When I was growing up, it was kind of drilled into me that I shouldn't disturb grown-ups when they are doing something important. In particular, my dad didn't like being disturbed when he was in the middle of something. Now that I'm a grown-up myself, I try to be more flexible. But my grandma is on a different level.
A couple of years ago, she was knitting in our living-room. I walked in, saying something to her – something quite inconsequential – without realising that she was in the middle of counting stitches. I would have at least finished counting the row before replying, but she immediately looked up from her knitting and replied to me. When our brief conversation was over, she calmly started to count again from the beginning.
This is the level of zen that I aspire to.
* * *
A recent phone conversation with my grandma, about my next visit to India:
| Grandma: | বাড়ি কবে আসছো? (When are you coming home?) |
| me: | ৬ তারিখ! (6th December!) |
| Grandma: | হ্যাঁ, তোমার মা বলছিল... (Yes, your mum was telling me...) |
| me: | তাহলে আবার আমাকে জিজ্ঞেস করছো কেন? নিজের মেয়েকে বিশ্বাস করো না? (Then why are you asking me? You don't believe your own daughter?) |
I sometimes tease her like this, and she laughs or teases back. But this time she gave a straight reply, which hit me in the feels.
| Grandma: | হ্যাঁ, বিশ্বাস করি। কিন্তু আবার শুনতে ভালো লাগে। (Yes, I believe her. But it's nice to hear it again.) |
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