“Perfect!”, That’s the word to describe the feeling when we get nostalgic about our childhood. From the games we played to the friends we made; everything seems so perfect when we reminisce that time as if we were in different universe back then. Not pretty sure if they seemed perfect because the time was really perfect or because our mind wasn’t too much “developed” to feel the flaws and imperfection around us. Wish I was the same naïve and developing species of ape who could get happy over smallest of thing like a peck of dirt from the courtyard which could keep me entertained for a whole day. Achieving that feeling of awesomeness didn’t need much of investment back then as colorful pebbles from flower vase would suffice. Slowly, the expectation and the “bar” for a perfect moment kept on increasing like difficulty level on computer games and feeling as happy as previous times kept on getting difficult. And around the center of that “universe of ever-increasing expectations” lied a machine called “Television”. The mystery box where millions of people lived, Thousands of Cities existed and the entire universe fitted. That 6 square feet screen world seemed like a world of achievers and the doers and had no place for failure as if the ultimate goal of my life was to become the one shown in the television and fit into that box.
Amid watching all the heroism and unknowingly raising the “bar” for self-satisfaction and happiness, I got to watch something out of the box inside the box. It was show called “Moomin” which featured characters I could relate to myself and things around me. It felt like that I was sometimes cool and curious Moomin, sometimes self centered Snorkmaiden, sometimes unpleasant Stinky, Sometimes stupid Sniff, sometimes a explorer like Snufkin, Sometimes a scientist like Snork, Sometimes a mean Sanumaya, Sometimes a lazy Hemulin Baa, sometimes a caring Moomin aama and Sometimes a mature Moomin baba. I realized, I am a Moomin Ghar altogether comprising all these character within me ready to unleash themselves with some trigger in outside world. And just like it felt good with all these characters together, finding happiness got easier when I’d be real me and let unleash the entire cast of Moomin through me with complete ownership of my deeds. Well, I found something imperfectly perfect in that 6 square feet box that helped me in realizing the roots to happiness. i.e. accepting every bit within. Very thankful that it existed !!
PS: I’m still searching for signs of Boksi Budi within me !