During my childhood, summer holidays were the best time of the year. In that break, I would find myself chiselling away at my personality. Now, it has become set and part of my character. These holidays would take me away from drudgery of school. School was where, it was a huge struggle just to understand others and to be understood by them.
The more I tried to understand myself during the Summer holidays, the more I understood that I was different from others. Even my siblings were different from me. As I began to discover classic books and stories, my favourite weather was the one that I was reading about.
Summers in Chennai
I was a wild nature’s child and loved spending time just watching the backyard which was a mystery by itself for me. Back then, it was just a vacant plot of land space where wilderness had spread its wings and had decided to stay on for eternity at least till 2010. In this year, the apartment styled six units was built changing all the old sceneries.
Even during the academic years, I would work on my homework in the last room which was closest to the backyard. I would occasionally be mesmerised by the backyard. I would watch the evening shadows play around as the night creeped in slowly. There were a few trees and climber that I enjoyed watching.
Nature in the Backyard
The huge Wood-Apple tree, Jasmine thatched roof, purple December flowers, guava tree in the extreme corners, lemon tree on the side of the house, coconut trees five surrounding the building, neem tree just behind the Wood-Apple tree and total wildly growing grass and wildflowers.
Sometimes, during the year I would get this intense need to go closer to them and I would climb down the backstairs into the backyard. I never liked picking flowers, I admired them and got back to write something about them in my journal or my green book for poetry.
The trip circling around the random growing flowers and weeds were my way to unwind and to clear the thoughts and get fresh ideas for some piece of poem that I was working back then. The backyard comes alive during the summer and every scene is different for some trees and for some flowers.
Five Indian Seasons and a Wood-Apple Tree
To see all the five Indian season the Wood-Apple tree was the best and I loved watching it in all the five Indian seasons or Ritus. Though I enjoyed all the seasons, I partly partial to Summer. I watched with such great joy and lot of time in my hand the sounds of birds, clouds, cerulean colour of the cloudy sky, the different shade of yellow of the summer sun.
There is much to observe when the sun plays hide and seek in Summer. When the sun hides then the cloud is but a flimsy barrier at best. The summer showers during the end of high summer, and the clouds that rise from all the moisture rising, and then, cooling down as whimsical clouds. These clouds float around but they shower their blessings onto our neighbouring states or some occasions on our own state is sheer magic in true quality.
In all these summer shine, there was the call of the birds in our backyard and around our area. Since human traffic was down to non-existent in the backyard, the birds of different variety would flock the place inside foliage of the Wood-Apple tree and I just enjoyed watching them from the “fenetre (French for Window)” in the master bedroom which was the nearest to the backyard.
Summers in Singapore
The summer in the equatorial regions were also such fun to watch and observe plants and flower. The summer like climate used to be around the year. One could differentiate season from festival celebrated. The Lantern festival and the Chinese New Year were great time for picking up the joys of the season. Singapore had equal parts rain and shine. Though the buildings were many storied there were still greens well-planned into the city’s overall landscape.
Just walking from the apartment to the library would allow me to see the changing shades of the sun. It used to be such joy and surprise for me!! Summer were holidays and arranging books in the coolness of the air conditioner used to be pleasant, but I would still stop and smell the wildflower much to strange looks from people around. But I least bothered by it!
In the crowd among the commuters of rush hours, people are like a canvas of frozen moments. Yet, their human warmth spread with such familiarity that I felt as if I was at home in Chennai. The season were noted and recorded in the pink journal book as usual as I viewed the trees surrounding the outer ring of the building.
Of these trees some of them were flowering trees, some green and lush. The joy of watching children play in the playground apparatus used to be filled with mirth and laughter. Just to soak in the warm sun as it entered the western horizon was joy personified for me.
Summers in SFO
The summer in San Francisco were more of a picnic in the outdoors. The top floor apartment was taller than the trees; but closer to the stars. Surprising fact is that Singapore flat was 12th floor but yet the stars were far away. But Bartlett apartment was just three floors and the stars felt near some how!!!? The night sky would be inviting and calm; while being silently brave after the long day.
There were also some wildflowers on my neighbours’ window sills and it looked wonderful to watch the sun. It is much more chiller version than harsher one in Chennai or Singapore. Here the summer did not seem to be hot enough for me. I would be found sporting a sweater even in high summer.
The trees were still a great place to watch in the summer breaks. Sometimes, my room would become a time capsule through which I would watch the year pass by in the changes in the trees, its leaves, its flowers, and its branches.
The colours of summer is different in all the three cities. I felt the summer sun in SFO to be more towards lighter shade of yellow than the sharp yellow of Chennai sun. Could it be that the shades of yellow, ochre, and sunny side up yellow be different in each place. I am not sure, but the sun brought out the joy of past, present, and the future for me.
Summer and Climate Change
The way things moved and swayed in summer can never be forgotten from any city that I have lived. The Summer is my most favourite weather of the Five seasons of Indian origin. But I do like the follow up season Monsoon which is unique to Indian environ but it is a welcome relief from the intense boiling heat of summer.
The joy that I got from the summer season cannot be counted and account into credit and debit of life’s balance sheet. The trail balance of life is all about living life to the fullest despite accounting for loss and gain in life.
Itinerant Storyteller 