I used to watch them while I was barely a kid.
Their times together was mostly early mornings in the dim kitchen light over a cup of tea and Marie biscuits. There was an old chair and a small round wooden table in a corner where he sat and sipped his tea leisurely while enjoying his Marie biscuits.. before he proceeded with the rest of the morning chores. That corner was mostly his. While she sipped her tea sitting near the gas stove, they talked nineteen to dozen. They spoke on Politics, a few relatives a little bit of this and that. By that time the sun would have risen and their usual chores began.
Puja, breakfast, him going to the office. While she got ready to cook lunch.
As the evening approached it was time for their tea routine again. Post dinner they spoke quite a bit while falling asleep. I would hear talks of the 9 pm news that they would have watched.
This way days, years and even decades passed in raising half a dozen kids, entertaining grand children during summer and winter holidays,celebrating festivals so on and so forth.
If I look at it now, he was the provider and she was the home maker. They stood by each other. Of course i have seen them have small fights over petty issues. But that would have sorted itself out by morning tea.
I sometimes question myself “ what was the nature and basis of relationships of yesteryears ? Was there love ? Was their romance ? ( perhaps there was no time for all this). What was the primary purpose ? Maybe to survive and raise a family, do well for themselves and their kids while existing within the borders of the conventional society. Whether there was love, romance or not.. this much I can vouch for that there was "Respect" "stability" and "affection". I smile when I think of them and ask myself “ was that enough”? Maybe for those times ..yes. And that kept life simple.
As for now, well.. we have moved ahead a lot , isn’t it ? Or shall we say it’s quite complicated in the current times :-).
Although I don’t agree with the “ old ways” completely.. I tend to pick some precious things from those old times. Things like “‘respecting each other”, “Stability “ “Affection”. They may not be enough during these times, but they form the foundation for a long journey together. Without these.. things fall apart.
And oh yes.. I watched them as their grand daughter :-) . And that corner where he sat on his chair with that round table, we grandchildren called it as "Grandpa's chair and table".
Both my maternal grandparents have left this earthly plane and I as their grand daughter offer my respects, gratitude and love for many things that i received from them while they were alive.. and genetically as well.
