Post It?

Letters are like pictures but only better. A photograph captures a moment, while a letter is simply a bouquet of different moments, incidents, and feelings, like different versions of you, safely wrapped in an old leaf. It’s like a platter of ice creams with all your favorite flavors and sometimes even the flavors you don’t prefer. Oh! I should have been a tad bit clear; here, I refer to letters that you write simply for fun, to your Annu, Amma, Akka, friends, maybe to yourself, or just some open letters. Some get sent as emails, some as actual physical letters, while most are still saved in your drafts. (maybe all this is just me, anyway.) 

If you know me, you already might know that I like writing letters; likely, you may even have received one! I write long emails updating about what’s happening with me to even my parents because they sometimes are so busy for a call, and I have many vishayas to tell! But mostly because I feel letters are a much better way of giving an entire story. 

Here’s why –

1. When you are having a conversation, it usually gets diverted depending on the answer given by the other. But in a letter, you have the entire stage, full limelight, and undivided attention of your audience. 
2. Letters often are not based on real-time, so you have the total freedom of enjoying the event by fully being present and then re-live it while you describe it to your intended audience. And it’s not a given that the person will receive the letter right away or that they will give it a read and reply in a jiff, which means, by the time you receive a reply, you might even have forgotten about the letter altogether! 
3.  You also get enough time and chances at trial and error; you can translate your thoughts into sentences that have a high resemblance to your thought. You can choose the tone and the words. Basically, you control what to tell, how to tell, and how much to tell! 

Other than these, it improves your language, imagination, understanding, and, most importantly, patience. So, yeah, Letters are simply awesome! Oh no, I don’t have a problem with telephone, text messages, emails, WhatsApp, social media, and recent advances because they are very much a part of our everyday lives now and necessary. I do not deny their power and need at any cost. They do make life easy. But I would like to bring to your notice that letters have an old-school charm, something royal and the most personal touch. 

Now that I think of it, I have always been a fan of the Indian Railways and The Indian Postal service. They connect the most rural parts of our country. It gives me so much joy to receive or send a letter that will travel through so many states, cities, villages, by air, by rail, by road, in train, in van, in ship, bus, and cycles to finally reach the destination – doesn’t it make you feel special, like some important being?! To me, it does. 

In a world where we are running to save time while ending up wasting all the time that we manage to save, I think letters take us back to a time where we can feel like that old self who wrote it/received it, at least for a short while and that brings me joy! Letters are not like a time machine because they are a present that reaches someone in the future carrying a past. In short, Letters are simply the best, and we should bring them back. 

Would you be willing to post something? 

Fest>>>.

It was a very usual Saturday, nothing to look forward to. I was just re-watching ‘The Office’ for I don’t know how many-eth time and waiting for dinner. When I opened WhatsApp, I had a video call from one of my childhood friends that I somehow missed; I called back, and Manh!!! Most of my UG friends were in college, attending the annual fest – ‘Incridea’22’! I saw everyone through the rectangular screen, saying, “Heyyyy! How’s it going, dude?” and jumping onto the other person’s hand. Oh! how I wish I could be there in person and not just virtually, in spirits. I had to let them go as the performing artist was ready to set the stage on fire!!
I wasn’t a huge fan of my college; however, I enjoyed being part of the organizing committee of the annual fest. I was also the co-ordinator of Incridea’20, which changed my life in so many ways! Those days of our fest came back to me in a flash. I did what I usually do, went to the lakeside, sat there looking at the distant lights, the sky, water, and just breathing.. A cute little dog came and sat right next to me. It had just rained and was a little windy. She shared my warmth, with a red collar around her neck, giving me the cutest looks and small licks. I think we became friends pretty quickly. She seemed lost, just like I was! She went around smelling the tires of different parked vehicles and then came back to me and sat with me. I sat there, petting her, talking to her, and then realizing maybe she would understand Malayalam better than English; I asked her, ‘Veet evde?’ Got no reply. I didn’t have anything to feed her; I apologized and told her to find her way back home or find shelter from the rain and that I would get her some bread slices or biscuits tomorrow morning. We sat there for some time looking at the same view, and then she went on with her journey. I hope she finds her way back or remains safe and makes it!

My brave brown, ta(I)le wagging traveler friend!

I felt like I was back in my UG college for a moment. It was just like the fest days, giving belly rubs and love to our favorite star wars doggo! There was a reason we called her that, and she was such a sweetheart. Ah. She was a part of our team. I was in the ‘I have no idea what I’m doing’ zone most of the time, and I used to just sit and give her belly rubs and feel okay!

Star wars getting pampered by two MVPs!

Today seemed a lot like that, and like always, a dog came to my rescue. Hence proved, dogs are the bestest ever. And yeah, memories actually make so much of who we are. Thanks to the years of fests, I’ve made some great ones along the way! But yeah, they are an excellent place to visit, not to stay.
I sighed, smiled, and came back to the present.
Did what I could – had dinner, played ‘The Raghu Dixit project’ playlist, finished some errands, did laundry, took a cold shower, dancing like I was at the concert in college! (Yes, he was the artist) saw the aftermovie of Incridea’20 with teary eyes and a broad smile, went through my gallery, and felt all the feels.
Aaahhhhaa.

Do you remember your college fest? What was that like? Take a train down memory lane and connect with old friends; it’s totally worth it!
#Those were the best days of our lives! Isn’t it?
Stay in university, kids. Go take part in fests and make some memories!

Until next time,
PS: Yes amma, I washed my hands later.
No amma, I don’t touch every dog I see. (I try not to:p)