Viva La Vida!

 

“The light at the end of the tunnel could be you.” 

The closing words from Aerosmith’s ‘Amazing’ have been running in a loop through my head recently. Most of the year gone by has been a dark, endless tunnel for all of us across the world. People have been soldiering on through illness, the loss of loved ones, unemployment hunger and financial insecurity, all brought about by the kind of devastating global pandemic, we had all imagined was safely consigned to history books.

While trying to survive all this and more, one of the most crippling losses experienced by everyone has been the loss of hope. Friends, family and even the voices of strangers on social media have shared how they felt almost guilty to even remember the joys and pleasures of the days of old. Or more frequently, the darkness around us has been so intense that for a while it was impossible for any light to penetrate it, including the memories of things that enrich life: food, shared laughter, the beauty of the natural world and the man-made beauty and pleasures of the arts.

But now, as the dust settles a bit and the end of the year heralds a new hope with the first vaccines being administered, it may be time to look back with joy at the beauty of days gone by; and look ahead with positivity at the beauty of days to come.

This blog is an attempt to celebrate the bounties of the world around us, to share all the things that have filled my life with happiness – and to spark conversations that help spread cheer and light.

The past always exists in a perfect world, an idyllic Arcadia where the sun always shone, life was a bed of roses and there was nary a whiff of the manure that made them roses grow! 😉 While I am not attempting to view the past through rose-tinted glasses, I do want to delve into my storehouse of memories to celebrate moments of happiness, sunshine and light …and the people responsible for them.

People like the elderly taverna owner in Greece serenading us after-hours with an impromptu performance on the mandolin accompanied by generous goblets of his home-made wine; the Airbnb apartment owner in Tallinn who metamorphosed into friend and ‘hidden Estonia’ guide; the incredibly kind couple in Rotterdam who, unasked, helped a hopeless shopaholic (on the verge of tears) lug her horrifically heavy suitcases up a steep flight of stairs while their toddler regaled her with a nursery rhyme or two; the fellow solo traveller in Thailand who after an accidental meeting on a tour to Ayutthaya is now a friend for life, the Indophile store owner in a little village in Santorini, whose Indian adventures made me fall in love with my country all over again.

These are the stories of life, of this messy, complex but always beautiful world; and of the people and places which make it so special. I hope to share these stories as well as a little digital smorgasbord of all the things which kindle happiness and bring me good cheer- travel, literature, music, food, wine and the unrivalled beauty of this incredible planet that we call home. In short all things that are good for the spirits and the soul. Welcome to this little blog of happiness by soul kudi (the word for girl in my mother tongue Dogri). I hope my simple words can spark both joy and conversations.

 

 Viva La Vida!