Caged, I experience Freedom

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Yesterday I spent a lot of time in front of the television . I was watching the Rath Yatra at Puri and actually listening to the commentator as he explained the significance of  many of the rituals. Aastha channel was covering Morari Bapu's Ramayan live at Vatican city. Wanted to watch both at the same time. The telly time was, because I was getting bird net put on all the windows. Three workers were working in the three rooms of the house. Kitchen was the only place to go to and the food was cooked. There was a lot of conversation on whether I should put the bird net, what is the costing like, where can I get the best rate, who will do the best job and will they be reliable. Final choice was between two young boys from Uttar Pradesh. One had just started his own business after leaving his job. The other boy worked for a Bori Muslim 'Seth'. The new kid on the block was enthusiastic but little arrogant. He said they do contract all household work like electrical, plumbing, carpentry, fabrication etc. The other guy did only nets in houses and buildings and did not do any other work. The owner of the company sent me pictures on Whatsapp of nets put in various houses in Mumbai including of a film director who lives with his mother. Being a pucca Hindi movie buff, my decision was made easily.

The heart kept saying I should give the new guy a chance. I liked his courage to branch out on his own. If people do not give him a chance, how will he make it big in life? But I was not sure about the quality of work he would do and I was not willing to take a chance. The other guy knew his job and was very clear about how he will do it. He seemed to have an expertise in bird nets. Both were charging the same rate. With a heavy heart, the husband and me decided to go ahead with the second guy. And we were not disappointed.

The bird net has given us a new freedom in our own house. We are able to keep our windows open now. We are able to sit on the ledge and look at the sun setting in the direction of the Arabian sea. In Mumbai, we did not wake up with birds chirping but crows cawing at our window ledges. It was impossible to keep any window open as they would fly in and we feared would get hurt by the fan. The crows would come into the kitchen or put dirt on the washed utensils which were kept in the sun to dry. Yes, dishwasher is still not a common thing in India. On the window sill, we were always cleaning pieces of fish, bones and what not. It has all stopped.

Suddenly the air has become free for us. I wish I could do this with the people in my life. Not have other people's negative thoughts thrown at me, not allow them in my space, not get affected by their vile words and yet have everyone co exist happily without harming each other. 

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