GOD willing, Christmas will be with my daughter in New York, which brings back memories of spending many mornings peering out of her Manhattan window.
I remember my thoughts, the last time: Armed with a hot cup of coffee and inherent curiosity I love spending time, looking out of my bedroom window.
It’s going to be an early winter, I reckon, as the cool air rushes in, and I see the temperature is 9 degrees C but this doesn’t stop the joggers from running, keeping fit despite the cold, and then I look with even more amazement as a mother runs pushing her stroller ahead of her.
No cold or baby can stop these determined, keep fit folk, and I marvel at their determination! I watch New York’s slim waist lines and realize to conquer this city, you need to conquer yourselves first! I peer out a little more, and see the familiar dog walkers.
New York, despite small apartments seems to be a city of pet lovers, and I see dogs of all shapes and sizes being taken for their constitutional walks.
The dog walkers are a patient lot, and allow their dogs to sniff each pole and fire hydrant, till they settle on what suits them best.
But something I see quite often is that it’s the small dogs who turn aggressive when they see a bigger fellow in their path.
They bristle, and growl, and let out shrill, shrieks of anger, whereas the bigger fellow hardly turns to look at them.
But every now and then the small dog looks at his master or mistress for support and approval and I am certain that without those same walkers by their side, the little fellow would have been a quiet fellow.
Reminds me a lot of same situation at home, where small splinter groups are causing a lot of problems, burning churches, and other problems for minorities, and would have been quiet and silent if not for the assurance given to them by immature statements of political leaders! Yes, there’s a lot of pretty women down there, and thank God for them, but often when they walk with their children, and sometimes on weekends, I wonder where dad is? It’s a rare sight to see a family going out together, and knowing how high the divorce rate is here.
I whisper sadly, “Dad, maybe, a walk with your wife and kids will help you enjoy their growing up years!”
My daughter calls out to me and asks if I’d like to go down to the river, and as I stroll and look at the boats and feel a happiness inside, I look up suddenly conscious of windows on the street opposite looking down on me, and wonder what those people think, looking at a carefree me; carefree because I also come from an India where I’m free like them! And I pray and hope it remains that way..!
