Nini’s Extended Friendships -Day 3

Aditi Ghosh

We remain as lazy as we can in the crisp mountain air and these divine surroundings. The big group to our surprise is neither noisy nor a troublemaker. Nini continues to roam around unleashed. Some of them extended friendships to Nini, but our baby is like us, happy in her own world, with peace and serenity.

With age, Nini has stopped running and playing with a ball. Earlier with semi-air-filled football, Nini used to run around and play football with her mouth. Seeing the football here, Nini was back again to play, but this ball was not for her. I wish I carried her ball.

Every now and then, Nini wants to go back to the river, to see if it is still flowing. I can imagine it is such a wonder for Nini- how can water continuously flow? And it also reflects our collective conscience –

‘ওগো নদী চলার বেগে পাগল-পারা, পথে পথে বাহির হয়ে আপন-হারা, আমার চলা যায় না বলা, আলোর পানে প্রাণের চলা, আকাশ বোঝে আনন্দ তার, বোঝে নিশার নীরব তারা।’

(That, my dear river, flows in a frenzy, in the wildernesses

Losing yourself in course endless

Ineffable is my rhythm; a life’s stir toward the light

The sky knows its bliss as do the silent stars of the night)

The writer is a globe traveller