Some Things Don’t Change, and That’s a Good Thing

No matter how far we move, some things just stay with us.

For me, it’s the way my mom taught me to make tea: three steps, no shortcuts, the right amount of ginger crushed just so. Even now, in the middle of a busy week, that first sip of masala chai somehow grounds me. It reminds me of home, not the place, but the feeling.

And I’ve come to realise I’m not the only one who carries little rituals like that.

A neighbour steams her dhoklas every Sunday, no matter how busy her week’s been.

A friend lights a diya each evening, sometimes quickly between errands, but always with care.

Another friend still wraps homemade rotis in an old cotton cloth, just like her mum used to, because foil never felt right.

We all have these quiet habits we’ve carried with us. Some people still hang copper pots in the kitchen. Others start the day with old songs playing in the background. Some speak to their kids in two or three languages - one for comfort, one for clarity, and sometimes both in the same sentence.

These aren’t about holding on to the past. They’re about weaving the past into the present.
Passing it on, without even realising it.

We learn new things here - new recipes, new customs, new words - but we never lose the old ones. We layer them in, like spices.

And those layers? They’re what makes a life feel whole.