My window with a view . In this long journey of life I have opened windows to a panorama of scenes . The first memory is of a big wooden window which opened into the terrace of our neighbors and beyond it the road . While my Ma listened to the frivolous chatter of the neighbors wife her whole focus would be on the road, waiting to catch a glimpse of Baba walking back home from his chamber. She always looked beyond. My first window to life was that, seeing the love my parents shared.

In another city, another house, the window opened to a factory chimney with the blue sky in the backdrop. The black smoke emitting from the chimney formed shapes in the blue sky. I had already learnt to look beyond. I saw the soaring birds, flying away from the black smoke.

Life moved on, windows kept changing. The window from my hostel balcony opened on to a beautiful cathedral . Many sun sets I have stood looking at the cathedral and wishing I was not bound by the tall walls of the school compound . How I wanted to run into a field, breathe in a lot of air , each time I felt so my cathedral window gave me my share of open sky, my share of free air.

The window of the University girls hostel opened to the waiting Prince Charmings of most of the boarders. This window wanted me to believe that love and lovers can wait for each other till eternity. But the windows in my childhood had taught me to look beyond. Like a sceptic I knew that promises are not made forever !

Time and tide took me to places and homes with changing windows. A green landscape where the farmers ploughed their fields from dawn to dusk was once my window view, teaching me to toil in the field of life. I would sit idle by this window for hours and speak to my baby girl, trying to open the windows in her life as she gurgled with laughter and played with her toys.

Years later the window to the snow peaked glaciers held me transfixed. This beauty played its magic on my mind with its grace and magnitude. Through rain and snow this window taught me to stand strong in adversity . I looked beyond and it seemed as though the mountains were passing on a message to me.

Years passed; and when I opened my window to see my son going to school for the first day my heart weeped in a strange upheaval of joy and pain. My window reminded me once again to look beyond. Children grow up and move away, but the mother still stands at the window awaiting their return.

Two windows from my two metro homes have shown me the passage of traffic. In the city which never sleeps my window has been my constant companion all through those wakeful nights. I have seen girls waiting on the footpath in glittery clothes, I have seen big cars stopping by, I have seen revelers by the night light, I have seen the mid night tea seller waiting patiently. Look beyond your good night kisses and sweet dreams my window has shrieked out to me.

In the city of joy my window opens to a huge bus stand.I see buses come and buses go. I see passengers alighting and getting off. No bus ever waits for any one passenger. If you need to go some place you need to be on the correct bus at the correct time.

The city window showed me the passage of eternal life. My window tells me ‘just keep me open’. Let the sun, moon, light, wind come in. Let life come in. Never shut any window of life. Windows teach me to look beyond.