Strolling by the Park

My first memory of having good food at a nice restaurant dates back to the day when my sister, Bonti took me out for a meal at a Bistro in Park Street. It was in the middle of my school holidays. The entire city was gearing up for the main festival of the year. Excitement and fun lingered in the air. My sister and I were together at last.

                                                           

The loveliest memories are made in the most obscure ways...

I remember us taking the Metro to reach our destination. It was the first time the two of us were allowed to do something major--like going out for lunch...completely by ourselves. We were free, finally! I was so overjoyed to have been set free. We were asked not to raucously laugh on the streets. We raucously laughed on the streets. We were asked to head to our destination, have the meal and immediately return home. We wandered around the streets chatting like little kids. We had fun. For the first time, we experienced true freedom.

The best pizza of my life was the one I ate with her sitting at that Bistro. I am not sure if I'll love it now as much as I did back then. The fact that it was probably the second pizza I ever had; may have something to do with me calling it "the best pizza of my whole life".                                             

                                                                   

Nevertheless, the memory of that day has lived on in my heart ever since. I consider it to be the beginning of my freedom, and I love being free. I love being surrounded by people who let you be what you want to be, respects your choices and always provides you with valuable advice; but never at the expense of destroying your independent mental space. After all, who doesn't? Right there, is the description of a life worth living.

As the quarantine rages through, and I sit without any work at hand...my mind fills up with happy memories I have made throughout the years. Who knew the simple act of eating out with your beloved sister could hold so much significance in your life? Reliving these memories have become a coping mechanism for me. They make me smile and quietly light a small candle of hope...