Summer is the echo of fun, laughter and endless memories. We like to get nostalgic about past summers. Often reminiscing the childhood memories that were spent with friends and family, away from school. For our children, it is the time to abandon routine and chase the memory lane planning exotic vacation or fun times. It is their best time of the year when there’s no homework, no uniforms to wear and no reminders to study.
It is the time to visit Daadi Naani ka Ghar, gorge on ripe mangoes, run barefoot in the garden with sweat trickling down their back. Without a care! The hot sun feels good and a cool dip in the nearby pool or pond is a whiff of freshness that brings blissful relief in summers. Host of activities that children plan with their cousins and family. Times when gadgets and devices takes a backseat. Drying pickles with grandma, licking on ice lollies, pluck mangoes and litchis in the nearby farm, enjoy ice-creams, read a lot of books and comics and get together with family in the evenings on the terrace are the flavours of summers.
Even though we have the charm of ACs today, standing in front of coolers and feeling the cool air on our faces had its own charm. Our summer memories were no different, a lot simpler and joy-filled though. No summers were complete without prickly heat and mothers applying talcum powders on their children. Remember how a glass of lemon soda, commonly called “Banta” on the street carts was the saviour in hot afternoons? Those were also days that saw the longest power cuts. Making shadows on the walls under the flickering candle light, making paper fans or breaking in to an impromptu game of Antakshari - such were our bonding times. Come to think of it today and we wonder how nature played a part in every aspect of our life. Drinking cool water from the Matki, cooking on Mitti ka Chulha or eating out of “taambe ke bartan” – the deep-rooted beauty of what echoed into our village life was inspired by nature. Resplendent blooms, fresh streams of water and simple joys of discovering butterflies and folklore was the perfect reset of our souls.
Away from Netflix, iPad and PS4, children spent their summer vacation in the arms of all things natural. Getting lost in the sounds of birds and crickets, in-between pretend play games and making stories in their make-believe world helped re-centre their inner balance, calmed their senses and improved their strength. How important it is for children to experience such stimulations that keeps their curious and adventurous spirit alive.
The soul of happiness breathes in the nature around us. It does wonders to their holistic well-being.
