Sentimental Journeys

I decided to go for a walk in the park after a few days of heavy rain; feeling moody and solemn earlier in the morning.

I wrap up in my black coat, my red scarf and gloves before I venture out into the merciless wind. As I approach the park, I notice how green the grass is and how luscious the leaves are on the trees! The rain has nourished them so much they are glowing! I take a few longer strides to get to the middle of the field and take in the beauty of the velvet green carpet, adorned with tiny buds waiting to blossom. As I inhale, I see flashbacks of the greenery and when I close my eyes; I can feel the freshness in the air which takes me back to the fragrance of the mango groves in our farm in Bangladesh. I smile as I roam around the park admiring nature’s beauty with the sudden burst of energy from nostalgic emotional charge.

I wipe the bench dry and sit down for a little rest. I rest my head on the bench and again I am flying away to the time of my blissful childhood. The trees and grass also turned a vibrant shade of green after the monsoon downpour. I remember when we used to visit our farm, I could always tell which fruits were ripe because of their scent. The wind carried their names, asserting their presence. The aroma of lemons tingled my nose with their zest, the exotic pineapples enticed all my senses and the sweet mangoes urged me to get off the slow rickshaw and run fast towards the tree bearing the most delicious and succulent fruits. Then there were the jackfruits with their thick prickly skin protecting their shiny jewels inside.

When the monsoon rain was extremely heavy, the mangoes used to come loose and fall to the ground. Their perfume was intoxicating! I, with my cousins hastened to go under the trees with bowls to catch the little delights. If we didn’t have a bowl, we used to stretch out the fabrics from our clothing as nets to have one or two. I remember how we used our teeth to bite into the skin and peeling it off hurriedly, relishing every bite and every sip of the honey like juice. Licking our arms down to the elbow as the syrup made its way from the grip of our hands. Sheer bliss!

I am brought back from the reverie by tiny drops falling from the sky on my face. I can feel my wide smile as they moisten my lips. I raise my eyelids to see the grey and gloomy sky widening its breadth above me. Although there are no mango trees here, their fragrance is never far from me. Their scent take me back to the days of pure fun where I thrived in my childhood. Their delicious taste is there on the tip of my tongue and I can taste it, every time. It’s like magic!

I am eternally grateful for the magical years of my childhood. I had nature in an abundance around me and the earthen smell to nourish my senses. Nothing can compare to nature’s majesty!