A Cousin Visits

Caught up with my cousin Shiv yesterday. We sat out on the balcony of my grandmother’s flat in the evening, testing out a unique cocktail which Shiv mixed for us. (Shiv puts his heart and soul into experimenting with cocktails). So – hold your breath. This one had a gin base, a bit of kokum syrup, topped with pineapple juice and soda and I asked him to throw in a slit chilly into my glass. Hmmmm. Strange all right, but well, not bad.

We talked about a lot of things, about what his life has been like after he opted to retire a year ahead of time. Shiv is increasingly involved in community work in Bangalore and we both felt sorry about how city people are just not inclined towards community. I mean we talk of it longingly from time to time but the drive is lacking. Everybody lives in their own cocoon. We complain about the degenerating quality of life but are not much inclined to work towards it. One of the things I feel is, that we are not aware very much, of the basis for true community. The fact that community grows out of relationship. Where the energy and the feeling between people is right, something like community will bloom. So the fact that it is not happening surely means that we have to look at our connections with each other and why we are somehow …so blah … about everything, so bored with life, blasé, or running around like chickens with our heads cut off. (I used the word “we” for that last bit too although I’m not one of the headless chickens! But know plenty of them.)

Those of you haven’t met Shiv for a while might find him changed. I told him yesterday that I found him a lot more pleasant to be with, more energetic and alert than I have known him to be for years. He says his wife tells him the same thing.