Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Most precious

What’s the most precious thing you have? Asks a friend. If there’s a fire, what are you going to take out of home with you? Given that all people and dogs and fish are out, of course.

Don't think too long. Remember, there's a fire.
I’d first take the photos. My babies, sepia-tinted me as a baby myself, of friend-filled manic years, of getting married (if only to prove I once had a 24 inch waist) – these are memories – can’t let them burn.

Then to the kitchen to take the recipe books full of Ma’s hand-written recipes that no one else on the planet can make… ooops, kitchen’s full of smoke – oh that’s ok – I left the fried egg still frying. While here, must take Nik’s sipper – cos without it, he’ll never drink a drop again (Alcoholic Anonymous’ pledge).

Can’t take something of Nik’s and not Neel’s. Will have World War 3. OK, take Neel’s light shoes with Xoxo masters on them. And his glow-in-the-dark pig. Oh, there’s his birthday drawing for his Dad – a dinosaur eating up someone (hopefully not his Dad) – must take that.

The antique grandfather clock, the wedding portrait of my parents (which makes everyone ask how 2 good looking people produced someone like me J ) , the sword we got from Venice, the hand-made quilt.

My jewellery? Or will the fire melt it to one solid lump of gold, which I can use to fill my teeth. Our leather-bound family bible. S’s bible – the Best of Rolling Stones. Our collection of Just William books.
MY LEVIS JEANS.. nothing else makes my legs look so long…
Fire all over the house now !
Box full of papers? Proof of birth, proof of marriage, proof of graduation….S’s 180 proofs?

Too much to take, too little time.
And then I hear the little voice that says : Leave it all behind. You’ll go, as you entered. Without anything.

13 comments:

  1. A poignant piece on materialism.
    There is a Sanskrit shloka which translates to this - He who seeks knowledge, will not seek comfort. He who seeks comfort will not achieve knowledge.
    Since things are but providers of comfort, I can but observe that you have translated this into your own inimitable verse.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Won't you take your DWord with you

    ReplyDelete
  3. As Ved rightly said, let not materialism absorb us. Funny how we absorb it. The matrix movie comes into my mind now :).

    ReplyDelete
  4. Documents. Bank documents. Insurance docs. And cards. And ID proofs. These have to be first. How else do you think you'd rebuild from...ash?

    ReplyDelete
  5. I would still take the Levi's though. God only knows a perfect pair of jeans come by only once in a lifetime!

    ReplyDelete
  6. so true jane, we get so caught up with our belongings, almost identify with them and can't seperate them from our exiastence, almost as if we are not who we are without them....and that little voice always nudging us, but how often do we listen.....so simple yet so basic a truth ....

    ReplyDelete
  7. i would perhaps be stuck inside forever...unless someone comes to drag me out :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. wutever happened to the all important running shoes?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ved, it's a piece on sentiment, not materialism actually.
    slash - sentiment, not practicality.
    Vinoo - i was wearing them

    ReplyDelete
  10. Beautiful thought Jane,few of us stop to ponder like that.If we did we would realize the futility in most of what we do.

    ReplyDelete
  11. true, mona. writing is my way of stopping and pondering. Or else I'm always in a rush to get somewhere.

    ReplyDelete
  12. jane, you make us stop and ponder as well. thanks for interrupting our rush to get somewhere.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Excellent Jandy, love the messages you send out at the end in every post you write.

    ReplyDelete