As time changes its course, so do our daily lives. Be it a change of moving places or a change of clothes. In my life, the place I lived felt a change when my family moved. It was through these small shifts that I realized I was now living in a city.
My family moved from a small house which had a courtyard and garden. Two large trees, a guava and a parijat, grew there. The smell of Parijat in the morning was heavenly, which is why it became my favourite flower. The garden also had hibiscus, roses and other shrubs.There was an open space where my friends and I could run around in the sun and play swings. It was peaceful and silent, shared only with just my family and the people I grew up with.
But after the move, we came to a very crowded place, with buildings and houses pressed against one another, leaving no room for sunlight. It was dark and suffocating, with neighbours here and there, quarrels, and the realities of adult life.The open garden where I ran in was replaced by a rooftop garden, the only spot sunlight could reach. If I could describe the building in city terms, it would resemble Hongkong’s Monster Building; stifling and overbearing.
I think the home I live in reflects the changes of the city itself: from a small house with a small family, few neighbours and plenty of space for me to grow wild, to a big house with bigger family, many neighbours and hardly any space to roam. This small change gave me a bigger sense of being in a city. The two places are only five minutes apart, yet the difference between a home and a building feels immense.
The city is full of people, concrete, and shadows, with only a rooftop garden for sunlight. My old home, however, had a courtyard full of light, trees, and greenery.These subtle differences made me realize I am now living in a city and as my brother says, stepping into adulthood. Yet I still crave the courtyard where I grew up; the guava fruits, smell of parijat, roses, hibiscus and the sunlight. Still the adult me also learned to appreciate the rooftop garden overlooking the busy streets, the sweet dragon fruit that grows there, and the large neighbour who helps us and shares food with us.
P.S. I believe I am a person who likes change but still craves the past - a city girl who just needs a little more sunlight in her room.