This is something I do fairly often, but this morning I just stopped to enjoy the moment a little longer, and I realized that it made all the difference. Almost every morning, I open the wire mesh door to our little balcony and look down at the greenery and think to myself (apologies to Mr Armstrong) it's a wonderful world....well yes, there is the devastation in Japan, the people's struggles that turn violent in the face of oppressive state mechanisms, hunger and deprivation, repressive dictatorships in North Korea, Libya and smaller pockets around the globe....but still there is my tiny patch of a garden, with its blooming lilies and alamander, the hardy bougainvillea, the hibiscus that strains toward the sun from under the branching mango tree, and the beautiful bilwa (Bael) that stands by the front gate. And how could I forget the double jasmine, its plump, thickly packed petals holding in their scent until just the right moment touches them open, and then they can't stop perfuming the air until they are completely spent, brown and droopy against the dark green leaves.
It's just a small patch of garden, rocky for the most part, and rather sandy and unfertile. My mother tries to coax it into fecundity with persuasive additions of topsoil and compost, and loving sprays of water. But for the most part, it doesn't respond. When it does, however, it makes us sit up and take note. Suddenly, it seems like there are flowers to look at and smell, enough for my mother in law's puja and enough to put into a bowl and drink in the scent for a day or two. Straight down, the branches of the temple tree, almost bare of leaves but starkly beautiful with its smooth branches holding out flowers, their pink tinged petals holding a warm yellow centre. A little to the right is one of the three tall coconut palms, reaching up to the sky in an ever more hopeful bid to touch a cloud. Behind me is the faithful mango, which turns out a good crop year after year. Right now it is the hot and sour "manga thalar", raw mango cut into small pieces and seasoned liberally with mustard seeds and hing and chili powder and salt. And further to my left is the guava, which we had almost given up for lacking the ability to generate or grow good fruit. In between is the extravagant Ixora, its orange-red inflorescence demanding your attention. I'm keenly aware that in a city such as the one I live in, a garden of any kind is a luxury, despite the many hoardings advertising new homes in "sylvan" surroundings. So this morning I took an extra moment to soak in the little greenery I am privileged to look down on every time I go out on to the balcony.
As I go back inside and let the door swing shut behind me, I think yes, I can do this. I can face another day of rude car drivers and badly planned roads, buses that overtake from the wrong side and motorcyclists who weave trouble into the traffic. Part of my energy shot each day comes from this view of the garden.
It's just a small patch of garden, rocky for the most part, and rather sandy and unfertile. My mother tries to coax it into fecundity with persuasive additions of topsoil and compost, and loving sprays of water. But for the most part, it doesn't respond. When it does, however, it makes us sit up and take note. Suddenly, it seems like there are flowers to look at and smell, enough for my mother in law's puja and enough to put into a bowl and drink in the scent for a day or two. Straight down, the branches of the temple tree, almost bare of leaves but starkly beautiful with its smooth branches holding out flowers, their pink tinged petals holding a warm yellow centre. A little to the right is one of the three tall coconut palms, reaching up to the sky in an ever more hopeful bid to touch a cloud. Behind me is the faithful mango, which turns out a good crop year after year. Right now it is the hot and sour "manga thalar", raw mango cut into small pieces and seasoned liberally with mustard seeds and hing and chili powder and salt. And further to my left is the guava, which we had almost given up for lacking the ability to generate or grow good fruit. In between is the extravagant Ixora, its orange-red inflorescence demanding your attention. I'm keenly aware that in a city such as the one I live in, a garden of any kind is a luxury, despite the many hoardings advertising new homes in "sylvan" surroundings. So this morning I took an extra moment to soak in the little greenery I am privileged to look down on every time I go out on to the balcony.
As I go back inside and let the door swing shut behind me, I think yes, I can do this. I can face another day of rude car drivers and badly planned roads, buses that overtake from the wrong side and motorcyclists who weave trouble into the traffic. Part of my energy shot each day comes from this view of the garden.
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