Annya's Enchanted Realities

Last week, I had the chance to meet one of my relatives—a connection I didn’t even realize I had. Our great-grandparents were siblings, making us second cousins, though to be honest, it was the first time I’d ever heard of her existence. Despite not knowing of her existence until recently, I felt an instant connection when we met. It was one of those rare moments that makes you reflect on how family, no matter how distant, can still feel close. If only we’d had more time to spend together! Let me share some of the events and happy memories we created.

As you may have guessed, I’m not someone who socializes much. I’ve always been the kind to keep to myself, but Erin has been the reason I’ve started opening up to meeting new people. I want her to connect with others as much as possible because, in this generation, maintaining human connections is essential. Without them, AI and technology might completely take over.

Question: Have you ever met a relative for the first time? What was that experience like?

My cousin’s name is Anousha, and she was born and raised in the UK. She and her partner, Dougal, have been traveling across India, exploring its beauty and diversity. They began their journey in the North and gradually made their way down South. For the past few days, they had been soaking in the charm of Varkala, and their next stop was Pondicherry, passing through Nagercoil.

Anousha had a special reason for stopping in Nagercoil—she wanted to see the house where her grandparents once lived. To help her, my Uncle and Aunt in the US suggested that we join her to guide her to the place. This was when I first learned of her existence, and I was thrilled at the prospect of connecting with her. We quickly discussed her plans, and she told me she’d be arriving in Nagercoil the next evening. We exchanged numbers, and I couldn’t wait to meet her.

Right after I got off the call with Anousha, I shared the news with Erin. I told her that her aunt would be visiting us the next day, and I wanted her to make the most of the time by connecting with her—not by being glued to her phone. (As I mentioned in my previous blog, Erin has a habit of spending too much time on her phone, and I’m actively working on helping her change that.) She asked me who Anousha was and how she was related to us. I told her the truth—that tomorrow would be the first time I’d ever meet her myself. Erin promised to be on her best behavior, and with that, we both called it a night.

The next morning, our routine unfolded as usual—Erin went to school, and I worked from home. In the evening, as soon as she returned from school, her first question was, “Is she here yet?” I told her Anousha would arrive in a couple of hours and reminded her to get ready. The plan was simple: we’d meet Anousha at her grandparents’ old home, leave her luggage at our place, head out for dinner together, and later that night, she’d board her bus.

I called Anousha to check if she had arrived. It was already 5:30 PM, the time we were supposed to meet. She told me she had just boarded an auto-rickshaw and couldn’t make it to the original meeting spot. Instead, she asked if she could come home to drop off her luggage and plan from there. Of course, I was delighted to host her and immediately said, “Yes.” I then connected with the driver, gave him my address, and he assured me they’d arrive in 10 minutes. True to his word, they did.

I had been under the impression that Anousha was visiting alone, so when I saw Dougal get out of the rickshaw first, I was momentarily confused and wondered if this wasn’t the ride I was expecting. But then I heard Anousha’s voice at the gate. I quickly grabbed Erin and headed out to welcome them. She introduced Dougal as her partner, and we all went inside together. Once they settled in, I asked if they’d like something to drink. Heading to the kitchen, I planned to make some Indian tea for them, only to realize there was no milk. I needed to think on my feet. That’s when I remembered the couple of oranges I had bought for Erin.

I quickly asked her, “Can I use the oranges to make some juice?” She replied, “Sure, Mommy,” without hesitation. Such an understanding girl I have—I felt so proud of her at that moment. With a smile, I told her to entertain Anousha and Dougal while I got busy in the kitchen. Then I got to work, squeezing some fresh juice. As I was making the juice, I could hear Erin chatting with Anousha and Dougal. I was genuinely surprised to hear her open up so easily. Normally, she’s quite reserved and tends to be moody around new people. But that evening, I saw a completely different side of her, and it made me smile.

Once the juice was ready, I served it to everyone, and as we started getting acquainted, Erin suddenly dashed off to grab some of her toys. She returned with a couple of board games—Snakes & Ladders and Ludo—and eagerly asked if they’d like to play with her. Naturally, we all agreed to play Ludo. Interestingly, Anousha had never heard of the game before, though Dougal was familiar with its online version. Erin, full of excitement, began explaining the rules to them. I suggested that it might be easier to learn as we played, and everyone agreed. With that, we dove into the game, laughing and bonding as we went along.

I also showed Anousha some of the pictures I took during my recent trip to Alleppey. She was mesmerized by the beauty of the place, commenting that it looked breathtaking. Interestingly, she had spent a day or two there before but hadn’t found it as striking as the places we’d visited together. I promised her that the next time she plans to visit Alleppey, I’ll make sure to help her explore its beauty in a way that leaves her speechless.

After bonding over the game, Anousha shared that she was an artist and showed me some of her stunning artwork. Dougal, beaming with pride, mentioned that one of her pieces was soon going to be displayed in a museum. Her sculptures were absolutely mesmerizing, resembling a modern take on mythical art. Of course, like any proud momma, I told her that Erin was the artist in our home and eagerly showed her some of Erin’s creations. Then we challenged Erin to sketch some portraits of our guests, and without hesitation, she grabbed her notebook and got to work. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and her creativity shone through in the portraits.

At dinner, I asked Anousha what her favorite food had been so far, considering she had already traveled to Delhi, Jaipur, Varkala, and now Nagercoil. She grinned and said that, without a doubt, South Indian food was her favorite. Hearing that made me even more excited about the meal ahead. We decided to head to Uduppi Restaurant near the bus stand—Dougaln’s preference for vegetarian food made it the perfect choice, plus its proximity to the bus depot was convenient for their travel plans. As we were seated, we started looking into the menu and ended up ordering different types of Dosas. The aroma soon filled the air.

After dinner, we clicked some memorable pictures. We asked one of the bus boys to take a photo for us, but he held the phone diagonally and clicked the shot. We all burst out laughing at the result. When we switched to taking selfies, one of the other staff members at the restaurant tried to sneak into the frame, and we couldn’t stop giggling at the unexpected interruption.

What happened next was hilarious. At one point during our photo session, Erin looked at Dougal and, with the candidness of a little girl, blurted out, “Baldy!” I was taken aback and immediately told her that wasn’t a nice thing to say. Erin, however, quickly responded, “But I meant it as a compliment, Mommy!” I think that since she was a little girl, everyone took  it lightly, especially Dougal because he had such a good heart. We all laughed at her innocence, and Dougal, ever the good sport, just chuckled along with us.

Question: Do you believe family bonds can form even with distant relatives? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

As the evening drew to a close, I told Anousha that the next time she visits India, we must spend more time together. I even playfully asked her to teach us sculpting during her next trip. Our time together felt all too short, but I’m grateful for the unexpected connection we made. Family, no matter how distant, has a way of bringing us closer, and I can’t wait to see what future memories we’ll create together.