Family Dosa
Had taken the kids out for a treat. As usual their choice of cuisine popped up. One wanted noodles while the other wanted a chole bature. It was as they squabbled I realized that this had become a routine affair. We went out, ordered food based on individual choices. Sometimes we finished the laid out food, on some occassions have got them packed only to be left in the refrigerator or have left them right there thoroughly embarrassed to have gone overboard.
I decided to put a stop to their tiffs and ordered a four feet family dosa instead. It was an impulsive action and my kids definitely thought that their old lady was going crazy. They were mighty miffed. One complained why I hadn't ordered what she had wanted. The other one had a disgusted look on her face and refused to talk to me.
When the literally lengthy dosa appeared, their anger turned into surprise and wonder. "How in the name of God are we going to finish this???". The other one simply said "Oh my God!!!". Once the accompaniments were laid alongside, the snides and jibes were replaced with laughter and friendly banter. Oblivious to the amusing look on the faces of the hotel staff, we were busy digging into the sumptious yet the simple dosa. Being a tamilian, dosa was and is still one of my staple lifesaver, yet that day and at that moment, it was a true epitome of family time.
Family time, a time when the family members are busy sharing their thoughts, having a friendly conversation with each other; a time that is too valuable to be bartered. But thanks to the world around us where everybody is busy running, family time has become more of a get-together based on personal choices. The individuality refuses to exit. Eating out at restaurants has become a routine affair but with a dash of personal favourites or a pinch of a particular individual's choice.
Luckily for me, the humble never ending family dosa made my family leave behind their "I" in our "WE" time, after all that is what "Family Time" means right???