Void Thoughts

November started with the usual chaos and craziness, as in previous months. I began to wonder if the busy moments were ever going to calm down. 

With one kid in high school, the other one in elementary, a husband busy with his work traveling to the other end of the country every other week, and I, trying to do whatever I’m trying to do, this season of my life has to be crazy. I am wise enough to realize how blessed I am to have a busy chaotic life to complain about. 

Anyway, I would like to share a few moments from last month that made me smile and feel grateful.

Rain: This November we saw no rain other than a few drops that graced us in the first week. Thanksgiving week was cloudy for the most part teasing us with promises of rain but not even a drizzle blessed us.

Experimenting with Resin: In October, I bought this resin kit for beginners on Amazon. Last month, I went ahead and created some shapes using resin and molds, adding glitters and dried flowers. Akku helped me figure everything out and was thrilled with the process. Together, we ended up making three shapes in one day—a cube, a diamond, and a pyramid.

It was a bit messy and time-consuming, but worth the effort. I would’ve liked to make some smaller items, but the beginner kit I bought didn’t include any small molds. While I enjoyed the process, it felt too tedious for me, so I don’t plan to explore resin art further soon.

Bike ride & Akku: Every year, when the weather cools down we talk about getting Akku bike ready. For some reason, we never succeeded in helping him bike on his own. This November, as the heat subsided, we gave him biking lessons again. Holding his bike, making him pedal, jogging alongside him, making him keep the balance—all of it was exhausting, especially since he’s not so little anymore. His confidence was shaky too.

But, as we persisted day after day, Akku finally biked on his own. It was an absolute joy to see him ride with minimal assistance from us. Watching him regain his confidence brought us an entirely different level of happiness.

Flat Tire: One evening, just before leaving for Kannan’s swim class, a flat tire caught us off guard. Things got more complicated when the person sent by our insurance couldn’t fix it. Thankfully, our kind neighbors stepped in to help us out. Moments like these remind me that people are generally kind and good-hearted. We’re truly blessed to have such wonderful human beings around us, aren’t we?

New Plants: We got some new plants for our little yard. This summer was unbelievably hot and our plants just couldn’t survive. I was thrilled when finally the summer heat bid us goodbye by the end of October.

Unniyappams for school: I made unniyappams for Kannan’s schoolwork. It was my first time making this Kerala delicacy, so I was naturally a bit worried. Thankfully, my effort paid off—they turned out delicious, bringing back the same nostalgic flavors we enjoyed years ago. It was such a happy day, treating our tummies to this deliciousness. That said, I did have to pack 33 of them for school as part of his assignment!

November also saw us celebrating 20 years of love. Twenty years may sound like a long time, but looking back, it feels like just yesterday we got to know each other.

This month, we visited various parks, enjoyed picnics, caught up with friends, and soaked in the lovely weather alongside conversations that never seem to bore us.

We baked brownies, played together every day, had our fair share of fights, read quite a bit, admired countless stunning evening skies, decorated our front yard with Christmas lights, and finished decorating our Christmas tree.

So, how was your November?

© Vinitha Dileep

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This piece is written in response to the two hundredth and twenty-eighth edition of Fiction Monday inspired by the word prompt – THANKS hosted by yours truly. Do join in if you have a tale to tell.

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