To my dearest city, Mumbai…
Every tale must end at some point and I guess the day fast approaches when our tale must end too.
Soon we’ll have to say goodbye to each other. Its no use pretending that we didn’t want this to happen. We are different, you and I. You were always too fast for me, never pausing for a moment, always so restless. Me, I like to take things slow, enjoy the scenery as I go about my life. I’m also not as accommodating, or I should say embracing as you are. Your willingness to take in just about everybody into your ambit without ever demanding anything in return never failed to annoy me. Although… I suppose I ought to be grateful that you’re so benevolent because six years ago, you took me in too. Unconditionally. And what did I give you in return? I cribbed about you to anyone who’d care to listen, made fun of your many flaws, hated you with all my being… You gave me space to live and I complained about it being too inadequate, you gave me a job and I fretted over the time it took me to reach work each day. No matter what you did, it was never enough.
Except that it was…. I just refused to see it.
I was too fixated with the idea of returning ‘home’ one day. Now I’m finally going home, to begin a new life. And you know what? I’m actually going to miss you! I made some of my best friends here, created some of my most amazing memories here.. this is also where I met my soulmate and decided to spend the rest of my life with him!
As we part ways now, despite all our differences, I know I shall be back.. even if its just for a visit. You are that addictive!
This is in response to this week’s Trifecta writing challenge, using the word ‘New’:
http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/2012/06/trifecta-week-thirty.html
Neetika's Corner 
Sounds like a bittersweet moment, but sometimes it’s easier to see the love from a distance!
You’re absolutely right. I always thought it’d be a happy day when i leave this place, but turns out i was quite wrong!
gave me goosebumps, this love-story of yours 🙂
I’m flattered, truly 🙂 It does feel strange how even i didn’t realise it would eventually turn out to be a love story! I guess this is the charm of this place!
🙂
Isn’t it amazing, how attached we can be to a place we think we hate? I have felt the same way about a number of places.
True… I never imagined i’d gotten so attached to this city! I do wish i’d appreciated it more while i was here.
Thanks for reading 🙂
That’s a really great story. I’ve never actually thought about getting to love a place you hate, but I guess after 6 years you really would feel some attachment to it. It’s a lot of your life spent there.
Oh – also – I gave you an award! http://queengen.com/2012/06/04/the-multiple-personalities-of-queen-gen-indexed-alphabetically-for-your-convenience/
Thank you for taking out the time to read! and you’re right, 6 years is a long time… i actually feel like i’m leaving a piece of me behind, which feels wierd considering how i always thought i don’t like this place! 🙂
And thank you so much for the award!!! I’m an avid reader of your posts… So i dunno how i missed this one!! i’m really flattered 🙂
You deserve it. You write very well. It’s beautiful to read.
This is exactly how I felt when I left New York. Against my will it grew inside me and became a part of me that I still long for.
Thanks for sharing this with us. Please come back tomorrow for the new prompt.
Thanks for reading! I’m glad to hear that you can relate to it too 🙂
I guess it’s true – we don’t know what we’ve got until it’s gone (or almost gone, in this case.) I like how the subject of the letter was written where it could be interpreted as a person rather than a city. With so many memories, it’s not surpirsing that Mumbai got under your skin. It makes me pause to wonder if my home now will affect me like that (I’m ready to move somewhere else.) I think so 🙂
Yeah, sometimes separation is what is required to make us aware of the importance of something or someone. And its true, with so many memories, Mumbai has started to feel more like a person i started out hating but unknowingly fell in love with. I do wish you luck in moving on to a new home.. Hope you will find it easier! Thanks for reading 🙂
I love the way it first seems like you are talking to someone at the end of a love affair, and then things shift so that you are talking to a place (Mumbai) at the beginning of a love affair, launched just as you leave for home.
Thanks for taking out the time to read my post. And i love the way you put it.. About how the love affair has just begun when i’m about to leave. Thats exactly how i feel 🙂
Want me to comment Neeika 😉
hehe… yeah, well, i know you told me this would happen! But i was determined to learn the hard way 🙂