My wooden Rocking Horse..Down the memory lane

This weekend I started to look into my old papers to weed out the trash that accumulated over the years. After discarding so many old bank statements, bills and letters I came across an old envelope. I opened it and found a very old photograph of 54 years,yellowed with age.






It was a picture of me at my maternal grand mother's home, happily riding away on a wooden rocking horse. This photograph triggered my journey down the memory lane. It brought back memories of my late maternal grand mother, a pleasant old lady with a smile and a ready repartee on her lips. I still remember her snow white curly hair, umpteen stories she told me and the pure, unadulterated love she used spread on her grandchildren.It also reminded me the carefree childhood I had under the umbrella of caring grand mothers, both paternal and maternal. I never saw my grand fathers on either side. They remained as serious,stiff sepia photographs adorning the walls.

Well, coming to the rocking horse, it seems that my grand mother bought it as a present for me and it was there for a long time in her house, subsequently carrying my brothers and sisters, whenever we visited her house.

Wooden rocking horses I feel, nurture the fantasy in children assisted by innumerable mythological stories narrated by grannies. A child oblivious of tomorrow, happily rides away on his wooden horse assuming himself as a prince. The parents visualize the future equestrian prowess of their son. It is altogether a different situation if he turns out to be a betting man! It may be quixotic to recollect these things now but it was a major attraction in those days to all the visiting cousins, who also wanted a ride on the stallion. I still remember my possessiveness in those days.

For many years I was thinking that a wooden horse is a toy of the orient, but Google dispelled the myth by showing the images of wooden rocking horses of the entire globe. Each has a design of it's own. every craftsman added an improvisation of his own to make the ride comfortable and enjoyable. My son with his girl friend

I still graphically remember the smile on my wife's lips, when I told her that I would buy a rocking horse for my son. My late father, who was listening to the conversation coolly went and brought a swank sports car model for his first grand son to ride! Obviously he was more adaptable to the winds of change than me!!

That brings up the question. Should I buy a wooden rocking horse for my grandson as and when he arrives? (By the way, My son is yet to get married!)

Cheers and keep smiling!!!

Post Christmas....

The World celebrated Christmas with pomp and splendor. Both Christians as well as Non- Christians joined the festivities with equal joy.The holiday mood is prevailing everywhere and the slight chill in the weather is in accordance with the mood.

Getting up early to watch the live coverage of test match between India vs Australia brings back the memories of the student days. When we used to look forward to see the matches in the morning completely tucked inside a warm blanket, fortified with a hot mug of coffee and contributing our mite to the patriotism by cheering up the Indian team.

We all are looking forward to the New Year as there is an inexplicable thrill in waiting up to the stroke of midnight and shout" Happy New Year " with glee and abandonment.Call every Tom, Dick and Harry and Wish them " Happy New Year", not taking the disturbance element into cognizance. Is it the child lurking in us that makes us do all these things? My sons say that I should not lose the child in me and in all seriousness warn me that if and when I lose this 'child', I will become old as in the fairy tales.

I myself would not like to lose this precious "child' in me, as I am really scared of getting old so suddenly. Yes, I wish to get old , but slowly and steadily as they say, " Get Grey Gracefully "

Ok, Let me wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year 2008.

Here is a funny clip to make you start your new year with a smile!!!!