Ronnie & Me - II

Ronnie, as one of the people who commented on my previous post put perfectly, is barking happily in Dog’s Heaven now. Though I have shared my special bond with him in that post, I couldn’t help but write another one today.

When my dad told me yesterday that Ronnie is no more, I knew it was something I had known I would hear soon enough, but had hoped will never. It is strange to imagine my family’s home without the big black furry canine roaming about, strange to think of the breaks in their routine. No one needs to take him for walks morning and evening, no one needs to give him his milk and bread, no one needs to yell at him for sitting across the length of the room and making people hop over him to cross…Damn, it was a given that his woof would follow each ring of the doorbell, and he would consequently make it difficult for anyone to talk to the poor fellow at the door or let him in.

Ronnie had saved our lives on more than one occasion. He had alerted us at 1 am in the night that there was a snake in the driveway. He had come face-to-face with the serpent, and stood his ground, barking loudly, not letting it move an inch towards the house. He had scared away burglars (as one expects guard dogs to do). He had watched my baby nephew and would come and bark no end if he cried.

He is gone now, but I just wanted to let everyone know what and how much he had meant to me and my family. You will be missed, Ronnie Sherman.

I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing!

I realized the other day, that the only kind of people who make me jealous are travelers.

Travelers of all sorts. Those with the big backpacks, who just set out with some maps, a lot of hope and no plans,  dropping their anchors wherever they find place, going along with wherever the current takes them.

Those with the sturdy suitcases, with their schedules planned to the last flight, train or bus that would take them to all those places whose names they have read and re-read in the thick stack of guidebooks that they carry everywhere.

As a host on Airbnb, I’ve had the chance to meet some amazing people out to see the world for themselves. Just listening to them talk about their globe-trotting is inspiring, and oh-so-tempting. I actually met a couple who had sold off their house and everything else along with it to explore different countries, renting places through Airbnb! What an extraordinary way to live!

There is just so much to be seen on our planet, I wonder if you can experience it all in one life. The big city lights of New York, the pretty little cafes lining the streets of Paris and Rome, the crazy street food in Bangkok, the snowy peaks in Switzerland, the towering castles of Romania, the carnival in Rio, the clear blue waters of the Caribbeans, the Tibetan monasteries...I would probably have one helluva bucket list.

I believe we are not meant to stay in one place all our lives. We cannot leave Earth without experiencing its myriad wonders.  

I imagine myself seeing it all someday. And I don’t wanna miss a thing!

A Carton of Memories

Imagine opening a carton of memories, of childhood pastimes and obsessions. I recently did, quite literally.

Locked away in an old brown cardboard box, covered with brown tape, was the colorful world of my wonder years. It was with unhidden excitement that I tore off the tape and opened the carton, with a shine in my eyes that would match that of a thief who has found his gold!

And I was not disappointed.

I found the safely-kept Asterixs and Tintins, those treasures that have been passed down the generations in my family. They had kept me fascinated for many a summer afternoon. I used to promise myself I would get up and do my homework once I finished reading one of them. The stories and the characters have stayed with me and my brothers…we even remember the lines!

I found the amazing Where’s Waldo books, which had kept us engrossed for days on end. The red-striped tee guy with the big glasses, funny hat, walking stick and the stack of books (all of which he kept losing!) brought back that crazy urge to just sprawl on the bed and find him on every single page, along with everything in the checklist at the back! Once again, I wandered through the lands of the Unfriendly Giants,the Deep Sea Divers, the Magical Flags, the Flying Carpets and Outer Space.

I found my favorite collection of Disney classics, a golden hardback that held more magic than a wand. I had read every story over and over again. I had tried my hand at copying every beautiful illustration that made the pages come alive. It cast a spell on me again that day.  

I found my Baby Book that told me I have loved noodles since I was 3 and watched my first movie when I was 6-months old. I found all my sketches intact. I found thick encyclopedias that kids have no use for anymore,but had been prized possessions that got us through school projects and firmly embedded amazing facts into our memories for life.

I found more than just books that day.