Who needs flowers? A few months in the tropics and I am mesmerised by the stunning leaves in these parts, huge and spectacular. Every colour and shape is present amongst them. If I stop and look closely, they hypnotise me. If I stand back and take in the view of the canopy, I have a sense of abundance! Such lushness and vibrancy. No two leaves are exactly the same. Each one a miracle. Monstera, Rattlesnake plant, Purple blush, ferns, Beauty star, Zebra plant, Prayer plants, palms, Coconut fronds, Banana leaves and the list goes to over 7500 species.

Walking on the edge of the Arabian sea, along the west coast of India, I see shapely leaves in orange, yellow, red and auburn strewn on the golden beach. I pick one up and it feels thick and waxy, seasoned well by its prolonged contact with salt water. Their shape is that of jack-fruit leaves. I can’t help but pick a few, hold them in the shallow waves as they get the sand off them, pat them dry against my cotton top and carefully bring them home. Press them under a sofa cushion and a few days later, they emerge flat and textured as a fabric, ready to receive some more colour.

These plain fascinating leaves invite the five-years-old in me to play. I jump at the invitation and spend some timeless moments with them. Together we build little bugs and African shields. In our world, it doesn’t matter that the bug and the shield are the same size. It also doesn’t matter that these things have no practical use at all. The fact that they may not last for more than a few days as a possible bookmark or a decoration, also does not matter.

All that matters is that these gorgeous creations came into being through us and briefly delighted.