In my family and in general, I have seen long-running battles over properties, gold, and other material assets. Legacy is what gets passed along from one generation to another. It doesn't always have to be monetary but our genes, character traits, knowledge, culture, values, do get passed along.
My father grew up in a village in Kerala, India, where farming is the main livelihood of many. Paddy fields, coconut groves, rubber farming are common sightings. The heads of the families held jobs in government or private firms, mostly government because of the sought after retirement benefits. While the farming manned by day wagers provided additional income to support the families. My Grandfather worked for the government electricity board that supplied electricity to the town.
My father grew up in a village in Kerala, India, where farming is the main livelihood of many. Paddy fields, coconut groves, rubber farming are common sightings. The heads of the families held jobs in government or private firms, mostly government because of the sought after retirement benefits. While the farming manned by day wagers provided additional income to support the families. My Grandfather worked for the government electricity board that supplied electricity to the town.
My family traveled almost every summer some 400 miles to visit extended family in this part of the country. Its the exciting time of the year and I couldn't wait for school to be closed. The earth smells different there from the city. Its lush green everywhere you look. This is the place to be and you learn something new everyday.
I remember going though the rubber farm, curiously asking my uncles, how do rubber grow in trees. I would ask, if my eraser came from the tree. They showed me the dry sheets of rubber that are sold to industrial plants where they would process them and make into different products.
Behind Grandpa's home there was a shelter for cows and goats. One summer was quite exciting, one of the cows gave birth to a calf. It mooed all night in labor pain which wasn't a peaceful night for us kids. The next morning, my sister and I were thrilled to see the young calf. In a few days, it was running and galloping around. We have chased after calves, bunnies, chicks, ducklings, turkeys, seen chicks hatch. For city dwellers, these are a rare sight. For me, those were the best summers of my life.
My father worked as an Aeronautical Engineer in one of the middle eastern countries and when he lost his job, we moved to India, to one of the big cities in the south. I was 6yrs of age then. We purchased a house with a big lot. The only drawback was that the backyard had a huge crater. He enquired from various contractors the cost to fill it up. Filling it with dirt was very expensive which we couldn't afford at that time. Dirt is expensive in our country! He then had the best idea, which would birth the gardener in me. Which has also inspired me to write this blog. He collected all the organic waste from the local municipal, filled up the crate with the waste, and topped it with dirt. That's it! It was cheap and it produced the best of fruits and vegetables later on. We planted, mangoes, mulberries, coconuts, pumpkins, eggplant, tomatoes, okra, beans, bitter melon, chilies. We sowed a variety of flowering seeds. The once plain, dry plot of land now looked vibrant with all colors & fragrances. He made it beautiful for us! An Eden!
Behind Grandpa's home there was a shelter for cows and goats. One summer was quite exciting, one of the cows gave birth to a calf. It mooed all night in labor pain which wasn't a peaceful night for us kids. The next morning, my sister and I were thrilled to see the young calf. In a few days, it was running and galloping around. We have chased after calves, bunnies, chicks, ducklings, turkeys, seen chicks hatch. For city dwellers, these are a rare sight. For me, those were the best summers of my life.
My father worked as an Aeronautical Engineer in one of the middle eastern countries and when he lost his job, we moved to India, to one of the big cities in the south. I was 6yrs of age then. We purchased a house with a big lot. The only drawback was that the backyard had a huge crater. He enquired from various contractors the cost to fill it up. Filling it with dirt was very expensive which we couldn't afford at that time. Dirt is expensive in our country! He then had the best idea, which would birth the gardener in me. Which has also inspired me to write this blog. He collected all the organic waste from the local municipal, filled up the crate with the waste, and topped it with dirt. That's it! It was cheap and it produced the best of fruits and vegetables later on. We planted, mangoes, mulberries, coconuts, pumpkins, eggplant, tomatoes, okra, beans, bitter melon, chilies. We sowed a variety of flowering seeds. The once plain, dry plot of land now looked vibrant with all colors & fragrances. He made it beautiful for us! An Eden!
I lost my father when I was 11. I have inherited a lot from him. Apart from the genes and the looks. I like to observe and learn like him. He can stay with the carpenter for less than a day and take over the saw, hammer & smoothing block, he would work on the wood, while the carpenter would be sipping the tea my father offered. My first carpentry project was at age 9, making a wooden cross from the leftover bits inspired by looking at my father.
He's an engineer, so, fixing electrical or electronic devices were never a challenge. But he enjoyed fixing other things in the house by just observing a handyman.
I'm thankful for all that I have inherited from my earthly father and from my heavenly father.
This is a tribute to my Father. My Green Thumb!
I'm thankful for all that I have inherited from my earthly father and from my heavenly father.
This is a tribute to my Father. My Green Thumb!
No comments:
Post a Comment