The Theorem of Unconditional Love – A tribute to my favouritest teacher

“Good evening teacher”, I greeted her. “Good evening” she said and hugged me. My heart was filled with the warmth of her love and a small tear fell from my eye. I had been longing for this love since four never-ending years. Jenny and Donia too welcomed me at the door. I embraced my little girls and was overwhelmed to see them as young pretty girls now. The last time I had seen them was when Jenny was still a school going child and my little Donia was studying in class one. “Have I grown old?” this thought silently crossed my mind.

I walked inside the house along with Rakesh. The place still looked the same, serene and

peaceful. It was the same abode where I have spent lovely time with them. I felt nostalgic.

“So how are you Khushboo?”She asked me with her radiating smile while Jenny served me my

favorite “Kerala Special Banana Chips”. “I am doing well teacher. See, I have put on so much

of weight”, I giggled as I munched on the chips. “No no, this is needed. I am so happy to see

you” she replied.

She then struck a conversation with Rakesh and the topic was me of course. She told him about

the bond that she shared with me and the likes of me. She shared with him some memories of

me as her naughty student. I was amazed at the fact that she remembered so much about me even after so long. Rakesh was enjoying every bit of the conversation and amidst all this I was lost in the fond memories of yesteryear.

“Is Mini teacher going to be your Mathematics teacher now?” My sister asked as I packed my

bag for school.” I don’t know”, I replied hastily. “I am sure she is. She teaches class VIII, IX and X. Now that you have finally reached class VIII (my sister giggled), she will teach you Mathematics. Khushboo, now you can’t escape from the clutches of Mathematics”. My sister chuckled as I silently scowled.

I still remember seeing her for the first time. A shiny dusky complexion, big bright beautiful

eyes, a posture so straight and confident and a radiant grin that made her look so stunning.

She held an algebra book in her hand. She entered the class and we stood to wish her, “Good morning teacher”. “Good morning” she replied and we sat down. “I am Mini Philip”, she introduced herself. “I’ll be teaching you Algebra and Geometry from now on”. Mini teacher? I swallowed my heart that was almost in my mouth.

As days passed by, our interactions increased. I loved the way she approached Mathematics. It

had created a wave of interest in me. The initial fear changed into affection for her. She was full of love however also ensured that we remain within the boundaries of discipline. It was because of her that I started liking geometry too. 

She took no time to realize that geometry was my greatest weakness and helped me whenever

I approached her with a doubt, be it the silliest of all. “Focus on theorems, Khushboo, once

you understand them, Geometry becomes easy. Then you can solve any problem without any

difficulty. I know you can do it”. She always sounded so optimistic. Now it was for her that I

wanted to learn theorems and geometry. During the initial year of my learning with her I had

significantly improved my geometry. All thanks to her I was no more scared of the subject. 

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates.

The great teacher inspires - William Arthur Ward

On my parents request she agreed to coach me in algebra and geometry after school in class IX.

Those coaching sessions changed my life completely. It changed the way I viewed Mathematics

as a subject. I would have given up had it not been for her. She helped me understand every

problem logically and not just for the sake of keeping a tally of my marks. She taught me that

no matter how hard I worked, if I looked at a problem like a pessimist I would never be able to

overcome it. “Khushboo, first accept that you want to learn Geometry. Then believe you can

do it and work towards it. Finally leave the rest to God”. This learning became the foundation

of all the learning that I took up in life, later. I worked hard because she believed in me. I didn’t

want to put her down. I would sometimes whine about it but that didn’t deter my teacher from

pushing me to do well. I often recall that punishment of writing theorems multiple times till

I understood it well. And that occasional scolding when I expressed my insane desire to omit

a chapter because it was tough sounds so silly now. Nonetheless her hard work paid off and I

scored 70/75 in my final exams in Geometry (first time ever in the history of my education ;)). I

was overjoyed and silently stood behind me was my teacher who steered my life.

The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called "truth"- Dan Rather

I had very soon become close to her. She was more than a teacher to me, perhaps a mother figure now. I cracked jokes, shared random stories and childish poems with her. She would patiently listen to it and often encouraged me to write more. I have been one of those few fortunate ones who have been privy to the secret that Mini teacher makes amazingly tasty sambhar and aviyal. I have feasted on them to my heart’s content. I was a regular guest on Christmas Eve and loved the appam’s she made. Yes, I have also gorged on these appams on multiple occasions.

“Next time when you come to see me I want you to come with your child, Khushboo”. Her words brought me back to the reality of today. I just smiled at her statement.

Honestly, she has showered me with her abundant love and enlightened my life. I passed out of school in the year 2000 but the bond between me and Teacher continues to remain strong. Time and again I visit her as a long lost child and like a mother she always welcomes me with her open arms. When I was going through a rough phase of my life, she stood by me. It was through her that I understood the power of prayer.

I share a lovely equation with her daughters too. They are my lovely angels. Their heartfelt

mirth still resonates in my ears. I love both of them. We laugh insanely, learn new things

together and whenever we meet, we talk endlessly.

After relocating to Bangalore I had been unable to connect with Mini Teacher for various

reasons. A part of my heart ached for her love. But this Diwali when I met her, she emblazed my

life with her love again. Even after several years I could feel the warmth of her affection. Time

had not faded off her love for me. Neither could it corrode the relationship we share. True, love

is beyond time and boundaries. Perhaps some teachers continue to inspire and teach their

students for ever. This time Mini teacher taught me the “Theorem of Unconditional Love”, a

theorem that I shall remember and cherish all my life.

“I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well” – Alexander the Great

Mini Teacher has inspired many students like me and continues to do so. And as far as I am concerned I have a special place for her in my heart and in my life too. 

Moments of Love!!

Wedding

I stared at this picture for long and smiled. Four years already? I thought to myself. It feels like
yesterday that I fell in love with him and then marriage followed. And here I am today, cherishing all those lovely moments that we have spent together.

If you have ever fallen in love then you know what I am talking about. It’s absolute bliss to love someone beyond and more than anything. The fact that your world revolves around someone is something that steers our life, gives us direction. I am on cloud nine right now or may be forever.

If you know me, you know how crazy I am about him.  His love and companionship means a lot to me. And for me LOVE means doing all those cheeky things for him. In fact to tell you I always wanted to experience the joy of writing a love letter. During our dating days we never got a chance to do so. Thanks to Reliance ( yes they had some offers going on then ), we were always hooked to our cell phone for hours together with each other . At times, the phone rebelled and conked off :).  I often felt sad that I could never write to him any love letter. But then last November when he was traveling to Sweden for a fortnight without me ( :( ) we decided (please read me only) that we will write to each other at least one (love) letter each day. This was an opportunity to live one of our dreams and we lived it.

The joy I felt after completing each letter left a warmth in my heart and a grin on my face. Of course we did not post the letters but we read it after he came back from his trip. I remember his reaction when he first smelled those letters, “ You’ve completely finished your perfume bottle, here?" he said pointing towards the bundle of letters. Today when I think of those moments I still feel warm and start smiling.

Life has not been all hunky dory after marriage. If you know me, you know what I am talking about. :) But he stood with me in times of thick and thin. He protects me like a shield and has taught me to stand up for myself. He believes in me more than I have ever believed in myself. Amidst all the chaos around, I have received abundant love from him. If I look back today, I have grown in these 4 years, both as a woman and an individual.

I skip a beat when he sings for me. I fall head over heels for him every time he runs his fingers through his hair. I love those morning chai times that we spend together talking about “us”. I eagerly wait for those evening walks on weekends where we share northing but silence. I love those occasional moments in cafe coffee day, giggling and laughing over random things while sipping over our latte. Those morning hugs when he completely wraps me in his arms, leaves me falling all the more for him. (Didn’t I tell you I love to doing cheeky things). Yes, I am in love and it’s all around me.


These are the small moments that make my life, life. I cherish these moments. Today they are moments, tomorrow they’ll form memories. Memories of two people in love with each other. Memories of the trust that we have in each other. Memories of joy that we have found in each other.

Mr.Husband, in spite of all imperfections, life has been perfect with you. Wish you a very “Happy Anniversary” and may we celebrate many more such years of love, togetherness and absolute madness.

Clicked by Kaku on our 4th Wedding Anniversary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJb1ssF7040

This is the song he often sings.....

Have you lived your life, yet????

I wish we also came with our expiry dates labelled on us ( haven’t you seen those tablets??). I wish life gave us a heads up before it was time to leave and go. I wish we could plan our life well in advance so that all the precious time that we hold, we could use it wisely. I wish I wish and I only wish.


Sometimes certain small incidents/accidents in life, leave you wondering on the uncertainties of life. All that you have may change within a second. I believe these probably help us realize the importance of all those lovely people in our lives, all those wonderful moments we cherish and all that is yet to accomplish. How would one feel when one wakes up only to realize that this is “the last day” of his/her life? What if all that you own/possess is suddenly lost in something that you have least control over?? No, I am not trying to scare any one nor am I being a pessimist. I am just trying to deal with this little seed that was planted by a small ( please read small ) accident yesterday. Please do not panic, I am alright. It was just one of those careless moments at home. So I am all hale and hearty and fit enough to type and share with you, the worm that kept rambling and playing in my mind since yesterday.


I am sure you have come across this question multiple times. What if you get to know, you have just one day to live? What will you do? This thought strongly crossed my mind yesterday. It is indeed scary. But then it made me realize that there is very little that I have lived. There is very little that I have accomplished. There is so much more to do. I still haven’t shared all the love that I have. I realized I had taken “life” for granted. Completely.


We are so lost in the mundane chores of life that we often forget/ignore the real side of life. Life beyond office and work. Life beyond those deadlines. Life beyond the traffic and its frustration. Life beyond that 8:00 am bus. Life that’s beyond the mechanical life that we have created for ourselves.


Life is in the strong arms of dad when nothing seems right. Life is the yummy mom made food when you are hungry like hell. Life is those silly fights you have with your siblings. Life is that joke you quietly with your friends. Life is holding your favorite book on a lazy afternoon. Life is walking up the hill and then delving back in to the beautiful valley beneath. Life is clicking funny pictures just so that you look cool, life is telling your spouse over and over again that you love him/her. Life is hugging your teacher after a long long time. Life is kissing your child and letting him know you will always be there. Life is clicking pictures at almost every event of your life so that you hold back the memory. Life is making a new wish list everyday and then changing it. Life is that mouth watering street food that you cant resist. Life is getting that particular color for your friends wedding. Life is realizing your purpose and then living it to the core. Life is all those little moments that become cherished moments later. Life is adding those lovely colors everyday so that one day we will complete the picture. The picture that will stay forever even when we are gone.


There is so much more to life than we even try to see. Or may be, we see it but do not make any change. Because we are stuck in a race. The race that may get us all the material wealth but leaves us robbed of all the real wealth of love. When was the last time you did something that you absolutely love? When was the last time you called up mom just to tell her that you lover her? When was the last time you lived?


So forgive the one’s who hurt you, they just came to teach you a lesson. Treasure the ones who love you, they are here to make your life worth living. Thank the ones who helped you, they helped you understand that we still have good people around us. Let go of the one’s who have gone,they were not meant to stay in your life forever. Instead go lend a helping hand to the ones who need you.


Yesterday I came across this beautiful message that my dear friend put up on FB.

“Sometimes I cry and crib for silly things and fail to realize how blessed I am. Thank you GOD
- for blessing my life with wonderful people - my family and my dearest friends... 
- For giving me challenges that only make me stronger as a person, 
- for letting me meet few wrong people so that I realise the importance of the right people in my life
- For giving me the wisdom to discover happiness in simple things of life...


Too much of gyaan?? :)
Hmmm.... may be. But then if it has left you thinking about your life, I am good. That simply means I have successfully infected your thoughts too. I have left a worm in your head now. Let it ramble and play and you will be amazed with what it brings to you.


So go, live your life today. Tomorrow is just a myth.

Found, Lost & Found Again..... The Perfect Brother!!!

While I was typing this, I saw a message on my phone which read, “This year I have only your Rakhi on my wrist, I am so happy. Lots of love to you.” He was happy and so was I. 

How do I describe him??? Hmmm.... Let me try. He is tall, has a lean frame and is pretty handsome. He has brightly twinkling eyes, a smile that spreads across his serene face, an attitude that’s contagiously positive and a heart that only loves. He can instantly make you fall in love with him with his witty answers and a heartfelt grin. I have known him for 20 years now or even more. But then there is something about him that makes me love him more and more.

When we first met he was about twelve and I was about 2. He often tells me that as kids we have lovely memories something that only siblings can boast of. He still recalls that he was very fond of me and enjoyed pulling my cheeks. I remember roaming around the colony while he would happily carry me in his arms. He wished he had a sister like me and I wished for an elder brother, just like him. Time passed by and we were growing up together. But then something happened and we suddenly lost contact with each other.I remember the last time that I saw him was when I was about 8 years old. And then after a decade I heard about him.

I was doing my graduation and was completely lost in my own world. He had built a promising career for himself, had a very lovely wife and a son. He somehow managed to get our contact number through a dad’s friend and called up my mother. He instantly expressed his desire to meet us. I had almost forgotten his face except for his big bright eyes. When we met it was a very emotional moment. There was so much to discuss and share. There were times when we laughed insanely and times when we would try to hide a tear. We picked up the pieces right from the place we had left them.

Yogesh bhaiya as I call him is more than just a brother to me. He is a friend, guide and a father figure. I can open my heart to him, share the deepest darkest secrets with him, seek his advice when I am lost, sulk and crib when I am stuck and share my smiles when I am jumping of joy. No we are not relatives, not family friends either. Then???? Strange as it may sound, Bhaiya’s family was just a neighbor to one of my dad’s close relative. Whenever we visited our relative, we would meet up with bhaiya and his family too. We would play together, make noise around do a lot of mischief. Slowly and steadily our families became fond of each other and we became family. But then things went sour with our relatives and we stopped visiting them. Obviously we also lost contact with bhaiya and his family. Those were the days when telephone was an object of luxury. So no contact at all except for the fact that we existed in each other’s prayers.

There is something about bhaiya. Right from my childhood, I was always drawn to him, his thoughts and ideals. Bhaiya and I share more than just love. It is beyond that. I am not sure if we think alike. May be we do or may be we don’t. I am really not sure. He has always been a source of inspiration to me. The way he forgives people is beyond the reach of a common man. He is downright honest and a man of his words. I have never seen him judge people or their lives. Every one is here for a purpose, he says gently. His modesty and selfless nature makes him beloved to many. The grin on his face is independent of what life has offered him. He is happy, always. Probably that’s the reason why he has been instrumental in changing so many lives around him. Every time I went to him with a problem he smiled and said, "now think about the solution too."

Bhaiya has filled our life with his abundant unconditional love. People who see us often think that we come from the same genome. But as bhaiya always says, “Some things are thicker than blood, our relationship is one of them”.

My favoritest picture of Bhaiya

Bhaiya, as you turn a year older and handsomer and wittier, I pray that you be blessed with all the joy and wealth of the world. While Rakesh and I will always love you, we also want you to know that you mean so much to us!! This year you made my Rakshabandhan so so special. You know what I am talking about. :)

Happy Birthday and lots of love to you!!

Hugs,

Rakesh and Khushi!! 

And.... Its all about our "Choice"!!

“Life is all about our choices, its up to you, what you choose to choose”. These words by a friend are resonating in my ears from the time I have heard them. And every time I think about it, it sounds so damn true. Yes, We all have a choice and we all choose. Sometimes its a conscious decision to choose while sometimes it’s just unconscious. But there exists a choice at every step of our life. 

When life throws you down, you have a choice. You can either continue to lie down or pick yourself up and move on. You can either crib and moan about it or you can learn and move on from there. See, there is a choice. When life presents a hurdle, you have a choice. You can either look at it as an  obstacle or you can look at it as an opportunity to show what you are made of. When you meet a failure on your journey, you have a choice. You can either choose to quit or you can shrug your shoulders and continue walking.

You can either choose to be happy or continue being miserable. That’s a choice again. You can choose to love or continue to hate. You can choose to smile or just be grumpy. You can choose to help or just be a snob. You can choose to care or just be indifferent. You can choose to bring a change in your life and around or just be a moaner and accommodate the problem. You can choose to be successful or just be another face in the crowd. You can choose to be generous or be greedy. You can choose to be tears in someone’s eye or a grin on someone’s face. We have a choice to be scared and worried or just be fearless and strong. You can choose to be a loser or fight till the last breath. You can choose to be the hand that heals or the one that kills.

Life does come with a choice always and for everyone. It is not biased or unfair. As rightly said, “What we are today is result of our own past actions; Whatever we wish to be in future depends on our present actions”. Our actions are again a consequence of our choices. This is so strange, yet so true. We are what we chose, we will be what we choose. We are responsible for our choices and their consequences too. We grow with our choice or we stagnate with them.

I believe the only difference between successful people and others is again the choices that they make. In fact as funny as it may sound, Adam and Eve also chose to eat the apple. Isn't it? We are the result of our choice that we made yesterday.

I read this quote yesterday and loved it, "When something bad happens, you have three choices. You can either let it define you, destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you".

So I choose to be happy, to love, to care, to live, to laugh, to help, to be at peace and above all, I choose to be ME!!

Love,

Khushi!!

A Beautiful Answer - Thank you Mr.God!!

“You are surrounded by so many awesome people” said an FB comment by a dear friend below the post. “I am”, I thought to myself. I was so touched by everything around me. I immediately looked above to thank the one who has been so generous to me.

Last week my mind was rambling with a thought, a not so positive one. A painful memory caused by few people resurfaced. And as it is with every memory it refused to vacate my mind for some time. I was lost between questions of why and what? I felt like choked between pain and disappointment. I never did anything wrong to them, then why was it that I was ill treated? May be they didn't like me then why weren’t they honest about it? Why did they have to stab me on my back so hard? And the final question was posed to God himself, “why is it so difficult for people to love and care”? The answer was never clear in the past and it wasn’t clear now either. That frustrated me further. But the trust that God will answer my question did make a part of my heart peaceful.

All this bothered me for a day. I wasted 24 hours of my precious life on such negative emotions. And while I was trying to pull myself up and out of this crater, there was something so beautiful that God and a very lovable person was planning for me.

I was working on something and beep came an sms from Giri (you can read about Giri in my post “MAD ME”). The message mentioned that Giri had updated her blog with a new post. I am absolutely in love with Giri and her works. Be it quilling or cooking, writing or stitching, I am a complete fan. So I logged in immediately to read her new brain child. I felt so upset when I realized that I couldn't see her new post at all. I informed Giri and her reply was a “:( ”.

Later, I logged in again just to see if the new post was visible now. And to my surprise the post was about Giri’s very close friend. It was about someone who is very close to her heart. Tears rolled down my cheeks. The post was about her mad friend, “Khushi”. I read through it and realized that a friend of mine has so much of love for me. I was so touched by her gesture that I couldn’t speak some time (it is very rare that a chatting machine like me feels speechless). I just messaged her letting her know that her post came like an answer to a question that had been bothering me for a long time now.

The answer was simple. It is very easy to love and care. There is something more that I have learnt from this episode. We always cry over things that we don’t have. But we fail to appreciate and thank for all the wonderful gifts that are bestowed upon us. I was raving because some people broke my trust and treated me wrong. However I failed to look around. There were so so many wonderful people who have been filling my life with their abundant unconditional love and care. They have always been in my thick and thin. They have been reasons for the joy in my life. Probably these beautiful people are the reason why the world still has faith in love and goodness.

I looked up and thanked HIM for all that he has given me. He has blessed me with such loving parents, a very affectionate and caring husband, crazy yet lovable siblings, my extended family and some dear friends and well wishers who have been my family while I am away from home. I must have done something really good in my past lives, because I haven’t done anything now to deserve all this.

The link to Giri’s article is here. You can read it too. I am completely humbled by her words.

http://petite-merveille.blogspot.in/2012/06/mad-me.html

P.S.: I am so glad Giri and I are MAD. Only two mad people can have seamless love for each other in the world of today.

It's all about MMS and Madness!!

He was sitting right behind me in the cab. I looked at him and smiled. He responded with a larger smile. I can never forget his first look. I can only describe him as a lanky chap with a smile that’s so infectious. He wore lavender (purple according to him) colored T-shirt that had some weird thing scribbled on it, and spectacles that covered his beautiful eyes, completely. He looked like a typical progeny of some engineering college of India. The ones who study all night so that they can fill up the answer sheet with their formulas and derivations the next morning. Yes, he looked like a complete “intellectual nerd”. The only thing that held my attention was a huge violin that covered his frame. “So you play Violin?” I enquired. “Yes, I do” he replied politely. “Great, from when?” I was eager to know. “It’s been some time and I love it”. He finally ended the conversation. We reached our destination and he was soon a face I had once seen.

A few days after our first meeting I met him in the cafeteria. “Hey, how are you?” I was so glad to see him again. His face broke in to his infectious smile. “I am good”, he replied softly. We chatted for some time and moved on with work and this somehow became the trend. Of course the length of the discussions would increase with every meeting and the topics too varied. We became friends, then good friends and finally very good friends.

How does one describe this special friend? I am either falling short of words or maybe, just maybe I am unable to explain his simplicity in the complexity of words. MMS speaks more than required, often. And everything he blabbers makes for a perfect “nonsense”. He can drive you crazy with his “cheeky dialogues”, freshly picked from some flop bollywood movie. Yes, you are so right, he is mad, totally mad. Then why is that I have grown so fond of him?

MMS is not the regular guy you come across. He is different. He is simple in his thoughts and humble in his actions. And he is certainly not the one who would be a forgotten memory ever. He stays in your mind long enough for you to fall in love with him. He has this innate ability of liking everything that life has to offer. He has no pre-requisites for happiness. He is happy. He loves everything around him (including all the lovely girls too). MMS is so funny that he can make can make a dead man laugh and giggle (his smile is seriously infectious). He has a zest for life and that’s pretty infectious too. “I just want all of you to be happy”, this is what MMS told me during one of our never ending non sense conversations. I was so moved with his words. And that was the first and last time this nerd spoke sense.

MMS plays violin so well that each string wrings the strings of your heart. His love for music is visible everytime he holds the violin in his hand. I remember his message on FB after our annual family event. The message said, “Thank you for giving me this opportunity. Violin means the world to me”. Silly sentimentalist, I thought to myself.

Insane, crazy, mad, lovable, adorable, unconventional etc, you can call him anything. He still continues to be the nerd I once met, the nerd I liked and the nerd who has become my closest friend. It is so strange that some people just walk in to your life, ignite a small lamp of joy in your heart and bring with them warmth that stays with you forever. MMS has just done that.

MMS in one of his performances

The Joy Of Our Friendship!!

We have laughed several smiles,

And shared many tears,

We have walked several miles,

Like friends of years.

To each other we taught,

Those lessons of life,

Some that love had brought,

And some of bitter strife.

From the first few silent glances,

We have come a long way,

On the tidal waves of togetherness,

To the love of this day.

There is so much more to give,

There is so much more to share,

There is so much more to live,

And there is so much more to care.

Written for 2 mad friends.... Girija Shetty Deshpande and Khushboo Singh Rana!!

The Wonderful Woman!!

“Happy Woman’s Day” he wished me and gave a tight hug. I thanked him and got back to my morning chores. Tea was ready and as every morning we were having our tea together. “Thank you for being such a wonderful woman”, he complimented me with a sweet smile. I thanked him again; however, the flattering “wonderful woman” part didn’t go quite well with me. I did not want to hurt him yet I couldn’t stop myself from asking, “What is so wonderful about me? I am an ordinary woman who does ordinary things”. He took a deep breath and answered, “You do wonderful things everyday and don’t even realize it”. The conversation was interesting but it was time to leave for office, so the conversation ended with

a last sip of our masala chai.

The entire day went in running around at work, celebrating Woman’s day, felicitating women folks etc etc. While I had completely forgotten about the “wonderful woman tag talk”, this thought ran through his mind all day. After dinner he put forward a question to me. “Do you really think that you are not wonderful? The blank look on his face was amusing. What’s wrong with my husband? I thought to myself.  So I replied with a, “hmmm”. I believe he was prepared for this answer. He promptly said, “I can list at least 100 things that you do so wonderfully”. I laughed at his confidence and said, “Alright, let me hear at least one of them”.

He smiled and walked towards me. He looked in to my eyes and very softly said, “You are a lovely wife, daughter, sister, and a friend. At each of these roles you put your heart and soul. Isn't this selfless love wonderful? Even after a tired hectic day, every evening you welcome me with a smile on your face, isn't this wonderful? You understand every bit of my silence, isn't this wonderful? In the most troubled times you have brought cheer with your giggles and that I say is so wonderful”, he announced with a pride in his voice.

I had no answer to any of this. I just wondered if this tall handsome man holding me was from this world. I am not sure if all that he said was really magical or wonderful. Sometimes it’s the love between two people which makes life magical. May be just may be. But all said and done, for a day at least I want to believe that I am a wonderful woman. And the most wonderful thing about me is this wonderful man who loves me unconditionally.

Sometimes the most ordinary things in life are the most wonderful things in the world.

The "Mom" Phenomena!!

Last night I was chatting with a dear friend. The usual conversation became so special and beautiful that both of us were touched. I wouldn't say more… I have copied the chat for you to read. I am sure you will also find it as beautiful, as we did. So, happy reading!!!

She: hey hi
Me: Hi, Lovely lady…where have you been?
She: I have been to London to see the Queen…hahahaha…
Me: shocked…..
She: Chill… My sense of humor still sucks…
Me: I can see that :P
She: frown frown
Me: Ok you rock; I love your jokes… Happy?
She: very happy.
Me: so when are we meeting?
She: Diwali… I am coming on Diwali.
Me: Super… let’s gang up this time.
She: we will.
Me: When’s diwali, by the way?
She: I don’t know. Let me call up Mom and check.
Me: Ok, let me check with mine too.

Pause for 20 minutes.

Me: are you back?
She: Yes… was talking to Mom.
Me: I understand. Me too
She: Can’t do without her. Man, I need to call her up for everything.
Me: I talk to her twice a day, sometimes thrice too ;)
She: hee hehehe … me too….Damn, she knows everything.
Me: Yeah… That’s why she is “MOM”.
She: who said Google was the only search engine…. Ask Mom anything and she has an answer.
Me: Lolzzzzzz…. I so agree. Sometimes more than that ya.
She: You are so right…. If I need an advice I call up mom.
Me: If I feel down I call her.
She: If I am very happy I call her.
Me: If I make a mistake, I call her.
She: If I need ideas, I call her.
Me: If I am bored I call her.
She: When I am cooking a new recipe I call her.
Me: When I am draping a saree, I call her… Sigh!! (The woes of an Indian woman ;))
She: When I have to bitch, I call her… hahahaha!!
Me: hahahaha… when I receive an appreciation, I call her.
She: When I miss her, I call her.

Pause for 10 seconds.

Me: all ok?
She: Missing her… it’s been so long I have hugged her. Marriages make you do so much.

Pause for 10 seconds

She: all ok?
Me: me too missing her… she is coming in May… Hurray!!
She: lovely… make the most out of it.
Me: I will… I have told her I want to have kheer that she makes… she makes it awesomely awesome.
She: you will seriously make the most out of it.
Me: of course… I love her ya… she is so wonderful.
She: all Mom’s are…right?
Me: So true… all moms are wonderful.
She: Now you know why we are aren’t mothers, yet? Hyuk hyuk
Me: hmmm…. True and I “will never be”. Winks winks!!!
She: Me too me too. Same pinch!!
She: What would the world be without Moms?
Me: Dead …. Moms add life to life.

“I am sure that if the mothers of various nations could meet, there would be no more wars” - E.M. Forster

I SHALL SEEK THEE!!

One day I shall seek THEE,

To obtain answers,

I shall walk thy path,

To know what it means to be.

I shall ask,

If you were the witness,

Of the torment and turmoil,

My feeble body went through,

the one carved by you?

I shall ask,

If you ever heard,

The cries of my little chords,

And the screams of my heart,

When in hope, I called out to you?

I shall ask,

If you did feel,

The pain of my numb cells,

The death in every breath,

And then the desire to give up?

I shall ask,

If you ever tasted,

The grief as my creator,

and the anguish to destroy,

The one who killed me?

Perhaps, Thou shall then,

Turn your forlorn face,

On this shabby mug,

And the battered soul of mine.

O Creator of the world,

Yet, I shall seek Thee,

To ask your mighty being,

Did you ever love me?

Thou created the filthy world,

And thou too created me,

Yet I felt lost and hurt,

Ain’t I a part of Thee?

I was frail and fragile,

As gentle as I can be,

Why did you not then,

Guard me from the beast?

I am a tiny speck of dust,

And to dust I shall flee,

Yet my lovely God of Gods,

Yours and yours I shall be.

As a tribute to all the little defenseless daughters who have lost their lives to the brutalities of mankind/beast kind.

MAD ME!!

“Do you like green color?” The voice on the other end asked. “Yes, I replied, I love all dark, bright and vibrant colors”. “Ok”, came a prompt reply. The conversation ended and I completely forgot about the “green color”. Yesterday she called up again. “When does the courier guy come to your office?” I could sense a lot of impatience in her voice. “He will come in the noon. Why?” I answered with a question. “Nothing”, she said and hung up. After an hour she called up again, “Has the courier guy come?” “Not yet” I answered again. Why? She inquired like a child waiting for a surprise. “It will come in sometime, I will let you know”. She again replied with a usual “OK “and it sounded so sad. By now I could smell a fish. I immediately questioned her, “Have you sent something?” And the answer to this was a child like giggle on the other end. “Yes”, she replied. “Hmmm……I paused... well let me check and call you”. I hung up.

The courier guy was in by now and he was holding a courier for me. The security guard carefully handed it over to me. “Madam, aapke liye hai”, he said. I smiled and took it. I did not have the patience
to reach my desk and open it. I began un-wrapping it right at the reception counter blocking
way for so many employees. Was I bothered? Naaa .. I cautiously un-wrapped the gift and out
came a beautiful looking Journal. It had a “GREEN COVER” on which a loved one had very beautifully embroidered “MAD ME” (for all those who don’t know, “MAD ME” is the name of my diary where I open my heart everyday). I was so touched with this gesture. I opened the journal and found a love filled note on the first page. My smile spread from one ear to the other. I am the super expressive kinds, yet, yesterday I found no words to express my gratitude to this special person who had taken out time to make something so beautiful for me.

I had first met her when I joined this new organization some eight months back. She had big bright eyes, round cheeks and a child like grin that can make even a dead man smile. “Girija Shetty”, she introduced
herself. “Khushboo Singh”, I promptly replied. We spoke for sometime about work and some random
stuff. She works out of Belgaum while I am placed in Bangalore. So regular meetings were not possible,
yet we would often speak on phone (thanks to our team meetings). Slowly and steadily we started
getting close. Honestly I didn’t realize when I started calling her “Giri” and found that her mails often addressed me as “Khushi”. When did this transition take place? Only God knows. But as we grew together, we realized we were so similar yet so different. We shared our interest towards arts, crafts, writing, reading, cooking( baking ), trekking, travelling and chatting.

Yet we are different and I believe that is what makes our friendship so unique and so beautiful. As
mentioned in my previous posts, I am this impulsive woman, whereas Giri is this grounded and patient
girl. She has been a constant support for me while I was still settling in the new system. We often call
each other to share a joke and laugh together. We also share all the difficult situations we encounter
in our everyday lives and the solutions towards them. There are certain times when share the woes of
being an “HR” . Well, the best part about her is that she is an optimist from head to toe. She always
helps us look at the brighter side of the picture. And with her “looking beyond” attitude the team has
achieved a lot. She is upright honest about everything and that makes her all the more special. There is
no fake mask to unveil. She is as she is, humble yet assertive.

I have always wondered why do I find some people so beautiful and lovable? They quietly walk in to
my life and build a place in my heart. I have no answer to this and I am sure I will never have. Giri calls
herself “small” but she doesn’t know that she has a heart that’s large enough to love millions like me out
there.

Giri, the “MAD ME” means so much to me. It will always remind me of the madness that we have shared. It is also a reminder of the giggles that has added joy to our lives. Those insane ideas that have travelled to and fro through this beautiful invention called the “telephone”. It is a symbol of the love and care I have received from you. Every time I will open the journal to scribble my thoughts, I will remember to look at the world with a different perspective, the perspective that was introduced to me by you. And please note: the Journal is as beautiful as you are.

That’s about "MAD ME"… and about two mad friends who are so far yet so close!!

Love and everything like it!!!

I have known him for almost 5 years now, yet the joy of seeing him and talking to him never ends. I eagerly wait for him every evening to share all that the day had to offer. His voice still sounds so sweet to my ears that I feel I can converse with him for hours together. When he tries to steal a moment with me in a room full of people, I still blush and turn pink. I love it when when we hold our hands and share moments of silent conversation, staring at the beautiful sky for hours. It’s wonderful how he shares his knowledge of the many stars that beautify the sky every night after a long tiring day. The “chai time” that we share every morning makes just the perfect start for my day. His childlike smile just fades off my memories of pain, grief and worry.

He never fails to surprise me with his love for other beings. His humility is something that most men today can only boast of. In an age when people brag about the money they make or the organization they work with, he is a complete unfit. I believe the more he achieves, the humble he grows. He enjoys talking about the lovely orchids that we own or about the fish tank that he saw at a store. He remembers the times he has spent with children and the times when he was a child. He brags about the cartoons that filled up the last page of his history notebook in school or the pompous celebration of his school sports day.

I have seen the awe in his eyes when birds flock together in the sky or when there is a new rose bud in the little plant of our balcony. I have seen him hide his tears when he there is a child in pain or when an animal is abused. I am the witness of his serene face while he is meditating and the faith in his voice when he praying for someone who is a complete stranger. His passion for Astronomy coupled with his keen desire for "Shell Scripting" certainly makes him different. I have seen him bite his nails when there is a thrilling cricket match and jump from the chair when when Arsenal hits a goal. I have seen the mischief in his eyes when he pulls my cheeks and the cheer in his voice when he learns something new.

He has added a new dimension to my life and changed my perspective on things. The best part is that he didn’t have to try a bit. It just happened. He has taught me that love is in its purest form when it is "unconditional". While I am this carefree, outspoken and impulsive woman, he is a thoughtful, calm and considerate man. He has a forgiving heart, the one that carries no grudge. While many of us only talk about Karma, he is simply walking the path. He is a silent winner and has won many hearts with his abound love and simplicity. Life has not only become meaningful but it has also found a new path where he and I tread together.

Yesterday when I opened the e-mail box I saw an email from Kakimaa (one of the most beautiful person I am fortunate to know and before I realized I was in love with her). The mail began with a line,” Sweetie, you have blossomed into such a beautiful person, and a lot of the credit goes to Rakesh for enabling you to be who you are.” A tear fell from my eye. I am not sure how beautiful I am. My Kakimaa loves me immensely and this could be the reason why she thinks I am a beautiful person. Yet a part of her statement is so true. Apart from my parents, it’s he ( Rakesh )who enabled me to dream and made me believe that dreams  come true if you pursue them with perseverance. When I shared this e-mail with him, he smiled (as he always does), hugged me and said, “Just let your love fill me”.

He is a wonderful person and I am so fortunate to be with him. He is an answer to my prayer and one of the most precious gifts of God to me. Every day he unleashes a new color of joy in our lives and with each passing day I fall in love with him, all over again. He is my soul mate, my best friend and my companion for life - He is "My Husband".

This picture was clicked by Kaku on our 2nd wedding anniversary

"I have a Dream" - Rashmi Bansal.

Author: Rashmi Bansal

About the Author: Rashmi Bansal is a writer, entrepreneur and youth expert. she is a motivational speaker and mentor to students and young entrepreneurs. She is an MBA from IIM - Ahmedabad.

I have a Dream - First Published by Westland 2011.

On several occasions, I had these strange questions barking loudly inside me. The questions were simple yet blunt. I always thought, Is there no hope in today's world? Is there no humanity left? Is there no love for the other in one's heart? I did not have an answer to any of these questions until recently. And then I stumbled upon, “I have a dream”. After reading this book, I am hopeful again that “All is not lost in today's world”.

Written very succinctly by Author, Entrepreneur and Youth Expert- Rashmi Bansal, the book touches your soul and moves you beyond everything. It questions the very basic existence of you and me. All of us are here for a reason however very few of us find this reason and live it completely.

The book entails the stories of 20 unconventionally conventional idealists. These idealists have nothing in common except for the fact that all of them are committed to social causes. These are social entrepreneurs. The book talks about the thrilling, rough yet amazing journey of these next door individuals who made a difference in the society, for the society.

The book begins with a heart wrenching tale of Bindeshwar Pathak and his journey towards making a difference in the rural India through Sulabh Shauchalya. Then it it talks about Saloni malhotra, a young girl who dared to dream to create jobs in rural India. The other tale encompaases the heart touching tale of Sumita Ghose, a woman whose determination to empower the labourers of rural India during a very rough phase of her life, created a revolution. Another story of grit and passion is the story of a scientist, Harish Hande who was determined to bring light in the lives of labourers through solar lighting. And nonetheless the story of a young entrepreneur, Dhruv Lakra who employed and empowered specially abled people and made a difference. It takes you through a journey of many more such entrepreneurs leaving behind a mark on your heart, mind and soul.

Each story stands a testimony to the power of “one” single being's dream to make a difference to the nation that belonged to them. As Rashmi rightly says, " These stories say one thing loud and clear - change starts with one person could be someone next door".So while a typical middle class Indian is cribbing about the dirty streets, unemployment, pollution, lack of education and various other problems that are eating up our nation, the real Indians are out there getting their hands dirty and contributing their bit to the society. The society that is made up of you and me. And such real "HEROES" make the society worth living.

While I was reading the book, with every page that I turned, I was left wondering about one thing. Who are these people? The answer was straight, they are simple, humble beings like you and me. Yet they are different. They are different in their thoughts, actions and goals. While today's youth is running a race to make it to the corporate ladder, these dreamers, dreamt out of the box. They took the road less travelled.

If you are looking for a book that will change your thought process , “I have a dream” is the right pick. It is one of those rare gems that shines occasionally in your eyes and in your thoughts.

My First Valentine!!

I don’t remember when,

With you I first fell in love,

It must be when you hugged me

And thanked up above.

You showed me the world,

On your shoulders all around,

I felt so blessed and gay

With your love so abound.

I walked my first step,

And mumbled my first sound,

You held my tiny hands,

And saw me play around.

I slowly then grew up

And walked my path alone

You still stood with me

And never made it known.

I made poor mistakes,

And argued all along,

You taught me the lesson,

And kept it going strong.

I was the dream of your eye,

And the grin on your face,

The thought in your mind,

Bestowed with HIS grace.

I then fell in love,

With a man I never knew

I still held your hand,

And I always wish to.

You were the only man I knew

And the only man I loved.

I was your tiny daughter

And the woman so beloved.

I have now moved away,

Like a woman so grown,

I have paved my own road,

Through some mud and a stone.

Yes, I am so content

With all that I own,

Yet my lovely father,

For your caress I moan.

There is no man like you,

And no affection like yours,

Let’s toddle together again,

Through the sand and the shores.

I will always love you dad,

With all the strength and heart of mine,

I will always be your daughter,

Dad, you were and will always be, “MY FIRST VALENTINE”

Tiny Little RAG PICKING Hands!!!

Photo Credit : http://freeclipartnow.com

Life is unpredictable. At times it portrays the best of itself to you. But sometimes it punches you hard on your face with its brutal reality. It wouldn't be wrong to say that today morning I was punched with its harsh reality.

Reading the newspaper is a common "to do" every morning. I am from a school of thought which says, “Newspapers expose us to a lot of negativity”. So I usually ignore the depressing news and prefer to read something that’s less negative and more informative. But today something caught my eye. A picture of a toddler completely mauled and injured. I just read through the article only to realize that this 4 and a half year old kid named Selva was clawed and bitten by stray dogs.The incident occurred while he was “PICKING RAGS” in a locality of this hi-tech city. This news sent a shiver down my spine.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Dogs-maul-4-year-old-rag-picker/articleshow/11419702.cms

I was left with tears in my eyes and a thought in head. But life moves on. While I was on my way to work this conversation broke. There were comments on how the city is full of stray dogs. Some mentioned the gory incident where these dogs had eaten up a tiny little kid. Some criticized the government for being so unreasonable. There were multiple ideas on how this can be curbed. There were solutions to making this city cleaner, greener and healthier. But there was one thing that got completely missed out. The kid was just four and a half and he was a “Rag Picker”.

A Rag picker? A kid of his age must play and sing and dance and not pick rags for his living. This thought has not left my mind even for a second. I am sure many fortunate children of his age may not even carry their school bags. And they must not. These tiny little shoulders are not meant to carry off the burden of the family, today. They are meant to grow stronger to face the realities of life, tomorrow. They are the future. While I do understand that circumstances play a major role here, I fail to understand the very basis of life.

I am not sure what will happen to him now. After he is discharged from the hospital, he will probably be pushed back to slums. He will again hold his bag and go picking the rags that we "white collared sophisticated society citizens" have left behind. While children of his age will sing “bits of paper lying on the floor”, Selva will actually go and "pick them up".

But then we are the “Aam Aadmi”. We have a life of our own. We have enough and more on our plates to cater to. So we will feel sorry for Selva, some of us will sympathize with him and blame the government, some of us will blame the parents or the relatives, and some of us (the most intelligent of the lot) will only blame the dogs for what they have done. A few of you will also mock at me for writing this. Because as the Aam Junta of India this is what we always do. In fact, this is what we are meant to do.

As far as I am concerned, I feel shallow of myself and my kind.