Guuye ~ Гүүеэ

Everyone has a favourite place or time in their life. Mine is my parents’ ger, my childhood home.

Waking up in our ger was a pretty sight. Our ger had a round window at the top of the ger called ‘toono.’ The toono was hand painted along with the supporting poles and the two columns.

My particular happy space was being home in bed. My parents would whisper and chat away about whatever they needed to talk and the sound of their voices were like a soothing voice gently putting me to sleep.

In the mornings, I would wake up hearing the same sound, my parents talking quietly. Then my dad would say ‘It’s time for the kids to get up.’ My mum would ask him to wake us up in a gentle manner without giving us a fright by shouting. She believed in making us feel happy in the morning would influence our mood during the day and our self worth.

Dad would call us ‘Minii huuhduud bosooroi’ – meaning ‘It’s time to get up, my children.’

Now, whenever I feel stressed or sad I think of that picture and close my eyes and visit my happy place once more.