Small Pleasures

It was around 4:45 pm. I was enjoying my time in the bedroom, lazing. Sundays are the only days when I get the afternoons to myself. On weekday afternoons I prepare my yoga and pranayama sequences for my evening classes.

Slowly, I could hear a song playing somewhere far. I could only listen to the music properly but not the words. Perhaps because it was playing far away from me. I kept trying in vain to figure out what the song was. I sat up on the bed, as I didn’t want to fail in identifying the song. Nope, still couldn’t figure it out. Hurriedly I went out to the balcony and tried to figure out where the song was coming from and what it was. The music was immensely soothing and melodious. I had to know the song. I had to have it in my collection. I had to have enough time for my Shazam* to catch it for me. I opened Shazam and even though it was playing far away from my building, it gave the song details. Not only the details, but also the link to iTunes where I could play and download it.

But then, I asked myself, what is the hurry? Why don’t I simply enjoy the song the way it is playing now? So, I decided to do just that. 

I stood there in my balcony and lost myself in the song. I completely enjoyed the melodious tune and everything about the song. I couldn’t stop appreciating the singer. The quality of touching one’s heart through one’s singing has to be a gift from above.

The song ended shortly after. The next song started. Same singer – my all-time favourite. I could see the building where the song was coming from. It was playing on the terrace garden of one of my distant neighbours. It was being played by an elderly gentleman. I do not know him – yet. But we seemed to have a connection. I do not know him, but we seem to know each other in many ways. Every afternoon when I water my plants in the fire escape, I see him watering his plants in his terrace garden. When it rains suddenly, I collect my clothes from the clothes line, so does he. Of late, it had become like a routine. Not that we do it on purpose, but it just syncs. 

Suddenly I realised, it was time for me too to water the pots in the fire escape. I brought my watering can and watered the pots. But today, instead of just doing it as a chore, I decided to enjoy the moment as well. I sat down on one of the steps of the fire escape and enjoyed the music that was in the air. I sat there enjoying the drizzle in the open in front of me. I enjoyed the birds chirping in front of their nests in the nearby trees. I enjoyed being with my plants a little more. It was slowly getting dark. I wanted to have a cup of tea. I came inside with a content heart. Happy. 

And while having tea, I downloaded that song “Akhore” by Zubeen Garg. A single. Amazing lyrics, heart touching melody and an even more captivating voice.

*Shazam is a useful app that lets you identify music.