Out of the many things that are constant inspirations for the unabated cute squabbles between me and A, one is my habit to collect souvenirs. Ranging from gifts, cards, soft toys to college files, registers and even a project floppy of one of my dearest friends, I’ve carefully collected and preserved these personalised items that are inevitable reminders of my near and dear ones and the wonderful time I’ve spent with them.
A calls all this useless clutter, more appropriately a piece of junk that crowds an already crammed space that is typical to a Mumbai household like ours. It is only the prospect of seeing the very scary side of me that has encouraged him to retain all my gifts and cards till now, else they’d have somehow found their way out of my home.
All this talk on old memories attached with such stuff has not come suddenly.There was something special that made me write about this right now. Back in school I had a pocket Oxford dictionary which I always referred to in case of any vocab related emergency, as is the case with any teenager who doesn’t want to make any embarrassing mistake. It was my constant companion and I carried it in my school bag everyday. I used it regularly and it sat on my desk comfortably along with my course books. I had scribbled my name over its first page quite hastily, but two of my friends, both with a very beautiful handwriting insisted that they use all their calligraphic skills and tag it themselves, which they did.
To cut a long story short, I’d blindly packed it with all my other stuff when I came to Mumbai and had not sighted it till some time ago. I was cleaning up some drawers when I suddenly spotted it lying amidst a bunch of books. Time has taken its toll over it (also probably while being moved around by helpers), the pages are coming off in bits and pieces, the spine is separated and a brief handling by A Jr has ensured tearing away parts of it. However, miraculously still in place is the first page along with my name written on it, beautifully, by two of my dearest friends. The moment brought back memories from the past and left me smiling away to myself, all day. The fact that its in a battered state didn’t even cross my mind. Useless clutter? I don’t think so! 🙂
Wish I could make A realise that no matter now big or small, what matters is the emotion of the person behind giving you something. It is not something that can be measured in material terms. Some things might appear useless, but can still mean a lot to someone.Isn’t it?
By the way this happens to be my 74th post. I’m glad I’ve reached this landmark and can’t express enough gratitude to all my readers and blog friends who motivate me to keep writing. The next one might take long, but I hope to make it special. 🙂
P.S : I think I’d let you know that one of my friends who wrote my name on that dictionary was none other than our very own Nu! 🙂
1st 🙂
yay for the 74th post Varsh 🙂 I'm glad you started writing :)Hey you know what reading this also brought back the memory of me writing names everywhere…I mean copies and text books..that habit I had !! LOLAnd who was the other one who had a nice hand writing other than me in our class ?? 😉
And no this is not at all any clutter..you remember our slam book diaries from class 10th ? I've it intact with me till now and I don't plan to let it go all my life 🙂 Treasure of life is what I'll call all these things…Ditto in my case..I've so many things kept with me since don't know when..and the best part is I remember who gifted me what 🙂 hgmm..gives me a post idea..shall post the pics of few nice things that I've got from kedar,Vaibhva and the likes on b'day 🙂
I'm a hoarder. So it's not good to ask me! 😛 Recently though my sister asked me if she could get rid of some of my college notes which are still back in Bombay and finally I said yes even though two years ago I wouldn't let mum clear it. I guess there are some things that do need to be thrown away…souvenirs are one thing…keeping notes from kindy to whatever is just collecting junk! 😛 And I didn't know you and Nu knew each other… 🙂
Oh I have a hard time discarding things too. So I am with you on this Varsh. Nu has good handwriting eh? Hmmmmmm!!
Some things have so much meaning attached to them that it's very hard to do away with them. It's not clutter, most definitely not. Congrats on the 74th, Varsh. WElcome back.
@PB: Me and Varsh were in the same school,same section and used sit on the same bench… 🙂
I guess I stand out amongst all of the bloggers where who is not a hoarder..maybe it comes from moving cities so very often as a kid and Mom discarding whatever she deemed not important as things were packed. Comes from having to measure every box that was packed because only so much stuff could go on.
Been back here after ages……wit my life goin topsy turvy an all wit d internship!!!…Newayz….I love ur habit of hoarding memories. I do that too!!! And I am a crazy fan of acquiring souvenirs myself!!!!…..guess birds of a feather flock together!!! :))
@ScribbleR: I knew you were one person who'd definitely agree this is not clutter! Such things are a part of priceless memories right?!I've always tried to make A find sense in this deliberation but he doesn't seem to get it. Good for him. :)I'm glad I reached the 75th mark too! Honestly I didn't expect it to happen, but now that it has I'm kinda proud and happy. Proud to have found a new passion and happy to have met so many new and wonderful friends through this medium. 🙂
@PB: Same here. I had kept my text books, notes and sheets back from engg days and had forbidden my mother to even touch them. Smart as she is, the first thing she got rid of after I got married was all that stuff, citing numerous reasons. :(But yes, like you said souvenirs are a different thing. Much more personal and close. :)Hey, by the way, after you mentioned him I read Rohinton Mistry's Such a Long Journey and absolutely loved his way of writing! Thanks for the suggestion!
@PB: And yes…like Nu said we go way back together. We've practically grown up together. And I owe Nu one for bringing me into this blog world. 🙂
@G: Oh yes. Nu has a wonderful handwriting. Haven't seen it recently, but back then it was amongst the best ones. She had a habit of scribbling just about everywhere.
@Titaxy: I know. Some things have so much more than just price attached to them na? You know, I might not like some gift someone has given me, but I always keep it, no matter what. Only for the gesture behind it. I think its worth it.Thanks T. I'm glad to have come this far. 🙂
@Comfy: You seem to feel things just like A. He didn't move cities as a kid, but since 12th he's been out of his home living alone. College hostels, sharing flats with friends, etc has taught him to keep his luggage minimum so as to be able to pack at an hour's notice easily. Atleast there's someone amongst us who doesn't keep collecting stuff! Great Comfy! 🙂
@Vyazz: Now here's a boy who's making us girls proud. I'm very happy to see that this domain does not belong to girls entirely! Indeed birds of the same feather flock together. Good going! :)I've not been able to keep track too. Been missing in action and not loving it. 🙁
I lost a lot of them, V, as my parents shifted and unceremoniously handed all of my collectives to the kabadiwala. It angered me but my parents were not even aware that this kind of ‘junk’ is essentially all my memories that have sweet stories attached to them.
Glad you still have a bit of those with you.