Ann’s Story – Gratitude in the Hills

I was born in a beautiful place in Kerala, India — Wayanad, surrounded by misty hills, green forests, and fresh air.

My earliest memory takes me back to a bus ride with my parents. We were traveling to the Nilgiri Hills. I remember the winding roads, the cool breeze rushing in through the window, and the excitement of climbing higher and higher into the hills. I didn’t know much about the world then, but that journey left me with a lasting feeling of wonder — as if life itself was opening up before me, just like the mountains rising in the distance.

The Nilgiri Hills hold more meaning for me than just that first memory. It is also where my mother’s home once stood. But there is a story tied to that place. On the day of her wedding in Kottayam — at my father’s house — her family home in the Nilgiris collapsed. Heavy rains had caused a landslide, and the earth swallowed the house she had grown up in. It was as if nature itself had marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

My mother is the twelfth daughter in her family. She grew up in the cool hills of Tamil Nadu, surrounded by a large, bustling household. With so many siblings, life was never quiet. I often think of how much love, chaos, and resilience must have filled her days. Because of her, I have a whole world of family — countless aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. For us, family gatherings are not small occasions; they are festivals of laughter, noise, and endless storytelling.

Despite hardships, my mother always considered herself lucky and grateful. She was surrounded by love and care, with beautiful and nurturing parents who shaped her into the woman she became. I see so much of her in myself.

I was also fortunate to have wonderful grandparents. I can’t recall a single time my grandmother scolded me. Maybe it was because I was a little naughty, yet innocent and cheeky — a mix that led me into small adventures and mischief without ever feeling guilty. Those moments with my grandparents were filled with laughter, warmth, and a sense of freedom that made my childhood truly special.