My weekly Slice of Life are my letters to my Doddamma. She is my father’s elder brother’s wife. Doddamma literally means ‘elder mother’. She is 89 years old. She cannot hear properly if I telephone to talk to her. So, I have been writing letters to her since October 2017. I enjoy writing letters and she is happy to read them. They are only about the everyday moments in my life. Since last week I am sending my letters by e mail to my cousin’s wife. She is reading them to my Doddamma. We are at home and cannot go to the post office to post the letters.
5-05-2020
The lockdown which started on March 24th is being relaxed slowly. But the question in each person’s mind is will life be the same again ? It will not. Cities have attracted people from the villages in search of work and to what they hope will be a better life. They have lived there all their lives there but are now going back to their villages. How can they survive without wages in cities? Wonder what will happen to them?
How long will it take us to accept coronavirus as part of our lives? Can we live without fear of infection? The face mask, physical distancing and other things will always remind us of it’s presence. A Professor of Dentistry in the Dental College was worrying about the future. I think most people are worrying.
In the midst all these worries it was good to read about the Indian Railways distributing food free to the hungry at different stations. Samad and Yasir have been distributing water to beggars, mentally ill people on the streets and police men every morning. They wanted to help people. Many donors helped them in their good work. Instead of wasting time, three friends decided to clean the litter by the roadsides and also in the river. Unfortunately, so many people do not hesitate to throw their garbage by the roadside. I keep hoping the fear of virus will teach them to keep their surroundings clean.
I am enjoying listening to stories of Sherlock Homes in Audibles. It is a different experience. I finished listening to Pied Piper by Nevil Shute. The story is set during World War 2 and our lives in these times is not very different than what life was like in those years!! On the 26th morning we had a book club meeting through Zoom. Aravinda and I from India, Todd, Sage and Vicki from Canada and Sasha from Australia. We enjoyed the meeting.
The weather is very hot and I made tamarind squash more than a week ago and passion fruit squash today. Both are good. I have been baking different types of breads and one was disaster 😊, though we could eat it with vegetable soup.
It is now almost ten in the night and I can smell the fragrance from the Parijatha flowers blooming in the three in our garden and in the mornings the fragrance of Champaka flowers from our neighbour’s garden add beauty to our lives.
Flowers are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
( Jasmine flowers in our garden)
https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/comment/revisiting-hitler-in-today-s-age-831662.html
https://www.deccanherald.com/state/youth-ensure-no-thirsty-souls-on-the-streets-830653.html
Mukhamani 
I don’t think anyone knows what life will be like after this is over. I think we can all agree that it will not be what it was. My one hope is that people would continue doing the good they are doing. We need to stop thinking of ourselves and more about what we can do to help those around us even if it is just a friendly smile in passing.
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Yes Arjeha. All the kindness happening around us gives me hope.
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Is that parijat flower’s photo?
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No, it is a jasmine. I did not have a recent photo of a parijata flower. I love this flower, it is simple and beautiful.
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I thought so but you mentioned parijat and champak. So I got confused.
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I share your concern about these harsh times, and wish that once it is over we recognise the lessons we have learnt. I too have marvelled at the kindness of people helping the less fortunate. All best SAN
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I imagine sitting with you in the warmth smelling the lovely flowers. Peace.
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Wish you the same. Thank you.
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May you and your loved ones remain safe and well.
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Your last paragraph about the Parijatha flowers and the Champaka flowers was so evocative. It is almost eight o’clock in the morning here with blue skies but still cold. I can see our three trees as I write. There is an ash tree, a silver birch and a larch. They are all a bright emerald green that I like to think is the same Lincoln Green worn by our local hero, Robin Hood.
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