The Perfect Curry

…a kitchen tale on growth mindset.

Meera’s son has joined a college in US for an undergraduate degree course in Computer Science. He is having a hard time fitting in. The culture, climate and people are all new. There were instances when he shared with his mother how desperately he wants to come home. “There are such world class colleges in India. Why did I have to choose this one?” he sometimes wonders. Its been a lonely one year away from family, friends and the familiarity of home country.

The summer break is starting tomorrow. Tossing and turning in his bed, Ishaan is unable to catch even a wink of sleep. He is excited to spend a whole month with his family.

Meera, also, cannot wait for the day to end. She has been busy preparing for her son’s arrival. She has cleaned his room, stocked the kitchen and informed her friends that she won’t attend the upcoming kitty party.

Today, is the much awaited day. Meera and her husband are at the airport to pick their son. As soon as he exits the gate, he runs towards his parents and hugs them tight. It’s a warm family hug they have been missing for a year. Ah, such a beautiful feeling, it could melt a heart. They leave for home. The rest of the day is spent chatting, laughing and cuddling.

“Ishaan, want to make a curry?”

“Yes… Which one?”

He combed through the contents in the refrigerator and found a bottle gourd. “Let me make a bottle gourd curry” he exclaimed. “Tell me how to make it, Mom.”

“Ok, first cut the bottle gourd, 2 potatoes and an onion into small squares.”

Meera had taught her son the basic survival skills, cooking being one of them. Given a chance he could whip up a good meal, enough to impress a girl! Ishaan washed and peeled the vegetables, and started chopping them into squares. He knew that well chopped vegetables make a good curry. When he finished, he inspected the vegetables and called his mom.

“Wow, they look perfect.”

“Are you mocking me, Mom? They are in all kinds of shapes.”

“The rhombuses and trapezes? Don’t worry.” Meera answered nonchalantly.

She told him the recipe. He cooked a fine curry out of the misshaped vegetables.

The three of them sat at the dinner table. Meera’s husband said, “Ishaan, what a perfect curry you made! I am proud of you, son.”

Ishaan had a beaming smile on his face.

Meera said, “like this curry your life is perfect too.”

“Mom, you have no idea how imperfect my life is. I feel so lost at times. It’s so difficult and lonely. I don’t even know if I want to go back!”

Meera knew that her son was in a new country with new people and in a whole different culture. He was finding it difficult to fit in. She also knew that the path to victory was right through it.

“Sweetheart, your problems, right now, are like those rhombuses and trapezes.” pointing to the vegetable pieces in curry. “ Don’t be jittered by them. They will all tie up into a perfect curry. Just keep going, unflustered.”

Ishaan looked at the misshaped pieces of bottle gourd and smiled. This time a more deep rooted meaningful smile. Indeed, they did make a great curry!