A Bygone Era

When I moved out,the thing I missed most was the warmth of life back home.
I missed the comfort of the sofa,the warm cozy bed,the mundaness of daily life.I missed the happy voices,the coming home of my father(The look on my mother's face),the laying of the dinner table,the ring of the doorbell,the chit chat of the neighbours,the friendly doodhwala.I missed buying vegetables from the thelewala,I missed watching my grandmother wait for the postman everyday.I missed the constant ringing of my landline phone and the ever flowing guests(Who were always welcome).I missed the aromas from the kitchen and the easy availability of food all the time.

I made great friends at the PG I was staying in and in our own way we tried to create a home away from home for us.But I always felt a void.I always dreamt of going back to the same life,to the same warmth.

Five years from then and here I am married and running a house of my own...
During weekdays I hardly spend a couple of hours at home during the day.My doorbell only rings to announce the maid in the morning(Rather to jolt me out of bed).
I have this obnoxious green box for a mailbox in the apartment where I drag myself every time I am expecting a mail.I collect the milk packets from the bag I hang in by the door every morning.I buy vegetables from the nearest supermarket (The one with the fastest moving queues) and I have guests only when I invite them(Otherwise people call before they drop by ).I wouldn't recognize my next door neighbours if I crossed them on the street(I am sure they don't know me either).On most days I and my husband come home together.On other days when he gets late I am half dead by the time he gets home.
Sometimes I wonder if that was a different era altogether..Sometimes I regret that those memories seem so distant and are fading away so soon.
I wonder if I can ever recreate the magic in my home.