Page 198 - Udaan Trial Book

TRUE BEAUTY OF A CHERISHED MEMORY

--GARGI MUKHERJEE, ISC BATCH, 2020

What is a person, if not a
I spent most of my
collection of thousands of
childhood in a
assorted memories? Of
suitcase. Ever since
things they remember,
I could remember,
things they wish they could
our family was
forget and wonderful
always moving—
recollections that have
one year in this
over time become a part of
country, two more
them forever? Such is the
years in another
power of memory, of these
country. It was
tiny fragments of the world
and the people around us always the same.

that we carry within
We would move to
ourselves. Some memories
one place, unpack
are better left alone in the
and settle down
abyss of our minds, while
both literally and
others are more precious
metaphorically, and
than any material pleasure
right when I would
that the world can offer.
finally start to feel
We all have memories we
at home, my father
could never let go of, so let
would get another
me tell you about some
transfer and we’d
memories which I hold
have to uproot
dear, which are partly
ourselves and shift
responsible for shaping me
base again.
into the person that I am
today.