100 not out

Today is the 100th day of the year.

It's also the first day of weekend lockdown in Mumbai.

My father Vasant Samant (85) is in the fifteenth year of his "lockdown". Struck by a stroke seven months after his 70th birthday, five months after being among the first 25 seniors to finish the dream run.

In August 2020, my husband Milind got Pa to watch a few videos on Visual Thinking by Yuri Malishenko.

Milind along with three other team members, were taking Yuri's Udemy course. 'Visual Thinking' was the flavour of the month at Lumière.

Milind sat Pa and I down to watch a few of Yuri's videos", he said. "He teaches so beautifully and makes it so simple". He got Pa some sketchbooks and pencils. We also gave some some art books around the house to serve as inspiration. Pa starting sketching. Now Pa is naturally right-handed, and since his stroke he has been practicing copying the alphabet with his left hand. He does this as part of his daily routine, first thing in the morning.

Since August 2020, Pa has filled a couple of sketchbooks. He sits at his desk at the appointed hour and produces one art work a day.

Today on day 100 of 2021, I propose 💯 marks for his grit.