It is strange when a certain thought crosses your mind at the least expected moment. I was about to sleep and out of nowhere came the word — ambidextrous.
The first time I stumbled upon this word was when I was in high school. It was a phase of non-fiction reading. I was navigating myself through Nancy Drew, Enid Blyton’s Famous Five, Secret Seven, and all the other great books my school and local library had.
Today, there is a volcano of content readily available to us. Back then, only one person could clarify and explain my curiosity. The meaning of words that were foreign to me. It was my mom’s close friend — our neighbor. She was of mixed race, fondly referred to as “Anglo-Indian” (a mix of British and Indian ancestry). She came home for lunch every Sunday and spent the day with us.
I would eagerly wait every week for her visit. She spoke English, unlike us whose native language was Tamil. I had a brown diary that I used to write the words I couldn’t understand or pronounce. With an em dash next to each one, and then I would carefully write what she explained in detail. I repeatedly read it out loud and tried framing sentences so it would register in my head permanently.
I must have bothered her so much that for Christmas she presented me with an Oxford Dictionary. I etched my name in bold letters on the front page to claim it as mine. Having a sibling and sharing things wasn’t always easy.
All those days of reading and marking words were just so amazing. Ambidextrous was one such word. Incorrigible is another that still crosses my mind.
The font, the smooth pages, the flipping and folding, priceless. I never heard of bookmarks at that age, so it was always dog-eared pages. Trust me when I say this, I still don’t use bookmarks. I prefer to put random things inside to mark my place. Old habits die hard.
Over the years, things changed with time. With more studying and exposure, I began looking up words whenever required, whether in books or later on apps and the internet.
I’m not entirely sure how much the Oxford Dictionary is still in use today. But when I think of it, it was the bible of words for me growing up. A book that took me to a completely different place. It was the stepping stone of my reading life.
I still have the dictionary with me, back at my parents’ house. It is not in the best condition; there is wear and tear, and the color has faded with age. But it still holds the plethora of words and meanings one needs to get by. Most importantly, it still carries my name.
The human race will continue to evolve and transcend boundaries. With time, much of what feels important today will become history in the future.
I find beauty in the little things in life. One such thing, forever special to me, is my Oxford Dictionary. Thank you, aunty, for your thoughtful gift. May you rest in peace.
Today, there is a volcano of content readily available to us. Back then, only one person could clarify and explain my curiosity. The meaning of words that were foreign to me. It was my mom’s close friend — our neighbor. She was of mixed race, fondly referred to as “Anglo-Indian” (a mix of British and Indian ancestry). She came home for lunch every Sunday and spent the day with us.
I would eagerly wait every week for her visit. She spoke English, unlike us whose native language was Tamil. I had a brown diary that I used to write the words I couldn’t understand or pronounce. With an em dash next to each one, and then I would carefully write what she explained in detail. I repeatedly read it out loud and tried framing sentences so it would register in my head permanently.
I must have bothered her so much that for Christmas she presented me with an Oxford Dictionary. I etched my name in bold letters on the front page to claim it as mine. Having a sibling and sharing things wasn’t always easy.
All those days of reading and marking words were just so amazing. Ambidextrous was one such word. Incorrigible is another that still crosses my mind.
The font, the smooth pages, the flipping and folding, priceless. I never heard of bookmarks at that age, so it was always dog-eared pages. Trust me when I say this, I still don’t use bookmarks. I prefer to put random things inside to mark my place. Old habits die hard.
Over the years, things changed with time. With more studying and exposure, I began looking up words whenever required, whether in books or later on apps and the internet.
I’m not entirely sure how much the Oxford Dictionary is still in use today. But when I think of it, it was the bible of words for me growing up. A book that took me to a completely different place. It was the stepping stone of my reading life.
I still have the dictionary with me, back at my parents’ house. It is not in the best condition; there is wear and tear, and the color has faded with age. But it still holds the plethora of words and meanings one needs to get by. Most importantly, it still carries my name.
The human race will continue to evolve and transcend boundaries. With time, much of what feels important today will become history in the future.
I find beauty in the little things in life. One such thing, forever special to me, is my Oxford Dictionary. Thank you, aunty, for your thoughtful gift. May you rest in peace.
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