Does this make sense?

My youngest cousins oh-so-tender feet

For those of you who have been here earlier, welcome back. Yes, my blog has a different layout now and yes, I have an image of Buddha on. Does this mean I am becoming more spiritual? Or that I am going to preach about meditation? No. I can’t even concentrate for 2 minutes if I sat down with my eyes closed. In fact, that makes my usual train of thoughts run even faster. Does this mean I need some peace/ constant in life, considering how life has been as unpredictable as the weather? Yes. Someone once told me that staring into Buddhas’ face gives you an immense sense of relief and peace inside you. Still staring…….

What brought about the sudden urge to write a blog after half a decade? A candle. That’s right. I walked into Bath & Body Works the other day and I have a habit of shamelessly whiffing all scented candles, enjoying different fragrances and regretting smelling some. So, I picked up this candle that was a combination of Sandalwood and Vetiver (Name of an earthy root) and one whiff of it instantly sent me back home. I was in the middle of the store in the U.S and all of a sudden I started missing going back home to this fragrance each day and every memory associated with it. That's when I started wondering about the deep correlation between our senses and memories. I know you must be going all "Duh!", but it's amazing how a simple smell, taste, sight, or sound can create an overpowering impact on us and our lives, in a jiffy. This line of thought got me reminiscing about the common sensations that lead to fond memories. My top 5 would have to be,

The smell of rain a.k.a Petrichor. When the first few drops of rain hit dry land and the air gets filled with this earthy fragrance, it instantly takes me back to the ever-unforeseen Chennai rains in summers and Kerala during monsoon. I constantly find myself wanting to store this scent in a bottle. (Multani Mitti smells something close to this)

Taste of filter coffee. Oh. My. God. This is a feeling that has a string of memories right from my childhood where I woke up to mom’s classic filter coffee aroma to having “first-class” degree “kaapi” with “de-caution” (Read: decoction) in Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, which happens to be my mom's birthplace. Like they say, you can take a Tamilian out of TN but not the NEED for freshly brewed filter coffee out of them.

The sight of the sea. There is a feeling of infinitude that pacifies you when you look at the thrashing waves relentlessly hitting the shore. Immediate flashback to Elliots beach in Chennai. The endless hours spent staring at the horizon, long walks on the sand and the taste of unlimited “molaga bajji’s” (Fried Chilli Snack) that I hogged on sitting there.

The sound of Indian Rail Horn. A sense of pride, with being the 2^nd largest rail network in the world and all that. But then, what that sound takes me back to is the many many long train-journeys to Delhi and Kerala while immersed in amazing books and interesting conversations with random strangers who become friends by the time the journey ends.

The Touch of a baby’s feet. Oh my! According to me, this is the most satisfying feeling, that makes me realize how pure and tender we are when we come into this world and the path that those teeny tiny feet will take once all grown up.

Well, following my train of thought can lead anywhere and nowhere. So, I am stopping now. However, I ask you all to please take a minute and rejoice these little moments or feelings and stash them in your memory bank because these could be the reason for you to smile between your busy days and may compel you to make things happen just so you could reminisce them later.