Day #004/365: Unabashedly Red!

 

I believe anything you nurture blesses you with something beautiful. Though I suspect this may not be universally true! 😄

We’ve been tending to our garden quite conscientiously. Whenever I’m on a phone call, I take the opportunity to walk around, pluck dry leaves, loosen the soil, check the moisture, and make sure no mealybugs are lurking about.

So, every time something flowers, I feel a little thrill. I like to think of it as nature rewarding me for all that care and attention.

But then, a flower doesn't bloom for me, or anyone else. It simply blooms. It doesn't compare itself to the others or wonder if it's too red, too big, too much. It doesn't worry about whether it belongs.

This amaryllis just showed up in all its spectacular redness, apparently without a moment's self-doubt.

And I stood there, camera in hand, admiring it. 

Day #003: A House for Everyone!

 

A visitor on our wall today, and a memory of a little boy who believed that our house belonged to everyone who lived in it, including the insects.

Years ago, when I was clearing cobwebs, Kunal burst into tears. He was upset that I was destroying the spiders’ homes. “You think the house belongs to just us and not all these insects?” he asked.

He was obsessed with insects as a young child, and we eventually reached a compromise: I could clean away abandoned cobwebs, but freshly built ones, or those still in use, were off-limits!

I am often reminded of that moment whenever I see a little visitor like this one.

I don't know how long this little visitor will stay, or where it will go next. But today, it reminded me of a lesson a child taught me a long time ago: we aren't the only ones who call this place home.

Day #002: Our little puja mandir ❤️

 

I love this wooden shelf - its earthy simplicity, the symmetry, the warmth of the wood, the brass and other metals. It feels a little like Ashok and me: grounded, solid, uncomplicated, and comfortable in our own symmetry.

Ever since we got married, we’ve prayed together every morning. We light the diya, say our prayers, and sing the aarti. It’s our way of connecting with God before we begin the day, but it’s also something more personal. A little time carved out for us, to pause, to be grateful, and to begin each day together.

After all these years, I think that’s what I love most about this ritual. It brings us closer to God, and to each other.

Day #001: Showing Up

 

Day 1/365

Took my camera everywhere today. Found inspiration nowhere. Then, in the IKEA parking lot, I found this shot. 

Not quite the start I imagined, but here we are. A photo a day for the next 365 days. The goal is to show up, slow down, and find something worth capturing, even on days when nothing seems worthwhile.

Here's to the challenge ahead. One day, one frame at a time.

# Day 246 Funfair Night in Cambridge

# Day 245 Making Pizza!

# Day 244 Crispy dosa reminds me of home!

# Day 243 Happy Diwali!

# Day 242 Happy Halloween!

# Day 241 Yellow Autumn

# Day 240 Rose hips!