—the memories!
I treasure my ability to connect to people. Really connect.
I treasure happy memories.
I treasure the ability to hope. And the ability to look back without remorse.
But most of all, I think I treasure my ability to laugh heartily and make others laugh.
You are rich indeed! I think many of those things would be treasured by anyone but some are obviously very personal to you.
ReplyDeleteWhen I had some things stolen last year, the thing that upset me most was that the handbag they took was a present from my mother and it was special as she has unusually chosen something I loved! (Her taste and mine is very different!). The other thing was the photographs stored on my laptop. Luckily, I had backed most of them up but I did lose some.
ability to laugh.. and make others too.. what a treasure to have.
ReplyDeleteYou have let us in on all your most loved treasures and we feel so special to be part of that...
ReplyDeleteLove your need to keep all around you happy...
i agree that our memories are our best treasures.
ReplyDeletechildhood, youth, the growing up,
moving out, drifting apart
and then meeting again!
in fact if we think about it - we are nothing but a bundle of our memories. everything that we relate to around us is related to us through the memories we harbor for those things - people, beings, things, feelings, ideas, everything.
without our memories we would be vegetables. don't you think so?
It was about time the Island had a treasure ;)
ReplyDeleteYou have wonderful things to keep and remember with a warm heart. How lovely.
Very nice collection of treasures.. esp the ability to laugh and the happy memories....
ReplyDeleteThe treasure
Wonderful treasures and lovely wisdom in the final four lines. Very nice!!
ReplyDeleteA lovely list of true treasures. I really liked it.
ReplyDeleteYou have beautiful treasures.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the mention!..It is a difficult thing..often we here those interviews were the celeb is asked "In the event of a fire..what one thing would you save from your house?"..how can we answer that one?...of course I'd stagger out with a pile of 70 or so framed pictures...(hoping that my family had got themselves out first..with all the photo albums...books...CDs....gold fish tank...and a clean change of underwear and socks...no! There CANNOT be a fire in my house!!!!
ReplyDeletethis was such a cherished list...esp the last four...a treasure worth coveting :)...suma
ReplyDeleteyour last treasure and a loving family is something I would choose too for myself!! Not everyone has the ability to make others laugh while being able to remain cheery and optimistic all the time!!! It is indeed a treasure! :)
ReplyDeleteThinking aloud: Thanks!
ReplyDeleteNiall: How could I not mention something that means so much?
Nessa:I feel blessed.
Keith:Thanks!
Tumblewords: Thanks.
DM: heh heh--very clever!
Bob-kat: A pity about the photos you disnt get back. I too really value my pictures--I know how you feel.
ReplyDeleteRambler:Yes--i do value it a lot.
Prats: i am like that Vonly! :-)
Guru: I thought about it--Memory can be two kinds.One is the basic things like brushing teeth, wearing clothes, the relation of people around us--father, friend, spouse etc etc, which we dont even think about.Second is specific incidents and events. We are talking about the second one.Imagine a scenario where, when we went to sleep at the end of the day , forget whatever has happened.We do not remember specific events and incidents.Would we be vegatables on waking up the next day? I dont think so.Next day presents a brand new canvas of life.
i agree.
ReplyDeletebut if you think about it, even the basic things which you mentioned, all the daily activities and all our relationships, are all nothing but memories.
some memories remain as they are deeply etched in our minds. many fade away with time.
imagine if i actually woke up one day with a clean slate! i wouldn't even know how to brush my teeth!!! :-P
Guru: Uff!! Wohi tho mein bol rahi hoon--ki 'basic memory remains'. If that gets wiped out, i think they term it Alzheimer's! :-) And let us pray that none of us have to battle it. I do feel really bad for the people who have it--but more so I fel terrible for their near and dear ones.
ReplyDeleteahhh... ok... same to same :)
ReplyDeletedon't blame yourself that you were not getting through to me. i think not getting it right the first time is a guy thing!
I bet just writing this post must've been such a pleasure for u.. it is worth appreciation that no blessing has been taken for granted. When we can appreciate and treasure the things, people so easily accessible to us, life becomes beautiful, hai na? :)
ReplyDeleteguru: I don't blame myself at all!! :-)
ReplyDeleteShru: Very true!Life is beautiful--if you know how to view it and put things in perspective!Sometmes that is really hard.
Pretty woman: thanks!
Preethi: thanks!
laughter...yes, please
ReplyDeleteJust bumped into your blog. Had to stop and say I enjoy your writing and the poem Over the Horizon had me smiling... Great writing.. I don't know why I didn't come across you earlier.
ReplyDeleteCheers
MM
http://thebratthebeanandbedlam.wordpress.com
"The ability to laugh and make others laugh".
ReplyDeleteThat makes you the most invaluable treasure to all those who know you.
Splendid post.:) So much beautiful things.
ReplyDeleteLittlewing : Ha ha ha..
ReplyDeleteMad Momma: I loved yours too!
Hari:Thanks!! What a fabulous compliment!
Sweetsticky: Thanks!
What Guruprasad said is so true, 'our memories are our best treasures'! Since I have a terribly poor memory (names, dates, faces, whole situations vanish in a couple of weeks), when I was thirteen I decided to start writing in a diary everything important that would happen in my daily life. These thirty something books could perhaps be considered one of the best 'things' I've treasured during my life since they allow me to recreate long lost memories.
ReplyDeletei treasur a lot of such stuff too...its worth more than the gold we keep in lockers...
ReplyDelete