The well loved house

I strongly believe that those people are truly blessed who still have their childhood home to come back to every year and if that is the ancestral home, then they are double blessed. Which, definitely is the case for me. In this 88-year old yellow brick house, I feel like a load is taken off me the moment I enter through the dark green heavy wooden door right under where the house number 125 is embossed.

I don't know what goes into making a house, but when it comes to making a home for five generations, I think our house has all the necessary ingredients. I am not sure how many houses in Calcutta are this well loved. How many houses of this stature exist in the city today anyway? The solid 25 inch brick walls have the capacity to shelter us from anything the world might throw at us. Those shiny red floors can brighten every spirit. To run up and down the stairs, to touch the railings and trace the shapes that they make, to spin those little things that are supposed to hold a window open once more gives me the feeling that the house is welcoming me home. I know that I can still walk blindfold all the way up the stairs to the third floor. My brain has it mastered so well. The familiar gong of the wall clock is so reassuring. That clock is also giving perfect time for almost a century now.

To come back here is to become my carefree self once more. The biggest decision I have to take now is how to decorate the Christmas tree and what ornaments to buy for it. Everything else is taken care of.

Do you remember those cordless phones? How they could be taken anywhere all around the house, but at the end of the day they were put on their cradles to be recharged? My home is like that. Wherever I may travel and roam, I need to come here for some time to get recharged.

"Wind in their hair and mud on their boots"

Of the things that please me, one of my dearest favorites is a pair of muddy hiking boots that I take off my tired feet. I did not know the pleasures of hiking until I got married and settled in Washington. The "upper left" corner (as one of my friend calls this state) of this country is a beautiful place, especially if you love Nature then you wouldn't need to look too far. Beautiful green trails attractive all year round with meadows of wild flowers, misty mountains, rain on fern leaves, ice crystals and the crunch of fall leaves under your boots will be enough to lift your spirits. I am so glad that REI tried to get everyone outdoors on the day of Black Friday. Instead of doing rounds in the shopping mall and spending money on a bunch of crap, they tried to make people go and enjoy things that come for free and actually do you good. And I can't be more grateful to have a partner who shares my enthusiasm in roaming in the wild, that the sight of a lake at the end of the hike is more attractive to him than an expensive leather jacket.

I have some dream hikes in my bucket list -

1. Wonderland trail - hike/backpack for 12-15 days. A trail that encircles Mt. Rainier.
2. Machu Picchu Inca trail - following Hiram Bingham to the "Lost City of the Incas"
3. African Safari - to the land where wild animals roam free....
4. Mount Kilimanjaro climb - to the Mountain of the Moon
5. Iceland winter adventure - maybe to find the center of the Earth?
6. And last but not the least - Mt. Everest base camp

It is difficult to explain what is so fascinating about Nature. I know of some people who (sadly) do not get inspired by Nature. One person went to the amazing Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park and asked his friend "ok I see the trees, now what? Do I expect the trees to dance for me?" No, they won't. The mountains won't join in a chorus, neither would the river beat the drums... actually things will be very quiet and you will hear the chirping of birds, the boom of a thunderous waterfall before you actually turn the bend and see one. If you hike along the ocean, you would take your time to see the different sea weeds and the strange and unique shape of driftwood. The main thing is to slow down. I am a goal motivated person, so sometimes I have the tendency to keep walking with the end of the trail in mind. That feeling of achievement is good, but hiking isn't a competitive sport. You don't have to prove anyone anything. Last week, this mentality made me walk past beautiful ice crystals without noticing them. Good that Arnab was behind me and he pointed them. Later I intentionally slowed down to admire the mushrooms growing on stumps of fallen trees.

Long back I received four books by National Geographic specially created for young explores. I am so glad that my uncle gave those to me, because growing up in a city in India, it would have been very difficult for me to learn to admire the little things Nature offer. The books - "Creatures of the woods" and "The World beneath your feet" had opened my eyes to look at this world from a different perspective. It taught me to love animals (despite their looks) and to make me aware of a vast and beautiful Nature.

Skinny shaming

"Do you buy your clothes at the kids department?"
"Your bones would make good toothpicks."
These have been comments that I am very familiar with. People have grabbed my wrists to show how small they are, some have also grabbed my neck to show how small it is. I have been asked why I need to work out and yes, many times I have been told to eat more or else I would be blown away by the wind. I have got many comments on photos posted on Facebook saying I look skinnier than before. The best part is when I visit India (almost annually) the same set of people ask me if I have lost more weight than the previous year. I wonder if there was any time in history when they have seen me as anything else but skinny. The fact that I am probably much healthier and have more energy than my so-called curvy counterparts escape people. Then there are some who just can't believe if I do gain weight. Even if I tell them that I have grown out of my clothes, they will confidently say that the cotton clothes have shrunk.

Why is it not ok to fat shame people even when they are using the word "fat shaming" as an excuse to lead unhealthy lifestyles but it is ok to skinny shame someone who eats healthy and is a regular hiker? No I am not "lucky", I don't starve, I am not "on a diet", it is in my genes to have a faster metabolism. You can be jealous that I drink whole milk and don't gain a pound but there is nothing that you (or I) can do about it.

It is mean to make fun of anyone's weight. I understand that people might not be meaning any harm, but a constant reminder that "you need to gain weight in order to look pretty" doesn't do good for a girl's confidence. I know very well that shopping for a watch or a bracelet is difficult. I know that there are very few clothes that I can wear (thanks Ann Taylor for your petite section). These are reminders enough and I don't need your snarky comments to add to that. I am lucky to not let these things matter and I was unfamiliar with the term negative body image until in my late twenties but considering the general population, skinny shaming can be as bad as fat shaming. If you really find someone starving herself or not eating properly explain to her why an optimum body weight matters. Yes, I am trying to gain weight, not because it will make me look nice but because I need to maintain an optimum weight in order to stay healthy as I age. I am eating well, at regular times and yes, I can indulge myself with chocolate croissants and hot chocolate if I want to without any worry. If you try to shame me because you are jealous about it, sorry! One of my friends said that it is a coping mechanism of unhealthy overweight people. I agree with her, especially after I have heard people tell me, "I used to be like you before having kids" with a sigh. But hey, you know what, my mom is still pretty slim after having me so sorry if I disappoint you by staying slim even after having kids.

Why I brought this topic up today?
1. I feel it is unfair to make anyone feel bad about the way she looks.
2. It is even more unfair when you can't call a fat person fat but can easily shout out to a skinny person from across the room telling her to eat another sandwich.
3. A healthy mind in a healthy body is all that matters.
4. I will be going to India soon and woe to that person who greets me with a "did you lose more weight?" comment this time. This is a fair warning.