VANESSA PATEL enjoys a humorous shared memory with friends, and reminds us of those small yet precious moments of connection and joy that make up a lifetime.
It seems to me that this year has been much about waiting … waiting for an upturn in the pandemic, hoping for more harmony amongst communities and nations, praying for less suffering of all sentient beings, longing for our Mother Earth to get some respite. It has been frustrating and sad, mainly because looking to change things we cannot control has rarely been rewarding for anyone. This is when I became aware of the unexpected joy of those beautiful little moments that simply happen when we choose to live in the here and now.
Recently, I had a small reunion with my university friends. We hadn’t met in many years, and so much had happened since the last time we were together that there were several milestones and hurdles to talk about. While sharing our news, one of my friends brought up an old memory that completely transformed the energy of the conversation.
It was the story of a night in May, after our first-year May Ball. The three of us were not quite ready to call it a night, so at 3 a.m. we decided to take a long walk through the fields to the nearest village. What seemed like an easy walk to start with quickly became a little more complicated when we realized there was a bull living in one of the fields. But instead of feeling scared, we kept going and found the situation so hilarious that I really prayed our giggles would not prove to be the proverbial red rag. Having safely thwarted the bull, we reached the village only to realize no one was up and nothing was open.
We were too tired to traipse back across the fields, and the first bus wasn’t until an hour later, so we laughed our way to the nearest park where we discovered the swings and roundabouts of a children’s playground. We killed an hour there, enjoying these childhood thrills with no one around to tell us we were too old to use the playground. When it was time to catch the bus, we happened to pass by a small bakery and had just enough money to buy a hot sticky bun each while ensuring we had enough money for the bus fare to get us home. It was only when we started the journey back that the cold and tiredness started to seep in, but the experience of holding and eating that hot sticky bun really hit the spot. So much was distilled into those few hours – carefree adventure, spontaneity, and no worries about what came next.
Reminiscing about this experience, the same laughter we had shared back then bubbled to the surface. Here was a realization that there are many amazing people who have been a part of my journey. I felt joy in the simplicity of this shared experience, and it reminded me that moments like these have the power to balance the many complexities of life.
Vanessa Patel
