It was so special celebrating the 4th in Washington DC. We took lots of pictures and a few videos of the awesome fireworks. Best fireworks show we’ve ever seen. Somethings are so special about DC – fireworks, Cherry blossoms, Smithsonian Museums, Khalil Gibran Memorial, Pennsylvania Avenue, Water front, Row houses, afternoon lunches, so on and on. I didn’t know how much I missed DC till now. Its funny about some places, you abhor them and you adore them. The traffic, people, colors, buildings, leaves, water, trees, houses its a beautiful chaos.
I know how much I missed DC, because I forgot how much I love drawing and painting. All the time I was in India, didn’t pick a brush even once. When I paint, the world melts away, all of my troubles, fears, obligations, sadness; I find myself in a smooth, colorful, geometric, creamy, limitless world of adventure, joy, and peace…no matter the subject. About DC, there is warmth and color in the landscape. There’s a reason they say it’s for lovers – you pretty much can’t beat the Blue Ridge Mountains and abundant Cherry Blossoms.
It’s where my heart lies. So many times in my dreams I have walked through the streets I have lived in, walked by and wandered. Like a lover I have longed to be here. Its not for the people I know and love, its for the freedom to live and be myself – sometimes a painter, dancer, writer and sometimes nothing. I might not have appreciated it as much, if I had not traveled to places where freedom is a rare thing.
I don’t even know how to define freedom to someone who has never even crossed the street she was born, married, had children and one day will die. I had a cousin, who lived in the village my father’s parents lived in India. She lived in our old house, my grandma told me she was my uncle’s daughter. I never saw that Uncle and neither did my other cousins. She never hung out with us or played. After a few years, we stopped going. Then my grandma fell really ill, I went to see her. It’s during that visit, I met Soni. She was married, had two children. She took me to her new home, which was right next door. We talked and talked for hours. Rather I talked and she listened. My stories, my pictures, my life she wanted to hear everything as if wanted to live through me. Her eyes had so many questions but didn’t have any words for them. In my own words, I showed her the life she never saw. I wanted to hide her inside me, so I could bring her to my home, to this country. I will go back, if not for her, for myself I will bring her freedom.