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Thursday, September 11, 2014

Nostalgia

Nostalgia. I've known this word since middle school or possibly high school. And I've used it numerous times since then. But it was only this morning that I felt it, while I sat keying into the mobile in hand and sipping cold tea, chatting with two of my school friends whom I discovered on FB after 25 years. Yes. After a quarter of a century!
St Ann's High School Bolarum [Pic Courtesy; FB Page]
Do not challenge me. This moment I can write a thesis on nostalgia.
It's a longing that weighs somewhere within, it's an ache which you enjoy and wish it lasts yet you want it to end because only then will it reach its zenith. It's something that makes you feel so young and at the same time makes you feel old. It makes you feel accomplished and blessed and yet you wish it had remained thus sans the accomplishments that now define you. It just makes you want to scream and jump up and tell the world, 'hey listen', yet all you do is bang at the keyboard and part your lips into a smile staring at the images on the screen, wanting to relate each minor detail of the face that is staring back at you to that minor version stored in your memory. It makes you wish if the person just walked out of the screen and hugged you and you wonder if you had even once hugged them when they were sitting beside you all those years ago. So what is it?

Nostalgia is unexplainable!
And when its classmates that make you nostalgic, it's an era that tugs at your heart strings.
One of them, Rashmi Dewan, whom I connected with this morning, was in the army for 15 years. Married with two beautiful kids, she has taken voluntary retirement as a Lt Col. It makes me proud writing about her.
Nostalgia has no ego!
The other, Priti Adeline, told me that my mom has grown old but my dad is the same, after checking a picture of them on my page. I was surprised she remembers. And she had more... "Do you remember Nisha, your mom had come to meet Ms Rosaliene when we were in the upstairs class..." I racked my brains trying to recollect her family.
Nostalgia is guilt-ridden!
Long after the chat, promising to organise a re-union and until then keeping in touch often, I felt buoyant. A couple of issues I had on mind for the day seemed frivolous. If I've come this far, I can cross these hurdles, too.
Nostalgia is empowering!
Thank you, to all my classmates of school and college - all those who I am in touch  with and those who I long to reunite with!
Today, I have a message for my girl - "Live your student life to the fullest. Rock it with your mates, have a blast every single day! So that decades later, when you run into one of your friends you shed tears of joy!"
PS: Have you met friends after decades? Did you weep or scream or turned your face away? Share your re-union stories here...




13 comments:

  1. Nisha, I come across this term of Nostalgia very frequently. specially when I listen to some song which was a everyday song during those particular days or it was a favorite song of my friend. Every time I go home I try to meet some of my old friends whom I had not met in couple of years. Nostalgia also meets me when I go through old photos. Ahh.. Now I am nostalgic.. :)

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    1. Yeah Prachi...old songs. Tell me about it. When you listen to one of them some special ocassion or some incident springs up in your mind. Oh How I wish...:(:(:(:(

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  2. Oh Nostalgia seems to be my second name..Every time some event of the past seems to be replaying in the background and I keep yearning for my childhood days

    Random Thoughts Naba...Hear Me Out Atleast...

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  3. Hey nisha. ...u write so well....yes the moments were nostalgic...but missed cherishing them on a busy morning. ...We become so robotic...was thrilled to have found u......infact my daughter has been nishtha. ...I liked name ever since. ..found it apt for u..soft and gentle....but wanted my daughter to be a Lil more than soft. ..hence named her nishtha.....thus evening your write up gave me those goosebumps. .which u experienced this morning. ....Thanks indeed

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    1. Thanks rashmi...wonderful to live the late-80s again.
      Tell mr about being robotic. Do understand. I live by the clock during week days.
      Ur lil princess is cute. God bless.

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  4. Nisha, your post has brought tears of nostalgia to my eyes. I have quite a few friends from school - relationships that have lasted the test of time - over half a century. What makes these relationships special is that no explanations are necessary. They know where you come from. They know what your roots are and what the little things of youth meant to you. With many childhood friends you can pick up as if you saw them last just yesterday. Thank you HUGS <3

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  5. Lovely message. Yes the re connections to our nostalgic past are brought to life through re connections. I often wonder if our traditions allow us to revisit our nostalgic past by recreating these moments.

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  6. Just looking at that picture brought back happy memories for me, Shalini. I studied there - 1971-1973! Today a schoolmate (from another school) called - she's in town and wanted to meet and now a whole group of us is meeting. Nostalgia can be really good sometimes! :)

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    1. Wow! Enjoy Corinne..I bet you'll remember it for a looooong loong time

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  7. Even though I don't know you nor your friends, I can understand the emotions old school friends bring. Truly you go back to being what you were when you last met them inspite of the years in between

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  8. Thanks for taking time to comment and sharing your thoughts here. Good day!

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