Shweta Shah

राग और रंग​

The last day of school before summer break caught me off guard.

As I watched my daughter walk into school, I realized something quietly heartbreaking. One day she'll have a last summer vacation too, and neither of us will know it while we're living it.

My own summers were beautifully ordinary. Mangoes ripening on the trees, sneaking the sweetest ones from the neighbor's yard, waking up to the chatter of parrots and the songs of koels.

Those days felt endless.

That house isn't ours anymore. Someone else lives there now. The memories are as vivid as yesterday, yet it's been 15 years since I left for college and life carried me somewhere else.

It makes me wonder what memories my daughter will carry with her. I hope we're building a childhood she can always come home to, not just a place, but a feeling. One that stays with her long after she has grown.

Here's to slow summers, little traditions, and the quiet magic our children may remember for the rest of their lives. 🤍🥭🏡

Paintingfeelings, summer 2026, 90s nostalgia