Once upon a time, humans lived in caves with the bare minimum of shelter and food provided by hunting and gathering. Slowly we got to find fire and wheels and everything that lets us be the civilized and social creatures that we are today.
A feeling of unease when you aren’t in a place that’s familiar, be it with regard to the people around you or your environment; it is commonly known as being
“homesick”. Since a couple of years, all of us who were away from our homeland, away from all the people we cherished since childhood, certainly have experienced this feeling in abundance. I recently got rid of it when I travelled back home to India this June.
Not much had changed, my family welcomed me wholeheartedly and the nostalgic feeling of rain on my skin returned after a long pause. One word for the rumble of thoughts and emotions that raced through my head in these moments – Refreshing. Leaving the hustle and bustle of my daily life behind I arrived in Kerala. Immediately I felt relieved to be back to my home I had been away from so long. The greenery, so many people walking by, the little shops on the roadside, the beautiful blue sky all seemed so much more noticeable now that I had grown used to seeing concrete buildings with compact parking lots everywhere. We often forget to look at the smaller things because of getting lost in the big picture. This goes to show just how much time can affect a person; how fast moments pass by without you ever knowing.
“Respect time” is a phrase I have always heard growing up but now I truly feel like I have gotten just a tiny little hint about why everyone always says that. When you are away from the things and people who you can call your own for a little too long, your complete identity can change drastically.
One (immaterial) thing I personally brought back to Kuwait from home is the knowledge that family is unparalleled when it comes to patience. This might sound very bland and generic to the reader (a.k.a. you) as there have been enough cartoons or shows or movies that keep talking about “family this” and “family that” but something I feel which is noteworthy to say is - No matter how many mistakes you make; your family will always wait for you - of course, the wait might be a little unpleasant for both you and them but a good family always knows to give you time when you need it.
Ever heard of the famous quote from the movie Forrest Gump? “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get” (if you didn’t, now you know). That is definitely something we all should try to live by because we never know what time will throw at us next either!