Away from home on losar

Losar, and I am still away from home. On this day I miss my parents and siblings dreadfully. This is my fourth losar away from home. Had a hollow feeling since last night. And it saddens me to know that I will not be home for the next losar as well.

My folks must be all geared up for the losar celebration. Sister and in-law must be up by now, preparing thukpa and suja. Nephew must be up too, all excited and toddling around the house. Apa must be saying his prayers in the alter room. Brother must be glad that he can sleep a few extra hours, tucked warmly under those thick pile of blankets. Nieces must be happy that they have no school today and its losar. The weather must be cold still and they must be sticking to eachother in bed.

After a while, sister will force them out of their beds because on losar you should wake up early, only then will you be able wake up early on the other days of the year.

I always used to be so excited about losar and start to make plans for the day even if I knew that losar was in two weeks time. Other days used to be the hardest to get up but on  losar, I would rise as early as my mother and father. I used to love drawing and painting and losars used to be my favorite drawing and painting day. After breakfast, my siblings and I used to play games while our parents would prepare lunch and before lunch we would bask in the sun, the whole family together. Sigh! those were beautiful days. After lunch my parents would sit and drink together, just the two of them: years of marriage, 5 kids, a lot of troubles they faced but yet, when I used to see them together like that, I wished time would stop and we would be like that forever. I would sit beside them and draw, paint and do stuffs while my siblings would be playing outside. Those days are long gone now. All of us live in different places. Now celebrating losar together is just a dream and memories.

My mother always used to say, people should wear new clothes on losar, eat good food, be happy and not fight. Because losar is the first day of the year, it marks your year. If you fight on losar, you will fight for the whole year and same with the rest. So, on losars, everytime we were on the verge of quarreling, me and my siblings used to say, "if we quarrel today, we will quarrel the whole year" and then we would end up compromising. That was the charm of our mother's believe that worked on us, that kept us from quarreling.

Got a call from home! Sister says we will celebrate losar together in the future. Growing impatient waiting for that future. 

On this day I send my wishes to my family and the rest. May the day be good for all and may the year be filled with good health and happiness.
TASHI DELEK TO EVERYONE ON LOSAR!