On Makar Sankranti the sky is normally filled with kites. But today the sky is still bare. Perhaps they will start flying in the evening when the sea breezes start coming in.

I love watching the kites soar high into the sky, riding on thermals taking them up as high as the eye can see before finally breaking free and vanishing forever. Or come crashing down in mid-flight mercilessly cut down by men and boys chasing them as prized trophies.

Thanks to the return of the Overseas Indians I am celebrated out. From December we’ve done nothing but meet and eat or eat and meet! It’s always fun to meet family and friends and catch up with old memories while making new but finally the wining and dining has taken its toll on my body that has begun to grumble and groan .

Possibly most of my compatriots are feeling the festivity burnout which is why Makar Sankranti has lost much of its shine. After all, with Diwali sweets, Christmas treats and dozens of meets with friends and family, flying kites is not for the faint of heart.

At one time I would buy kites for my young girls to fly and would make the traditional tilache ladoo ( a toasted sesame seed and jaggery confectionery) that is exchanged with wishes for letting bygones become bygones. (Tilgool ghya ani gode bola) .

This wonderful sentiment is a great way of starting the New Year with fresh thoughts and kind words for everyone ; I sentiment that I wholeheartedly endorse and would seriously like to implement.

Why do we carry the burden of grudges, often imagined slights and emotional hurts when it so easy to forget them and get on with our lives. After all no two moments are alike and we accept them with equanimity, so why can’t we accept each others’ baggage?

But obviously this is easier said than done and on this day, even though I’m not flying kites and not sharing tilgool I do hope I have it in me to let go of past grudges and restore fractured friendships.

Ciao