These vacations were special

Prabhpreet Singh, Shishu Niketan Model Senior Secondary School, Chd

It was on the morning of June 11 when I darted across the road to the Terrace Garden, overjoyed for holidays while the whole world was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. While I gambolled about in the park, it suddenly dawned on me that the epidemic meant my long-awaited vacations were destined to be the most mundane possible. I had not anticipated what was to come.

Every year, my family makes a trip to the hills during my holidays, but now as it was impossible, I was determined to make the best of my time at home. Consequently, I started pondering all that I wanted to do and the first on my list was gardening — one of my favourite pastimes which had been ‘slumbering’ for the past few years. As soon as I stepped into our garden on the first day, I was caressed by the cool breeze. This invigorated me and as I got down to tending the plants in my garden, I could not help but relate to Wordsworth in his poem, ‘Daffodils’. This activity provided me with a much-needed break from my virtual classroom.

Although I drew great pleasure from working outside, the activities inside my house were no less riveting. In the beginning, I found assisting my parents in the household chores to be a drudgerous affair, but soon I realised that the work was not quite so monotonous. Cooking, for instance, was magically enrapturing and with recipes available at the click of a button, I was able to whip up a multitude of delicious dishes.

These holidays also gave me a great opportunity to enjoy the antics of my pet cat. In the absence of the customary homework, I could play with her to my heart’s content. Each time, I would be left amazed by her agility as she hopped around in a matter of seconds.

Although I could not meet my buddies, I found ways to stay in touch with them. For instance, our group would have long video calls every weekend and our tomfoolery used to always end in a fit of guffaws.

Further, once the lockdown restrictions had been eased, I could also interact with some of my acquaintances while playing badminton. However, unequivocally the best aspect of these vacations was that I could bond with my maternal grandmother. Each day, at bedtime, she would narrate anecdotes from her life in the village and tales from the lives of the prophets. When it would be my turn, I would resort to my favourite genres – adventure and mystery. Even as I write this, a multitude of other events, which transpired in these three weeks, flood back to me. Though unconventional, these vacations added so greatly to my bouquet of memories that they would always have a special place in my heart.

Vacations like never before

Snigdha, Class XI, Stepping Stones, Chandigarh

For years we wished for an escape, a break from the bustling school life and busy schedules and suddenly fate swirled its magic wand and said, “I think I might just grant you your wishes”. However, this ecstatic paradise did not come true without a price — a compensation. Alongside this vacation, we got during the lockdown, also came the inherent danger to our health and well-being, even financial crisis in many cases.

I personally went through phases of extreme joy of a break, to the disappointment of not being able to meet my friends and finally to an upfront acceptance of this situation. As I gradually adjusted to the idea of the ‘new normal’, I began to forget the uncertainty around me and became more content with all the things I could do in this time.

These vacations were like none before. I had a delightful time since my parents were home all day long and we, along with my brother and grandparents spent the entire day reading books or newspapers, binge watching old movies, doing the household chores and trying out every new recipe we could find. I enjoyed listening to my grandparents as they narrated anecdotes about their life, while they loved the way we taught them to use new gadgets. The most amazing thing to them was how my brother and I were attending school online at home. I spent most of my time choreographing small dances, taking my Bharatanatyam lessons and reading classic books like Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice and Little women.

Between these wonderful moments with my family, especially my grandparents, there also came many deeply moving realisations. The morals that I had always read about in fables and seen in Disney movies seemed to have come to life with the events happening around me. Money truly could not buy me health or other things and that is something I understood were the most important to me. Even the richest man today has not been spared by the Nature’s wrath.

The time I got during these vacations made me introspect myself and helped me become more accepting of myself that in return made me love myself even more. I can feel that I have an entirely different and mature outlook towards life now. These vacations made me more content with what I have.