It is not normal in this project to get long vacation. But then I am an anti-pattern guy! I am on vacation since Dec 23rd until Jan 3rd. After a year, I came to my parent’s home. Not much has changed in the town – except for few new buildings and few other renovated ones. But there is a striking change – there are lots of wine shops. They are seen everywhere.
On Friday (23rd), my sister & brother-in-law (BIL) joined us. As a family we went for Christmas mid-night mass. After 15 years, I am going to this parish church; as a matter-of-fact, I am going to a church after so many years. One might wonder the reasoning behind this change: there is none; just the thought that I should go with the family. Life has been a fast-track roller coaster in these years. After the mass, at home, my sister cut Christmas cake and then we all had the family meal. It was a fun night and a family time. I am glad about my BIL – he is never an outsider; he has integrated well into our family.
In the evening, we (sister, BIL and I) went to beach. We walked through the soothing sand and past the never resting waves. The sky was glowing in colors. We were simply walking immersed in the surrounding beauty.
Little did we know of the forthcoming devastation. On 26th early morning I was talking to friend in Chennai and she mentioned that she was feeling little shake in her bed. I was teasing her, only to learn that it was a mild earthquake. Soon, news started to pour in of the destruction that the earthquake & the successive sea waves brought in. Even in our town there was lot of loss, though human loss was very limited. But other cities in the state were not so fortunate. One news item was very disturbing – many bodies being pushed into one grave hole and being closed by a crane. Actually I was planning to travel to the south-tip of the state. I don’t know what held me back.
I decided to utilize the time at home. I decided to paint the window panels and the front gate. It is a new experience and also physically tiring. But the feeling that I am doing something useful is keeping me going. Hopefully I can finish this by end of the week, for I need to go back to work after that.