The four R's

First of all, A very✨ ✨ Happy New Year✨✨ to all my readers who take the time and effort to read my blogs.

Every new year , most of us make some Resolutions that usually don't last long. However, there are some tough ones who have the ability to hold on to their resolutions till the next year, when they would have another new resolution.

Recently, I happened to read 📖 somewhere about a resolution of adopting the three R's. Reuse, recycle and reduce for a better tomorrow. So that's four Rs - A Resolution to adopting the three R's. This three R's resolution made me go back some years and recollect how our new year resolutions used to be.

So briefly, as kids or students, back then, welcoming the new year is a very sober event. There are not parties,🎉 🎉 🎉 , DJs, get-togethers, dancing 💃🕺 etc. The only privilege we used to get is that one day you can stay awake till 12 and also watch TV 📺 that long. Otherwise, watching TV has restricted time ⏳ and slots. So the mother wraps her kitchen fast and all family members settle in front of TV watching programs especially curated for this night. At 12 🕛, you wish each other, parents bless you and you go to sleep happily after the time well spent. As for resolutions, there aren't any except that the next day being the first day of the new year, no one will cry, fight or be sad because whatever happens on day 1 is bound to repeat the entire year. This resolution is very practical as you have to follow it just for one day 😄. You take care you don't fight with your siblings and just behave yourself for a day. Above all, You can expect a sweet dish for lunch.🥣 Yes, it won't be a fancy cake 🎂, exotic Italian tiramisu or a French souffle. It will be a simple kheer (a sweet made from milk, sugar, rice, dryfruits and flavors), halwa ( sweet made from semolina, milk, sugar, clarified butter, dryfruits and flavours) or something that's easily prepared by your mother or grandmother in her kitchen.

Okay, now coming to the three R's - the first one being Reuse. I remember though there was no specific concept of resolutions and three Rs (in all the four R's) all this was followed almost effortlessly. Reusing - there can be 1000 examples of this. One of this was cloth bags - there was no concept of plastic bags. You use the same bag 🛍️day in and day out. Recycle ♻️ - oh my god! From food to clothes everything is recycled. Old sarees become mattress covers, old T-shirts become kitchen towels/cushion covers, left over rotis are turned into delicious ladoos (a sweet dish) or snacks, left over rice are turned into a new dish for breakfast or evening snack, and the list goes on. The next one is Reduce - again a ritual that need not be forced upon, it was a habit. People preferred bathing with water in bucket 🪣 and a mug. Showers were a luxury as it wasted water (a golden concept that didn't need to have brand ambassadors to emphasize the fact - there were parents and elders to tell you this), reducing usage of water. Reducing purchase. Only buying things that are required. No hoarding. No greed. I feel people were simple, less wants, limited desires and hence no need of any imposed rules. There were already untold rules in place followed by almost everyone.

A simple life with all four R's just in place making this earth 🌏 a truly livable and lovable place.

Take care

Regards

SRN