What personal belongings do you hold most dear?
The narrative explores the emotional significance of personal belongings through the reflections of a man reminiscing in his study. He cherishes old photographs that evoke joyful memories of his wife and family, highlighting how sentimental value surpasses monetary worth. His experiences illustrate loss, as he recalls a flood that damaged treasured items, including a beloved scooter. The struggle to acquire a modest home becomes a symbol of perseverance, providing him and his wife with stability. Ultimately, he values all his possessions, accepting their temporary nature while finding satisfaction in the care he has given them throughout his life.
While sitting in his study room, he had let loose thoughts that swarmed his mind. It was a summer evening, and the sun was yet to go down on the horizon. The covered area of the room needed illumination by artificial light, but he did not switch on the lights. The diffused crepuscular light was satisfactorily giving a radiant quality, sufficiently supplementing his mood. Last night, it rained moderately, making the weather comfortable. The ceiling fan was revolving at a moderate speed, circulating the air.
Flipping the sheets of an old album of photographs, he enjoyed the ride to his past, looking at each picture with joyful awe. Time has flown, but left a trail of memories. Sometimes, he thought of it as walking on wet sand, leaving the spoor on it. The pictures he was viewing were like spoor, he thought out loud.
He stopped for a while. Holding a sheet in his hand, he was lost in remembering past memories, looking at a picture. His wife, fresh as a lotus flower, was laughing in the picture, holding a camera. It was a simple point-and-shoot camera; she was successfully trying to take a picture. After she finished clicking, she burst into laughter, holding the camera, as it was her second try to take the picture. It was when film rolls were in use, and every frame was important. Soon, she finished, and he shot her in the nick of time. It was the picture which became an asset over time. After so many years, the picture took him back to that moment.
Petty things become priceless possessions. It is not their price tag but the emotional importance that makes them invaluable. What an invention, he thought. A camera is an instrument which gives us reason to laugh, smile and reminisce the past moments which will not come back. It is an instrument that helps keep records and tells a story to the viewer the moment they capture it is captured. A camera records things the human eye fails to notice and registers when the occasion happens. He was speaking to himself and talking aloud.
It was yet another picture. A cute baby with her mother was seen laughing with a cake and a lit candle. The baby seen in the picture was one year old, and behind the camera was her father, clicking a picture of a happy mother with her toddler.
All these and many more pictures fill joy and moments of emotional connection with his past, which has gone for never to come back again. The photographs are his most prized possessions. He became disheartened when any picture was destroyed or lost. The modern digital world has given a chance to secure old pictures in better conditions forever. The digital revolution has brought a radical change in life. Not only are they still, but video clips are easy to store and retrieve as and when required.
He is attached to everything that he purchases, acquires, receives as a gift or which he has because of his sheer interest. Losing them is no less than a trauma for him. He tries to keep them safe and secure. He had lost many such valuable things during a flood. The deluge filled his house, damaging many things. It was a bad occasion.
There are things which he thinks can’t be retained forever, but he wants to have them. The limited space and cost of maintenance compel a person to dispose of the outdated, dysfunctional and useless things. The scrap dealers take them, paying nominal charges and recycle them for different uses.
One such possession was his scooter. He purchased it with his savings to commute in the city and occasional long drives. It served him well, and he, too, reciprocated its loyalty. He would give it a periodic wash at home and regular service. His scooter was his lovely companion and never failed. It was always ready to take him to the place he wanted to, but like all other things, the scooter also had a life span. After serving him for one and a half decades, it became old and ailing. He never wanted to part with it, but, unable to keep going further, the scooter gave way. It stayed in his backyard for quite some time, and ultimately, scrap dealers took it away. It was a painful moment for him, but he consoled himself with the fact that, like a deceased, it had to be disposed of.
One of the major possessions which he has is his house. It was more of his necessity than a hobby or sheer interest. He tried hard to have a house. His wife also desperately wanted to have a house of her own, but the meagre earning was the greatest impediment. He tried hard to get a bank loan, but considering his financial condition, they refused. If someone considered, the loan amount was so small that it was like a drop in the ocean. He was disheartened but did not give up. He waited for some time. While scanning the newspaper, he came across a government advertisement about group housing. He applied in response to the advertisement and deposited the first amount borrowed from a colleague.
Acquiring the house took a long time due to financial obstacles. Running from pillar to post and wading through the labyrinthine process, he managed to deposit the instalment, and ultimately, he succeeded and got the papers for the property. It was a great day. Holding the paper in his hand like a trophy, he grinned. At first, he was sceptical, but when he received them late at night, his happiness left him stunned and incapable of express it.
His difficulties were not over. The property was shabby and in almost dilapidated condition. It was illegally occupied by intruders. The mammoth task was to reconstruct it De Novo. The money was again a big problem, but he was not in a situation to wait further. He started construction and, with great difficulty, managed to finish and move into it to live. The house, which was owned with such great difficulty, is a shelter for him. After his job is over, he can live there peacefully for the rest of his life.
His house is very modest and simple, but he is content, happy, and loves it because it provides him with shelter. Now, in the final stages of his life, he and his wife live peacefully in their home, a place that gives them both a location and a sense of identity.
Classifying a personal belonging as most dear to him is a daunting task. Everything he possesses is dear to him, as they all have been acquired with difficulty. Be it his car, computer, camera, or house. He leads a modest life with frugal requirements. Though he feels an attachment to his personal belongings, he has understood well that everything is temporary. After their tenure is over, they have to go. He holds no grudges, nor does he feel deeply sorry for things gone by. He is satisfied that he did justice to things he possessed till they were with them by taking good care of them. He is not like those who often get gifts or complimentary things. His personal belongings are the result of his hard work, which he cherishes.
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