Stuff I've left behind

Tonight as I brushed my teeth in preparation of much needed slumber after a long and tiring day of work, I paused to look at the white brush, an Oral B Sensitive, wondering how soft its bristles felt against my gums. This single thought was enough to plunge me deep into memories of things left behind in the distant past.

I looked at my image in the mirror, turned back and asked my roommate if she had ever left behind stuff at people’s place she was visiting, and the answer was the much expected affirmative. I have been using the sensitive toothbrushes for quite some time now and tonight, something just reminded me that I have left so many of them behind at so many places. I believe toothbrushes happen to be easiest articles to be left behind when packing bags for chiefly two reasons, one, we always leave them lying in the bathroom, never timely recollecting to pick them up before leaving and second, they are so easily replaceable!

Now, there have been quite a few other things that I have left behind and they all hold with them such fond memories. Last month, when I was visiting Kat in Delhi, I left behind a much loved bra by Triumph and I remember that I almost threatened in order to persuade her to send it back to me as soon as possible (You need to experience it yourself to find how procrastinating some of my friends could be!). Yeah, it is one of my favourite comfort wears after all. And the other time, I left behind a pair of new hair-combs and an old towel which dearest Newt very promptly returned to me. The other common things I have left behind have included items like paperbacks some of which I had already finished reading, shawls, various articles of clothing, cellular phone chargers, cosmetics, tickets which I always had to rush back to collect, keys for which I have had to wait a couple of days at a friend’s place or easier broken a lock or two to get into my room, and the list goes on. One of the kinkiest things I have left behind was at Yal’s place, this time it was a pack of condoms over eighteen months old, almost close to the expiry date I guess, he called them antique condoms and joked he would never use them.

Besides all the material stuff mentioned above, there have been quite a few things a lot less material and a lot dearer that I have left behind. The childhood and innocence were left behind first, and it was losing these that have in a great manner made me the woman I am today. Yeah, I am a woman now, not a girl anymore! I have also left behind the bitter-sweet emotion of the first parting from home, the butterfly-in-pit-of-the-stomach feeling from first love, the pain from the first heartbreak, the sadness during some long lonely nights, the smile sprinkled days at the varsity, the frequent evening parties enthused with laughter! Also, as I leave behind these small symbols, I leave behind a legacy that keeps my existence firmly bonded to the Earth, memories that I share with so many, and may be one of these things that I leave behind will keep my memory alive long after I am gone. I am not one of those who desire oblivion, I prefer the limelight. I have got over so many events from the past, and time teaches me that it is the right way to be. Old clutter must be cleared away to make room for the new and I am more than in love with the new clutter in my life.

Dear Readers, do tell me what you have left behind!