It's been nearly a month and a half since I have been home. This is the longest I have been away from since returning back after graduating from med school. I have moved to a different city for the last year owing to my training, but I have almost always visited home every other week. So naturally I have been away from my two nieces for the longest time since one of them has reached an age understanding, and for since her birth for the younger one.
Of note here is I am their favorite uncle (from both their mom's and dad's side) by a mile and some more. And believe you me, I am not even bragging! So naturally it's been tough on the kids as well - me being gone for so long.
I got a few days off due to the Victory Day holiday and our unit having no admission duty last week - the wards were empty and no one would be looking for me if I quietly went missing starting next week! I think it is a much deserved break as it has been quite stressful lately.
My sister had already brought the kids to our home earlier today. As my wife and I walked in home after a long, long train ride, I barely had enough time to put down the luggage when my nieces saw me enter through the door. And in a flash both were at my feet, literally clutching on to my legs like a koala bear, quite literally!
I hugged them and no one spoke a word for a while. And yet so much was said in the silence of those few moments.
And that I think is the most unexpected, yet one of the most important benefits I have gained from practicing minimalism - Finding happiness in the smallest of things.
If you get too caught up with what's right in front of us, you will lose sight of what's really important.
- A quote from the Pokemon Anime
Minimalism teaches you, we don't need too much to be content. Minimalism teaches one to weed out the unnecessary and once you have decluttered the noise - that is when you start to appreciate these very little moments, the ones that are really important.
