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falling in love

I came to this country 24 years ago. I missed India terribly. Everything was strange here. I missed my home that I had recently left, I missed my friends, I missed not looking like the majority of the population. One of the things that I missed terribly was the trees. The trees in India look totally different. We used to travel and go on short trips. I remember sitting in the back of my dad's Mahendra & Mahendra Jeep, inhaling dust and admiring trees for hours. I remember taking a 36 hour train ride to Calcutta and counting trees when there was nothing else to do (back when there was no nintendo DS :)


I came to US and the trees were so different here. I remember thinking I don't like these trees, they are bare half the time. I missed my Indian trees.


Fast forward 24 years - Every morning, I start my morning commute with a scenic route - it is only a 2-3 mile stretch that I drive on before getting on the highway. It is an old winding road surrounded by farm land. It even had a horse crossing sign at one point :)

I could avoid this road and get directly on the highway - but this is my morning meditation. I drive slow, breath deep and inhale the freshness of the new day. I love the beauty of this road, even though I have to drive slow and it adds extra few minutes to my commute. But I like to slow down a bit before jumping into the mad rush of the work day.

This morning as I was driving to work, sun was coming up from behind the trees. I slowed down. The view took my breath away. The bare trees, in their silvery elegance looked so majestic.


When did I fall in love with these trees?


How do I love thee
let me count the ways...
I love your entangled mess
all lush green in summer
I love to see you all rejuvenated
covered with flowers in Spring
But I love you the most
when you bare all
and present your inner beauty
in the dead of winter.

When did I fall in love with these trees?

I guess 24 years is a very long time.
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Comments

Anonymous said…
the trees... all kinds i love. growing up in the suburbs of bombay i grew without trees ! only when i did masters in the heart of the city the lane had trees! and then when i went back to one of the suburbs in bombay to study and from my hostel room i could see only trees and a lake ( double bonus) .. and from then on wherever i went i would look for trees and a water body ( hudson) which we still enjoy. Thank god for small mercies. and Thank you bhavna for reminding.
January 16, 2009 at 2:40 PM
Sylvia K said…
What a beautiful post! Thank you! Isn't it strange how, unbeknown to us we fall in love with an area, a place, a tree -- whatever, and it suddenly fills us with such lovely feelings and warmth. I'm glad you fell in love with the beautiful bare tree, even more I'm so glad you recognized it. Some don't and just go on aching for what they can't see.
January 16, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Samosas for One said…
What do you miss most about India? Besides your family and friends of course...
January 16, 2009 at 3:40 PM
pink dogwood said…
Anrosh : glad to find another tree lover:)

Sylvia: Yes, it always better to focus on gains instead of losses I guess. Thank you

Samosas: If I were to leave US now, I would feel the same way I did leaving India long time ago because this is home now and I love it. I miss the general chaos that is India, I also miss the calmness that is India. But mostly I miss family. I am very close to my husband's sister and I wish I could see her most often. When I go to India most people I meet make me feel like they have all the time in the world for me and I miss that here where we are always rushed and try to cram most of the socialization on weekends - not sure if I answered your question :)
January 16, 2009 at 3:58 PM
karen said…
hi! i found my way here via Lori's - it was that tree pic that intrigued me.. I'll be back - this is wonderful! from a tree lover in africa... :-)
January 17, 2009 at 12:24 AM
megha puNAter" said…
oh i miss them terribly too,but i am happy to learn about the trees here too its a new experience.
lovely post this one.
to the trees we left behind to the new ones cheers :)
January 17, 2009 at 4:47 AM
Tillybud said…
I did a similar thing moving from a hilly landscape to a completley flat one. At first I thought, how monotonous. As with you, I don't know when I started to love the big skies and the misty fields. Beautiful words..I'm glad I stopped by :)
January 17, 2009 at 5:49 AM
pink dogwood said…
Karen : Nice to meet you - loved your blog, I will be stopping by often. I have been fascinated by Botswana ever since I read the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith.

Megha: I know your love for trees and you are lucky enough to express it through your art. I am remembering that post you did about trees.

Tillybud : Thanks
January 17, 2009 at 7:18 AM
Bobkat said…
It's funny the things we find we miss. I guess the new trees were very unfamiliar to you and were so different from whatyou were used too. Looks like you've had enough time to find the beauty in the 'new' trees too :)

I love the fact that you do this little slow drive before the rush kicks in. It sounds like a wonderful metaphore for life somehow.
January 17, 2009 at 9:04 AM
Shelly said…
Wow, that shot is incredible, definitely one to take the breath away.
January 17, 2009 at 11:04 AM
Sharanya said…
omg, i love looking at trees too :) that's what even i do when i sit in the car(backseat) which i love to. and stare at how the branches spread out to reach the sky..:)
i love love it..:)
Nice post bhavna
January 17, 2009 at 6:52 PM
Life is Journey said…
Very nicely written. Ppl generally cherish the things that they do not have or they seldom get it. But when you get the things easily, you simply start complaining about that thing.Like i am in India and i have never ever thought about the greenary and love for it. Your blog make me think in different way....Keep up the good work
January 18, 2009 at 12:48 AM
bindu said…
What a lovely post! And I love your little poem - your ode to the trees. I could almost imagine you dreaming along on the road in the morning. :)
January 18, 2009 at 9:45 AM
Lori ann said…
Beautiful post Bhavana! I could feel the peace you described on your drive, I like to do the same. I hope you can visit India in the near future. Love trees too, and what a beautiful photo.
xxx lori
January 18, 2009 at 10:41 AM
Deb said…
Wonderful post - it reminded me of something I am always working on - being mindful of moments and appreciating the 'here and now'. You seem to have a good handle on both. Home is where the heart is!
January 18, 2009 at 5:22 PM
Preeti Shenoy said…
Wow!!
24 years!
I too love trees--Indian,american,English--any!
Cheers
preeti
January 19, 2009 at 8:51 PM
naperville mom said…
24 years is a long time... and slowly but surely, u fell in love with yr new surroundings...the write- up abt the trees felt good to read:)
January 20, 2009 at 7:59 AM
aMus said…
that indeed is a beautiful pic...i have qiet a few of them too, swaying in the wind, bare, creepy...

i'm coming here after quite some time, and i sat and read all the posts i missed...and i loved your year in pics...
January 20, 2009 at 4:59 PM
pRiyA said…
lovely thought provoking post and beautiful pictures.
sigh...!
January 21, 2009 at 5:31 AM
Val said…
what a beautiful post - I love your blog. came here from Karen at border town notes. I am also a tree lover :-) I went to India about four years ago, and loved loved loved it. vowed to go back but hasnt happened yet....
I will be back here though!
January 21, 2009 at 10:00 PM
Angela said…
Hi, I also came via Karen`s blog. I am a German and a tree lover, we have old oaks and dark fir trees and beeches and lime trees, some many hundred years old. All our fairytales have to do with trees. So first thing we did when we moved house, we planted trees in our garden. What trees are there in India?
January 22, 2009 at 3:58 AM
CrystalChick said…
Beautiful!
I enjoyed reading this.

Trees are lovely. I have a small yard but am very happy to have a few of them. I especially like them in Spring and Summer but when I'm driving I like to look around at the very bare trees trees against the different colored skies.
January 22, 2009 at 6:50 PM
Archana Srinivas Pottery said…
How beautiful. The way you have put across this special feeling...


So true, meditation is a state of mind, where you are at peace:-)

Arch
January 28, 2009 at 6:40 PM
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