Bye bye Ahmedabad!

And a chapter comes to an end. The road forks to lead me back home.

Two years of a dream lived. Memories that refuse to get categorized, jump into suitcases, get themselves a ticket and travel with me back. Memories that jerk at my hand and tell me- "Stay back, you moron. We were all born here. We want you to relive those times with us!"

Living life to the hilt, finding new ways of seeing and thinking, growing a whole-new-me from the seed that I was.

I've found many new things- from within the crannies of me, I have discovered strength and spirit, from around-some friends for a lifetime, from the place- a beginning in a journey of knowledge. There has been so much learnt and unlearnt, so much loved and gained, some- lost forever in this place.

Every inch of wall, in my nest of a C-201, has stories to tell. Of tears shed, my tryst with loneliness, fatigue, fear; also in those swirls of red, yellow and blue are many many tales of mirthful evenings, happy movie-watchings, art and poetry, heart to heart talks, dreams dreamt,got and lost, and a gradual growing up I'm slowly sensing within.

I came here a jumping stone trying to be everywhere, dancing with joy. I'm leaving as a more rounded stone, who is aware that she could either be a jewel or a door-stopper, and in this knowledge has slowed down and is looking at herself differently.

The city has made me independent, confident and happy. There are little memory notes I've left behind in many loved spots. I'll come back to them, time and again, rewind my tapes and play those times again in my mind! Yes Ahmedabad, our love will never be over...

A wonderful journey's major part comes to an end. I'm one diploma film away from finishing my course here.

NID has given me wings, I'm going to flap them and try them out. They look shiny, not sturdy yet; they look fancy and pretty, not beautiful yet; but they are my wings all the same. I'm going to try and fly...and yes, fall many times and hurt and cry, but then I'd have still moved a few babyflaps ahead!