My sister and me at the dining table of our ancestral home in Mumbai, India.

This home is no more after being demolished to build a high-rise in its place. I am so grateful for old photos that help keep my memories alive. My dad took it upon himself to photograph our entire home and this is one of the images from the series.

I think about how these photos are a window into our lives and how simply we lived back in those days. We owned only a few things and they stayed in the family for generations – like the pressure cooker and the stainless steel utensils that you can see here on the table. My mother gave me the pressure cooker, which I continue to use today in my home in California.

We ate meals at this table as a family of five almost every night. My mom was the primary cook and made food from fresh produce every day. My friends have fond memories of visiting our home and enjoying a home-cooked meal. It seemed like a visit wasn’t complete without a meal at this table.

Looking at this photo, a friend told me that she used to intentionally come around lunch time so she could be invited to stay and eat with us! My mom was always welcoming of our friends and family to share a meal that she lovingly cooked for us. And I love that she has been able to inspire me to do the same for family and friends. ~shared by @storyboxart