Walking with the TITANS

The late evening sun was casting long shadows; the cool wind ruffled his hair. Bus was not crowded, Nitin switched on his playlist knowing that it was going to be a long ride. He couldn’t control the random feeling of excitement; he wanted to squeal, jump and laugh at the same time. He was going back to home, the long wait has ended. He took time to handle the abundant amount of freedom he had outside home, he thoroughly enjoyed his stay outside home, but now time has come to go back. He learned how to cook and the respect for his mom went soaring high!

He missed his mom badly, not for the food alone. Every boy’s first love is their mother. He remembered those precious moments which he spent with her. He still remembered his mother with great devotion would light the lamp in front of idols. He loved watching her keep bindi in her forehead, she used to dip the stick in the bottle and make perfect circle. How could she make perfect circle is always a wonder to him! She makes the awesome coffee in the whole world, how much he longed to taste it again. She always insisted him to have curd rice at the end of the meal, how much he hated it and made a fuss about it. There were days when he had craved for that bowl of curd rice. He has always admired his mom; she seems to be the source of love. She gives priority to her family first, every single day, doing her job with at most love and affection. How could she do that…? He knew he was never going to find an answer to that. From his mother he learned an important lesson in life, how to go on with your life doing things with utmost love and least expectation. He loved and respected his mother for what she had taught him in his life. And coincidently his ipod started playing “amma endru azhaikaadha….” Song, when these lines came:

பொருளோடு  புகழ்  வேண்டும்  மகனல்ல  தாயே 

 உன்  அருள்  வேண்டும்  எனக்கென்றும்  அது  போதுமே 

அடுத்திங்கு  பிறப்பொன்று  அமைந்தாலும்  நானுந்தன்
மகனாகப்  பிறக்கின்ற  வரம்  வேண்டுமே  

poruloadu pugazh vaendum maganalla thaayae   
un arul vaendum enakkenrum adhu poadhumae
aduththingu pirapponru amaindhaalum naan undhan
maganaagap pirakkinra varam vaendumae

He felt a small lump moving up his throat; from his heart’s deepest depths a warmth feeling was spreading across his body. Glistening tears formed in his eyes and hovered for a moment before he blinked rapidly to make them disappear. He loved those lines… every time it was the same feeling… he knew he will never find an answer to describe this feeling… beautifully written lyrics… lyrics… his mind drifted on to how much he concentrates on lyrics of songs…

His mind flashed him the picture of home; he was in his school days, watching television with his dad. He kept switching channels as he always does and finally decided to watch one of the top chartbusters, the next song which played was an old MGR song. He immediately picked up the remote to switch the channel when his dad stopped him.

Dad: “Listen to the wordings of this song…”

It was something new to him, listening to lines in song… something he never did; it was mostly music and the actors. He started paying attention to the lines:

என் என்ற கேள்வி இங்கு கேட்காமல்  வாழ்க்கை  இல்லை 

நான்  என்ற  எண்ணம்  கொண்ட  மனிதன்  வாழ்வதில்லை

en endra kelvi ingu kaetkaamal vaazhkai illai
naan endra ennam konda manithan vaazhvadhillai

Even though he was young the lines made sense to him, it opened up a new dimension to songs. It was because of his father he could enjoy so many great lines in the song. He remembered the times when his father would take him out on his bike; he would be sitting clutching the handle bar. Air rushing on his face, he felt as if he is driving the bike and was going to save the world! He loves to go shopping with his dad in super market, he would watch his dad purchase different things and he would push the trolley around. His chest would swell with pride when his dad enjoys the movie he suggested. His father carried a sense of calmness around him, he loved that. He learnt a lot from his dad, how to handle money, the freedom you are given, the importance of keeping up a promise. Mom is like heart but dad is the brain of the family. There were days when he would watch every 9 pm movie in star movies with his dad at times accompanied by his sister.

He loved the company of his sister, his crime partner at home. She was a good friend rather than an elder sister. How many times they have utilized the “study time” for gossiping. He smiled to himself, how many times he had fought with his sister and yet he loved her a lot. He used to bring CD/DVD of the actor she loves.

Nitin: “Here… I thought you might want to see this movie”

Sister: “wow… thank you so much da… I really wanted to see this movie… thank you so much…”

Even though he is pleased and happy that she liked it, he wouldn’t show it. He would give a look as if to mean “it was nothing”. Both would watch the movie and she would ask him if he liked the movie. He must have loved it but still he would say “it was ookkkk”.

Sister: “hey… can you please write this movie in a CD/DVD for me?”

Nitin: “What… his movie… you want me to waste a CD/DVD for him? No way… never…”

Sister: “hey please da… please… I’ll ask mom to give the money…”

Now that was the line he was waiting for

Nitin: “hmmm… okay okay…!”

He couldn’t stop smiling on the fight they had, he plucked the eyes off her Barbie doll and she didn’t speak to him for two days. :) How many times he had taken her help to do diagrams in record. Both of them would use their pocket money to enjoy ice-cream without parents knowledge and secretly smile about it at home.

Life has provided him with a chance to live, learn and share experience with the TITAN’S, people who are mightier than god. He again felt the feeling spread through him, he is lucky. The learning process from them was not quick but it was gradual.  They don’t teach these in school or can be learnt by reading books. What he is today is totally because of them. He made up his mind to hug them, a simple hug, every day, the least he could do to show his love. He has seen videos of “free hug” campaigns, may be it should start from home, something like “family hug”, hug your family first then the strangers :P a man cannot love others if he fails to love his family. Nitin smiled, his thoughts at times surprised him after all they are imparted from the living TITAN’S whom GOD’s couldn’t defy.