A dream that never came true

She had called her father twenty times by the time they reached airport. Her mom reasoned that he must be still in office and they were way too early.

All thanks to her excitement. Her dreams of visiting Disneyland were coming true. Ever since she was four, when she first saw pictures of her cousins visiting Disneyland, it was her dream destination. Twelve years after that, it was finally coming true.

Her mom had surprised her with three tickets to HongKong and Disneyland for her sixteenth birthday.

Everyone teased her that at her age she should have grown out of that childhood fantasy, but it was as strong as ever. Disney was the start to her dream of being an animator and at sixteen she was crystal clear towards her ambition to work for Walt Disney.

They checked in swiftly and waited for her dad to arrive before they proceeded for security. Little more than an hour was left to board their flight.

Her enthusiasm was slowly giving way to worry. Forty minutes to boarding and still no sign of her dad. His phone was now switched off.

Thirty minutes to boarding, they called his office. They explained he was on leave. Twenty minutes to boarding, they passed through security and emigration.

Keeping their fingers crossed, they checked with his colleagues and friends. No one knew where he was.

They were announcing their flight. However, neither of them could move without her father.

Her mom called the driver. He said he had dropped boss at the airport about six hours ago.

The airline staff called for their names.

A message beeped.

Her father had landed in Dubai. He had left them and moved to Dubai for a new life with his girlfriend.

She stood there, weeping. Fully knowing, that she didn't want to visit Disneyland ever in her life.

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This post is written for the Project 365 program at We Post Daily aimed at posting at least once a day, based on the prompts provided.  The prompt for today is "No, Thanks - A destination you would never want to visit and why?".

Have you found Shades of Life on Facebook yet? Please check it out here. 

Please take out time to read more about the featured blogger for the month of March "Aditi Kaushiva" here.

Also, check out the post by a non-blogger who penned down her feeling.

Guests are always welcomed at Shades of Life. Drop me a line at sugandha118@gmail.com and I would love to share your thoughts here. 

Happy New Year - "Resolution Kya Liya?"

Another old post. Someone bumped it up on my wall and it seemed to resonate with my mood this year. This is the answer to most commonly asked question every new year. No offence to anyone's resolution but this is what I feel.

Hoping whatever your resolutions may be - you are granted with strength and the means to fulfill the same. Wishing all my readers a wonderful and blessed New Year

                                                                  -----------------------------------

Yesterday i got in touch with a lot of my friends and family members to wish each other the arrival of the new year.. whole day yesterday, as i answered my phone, the opening statement was a very cheerful "happy new year"(i hope i get some more calls today...)and what followed more was an inquisitive question: Resolution kya liya?? My answer to most of them was "nahi ya..kuch nahi"

So eventually i decided to get into the league and see what can be my new year resolution...so i followed my friends footsteps to find out others resolution...made some calls...wished them new year and asked "Resolution kya liya??" the answers i got were like...From "smoking chod dunga...job dhoond ke rahoonga, is baar padhai mein jyada mann lagungi, saal ke end tak shaadi kar loonga" to "is saal to main naya bf dhoond hi lungi, yaar is saal main apne coaching wali us bandi ko propose kar hi dunga, is saal ke end tak main indepedent settle ho jaunga, etc etc etc..." (bohot lambi list hai, apka kuch special ho to please bata dena)...

After listening to various resolutions...i figured out resolution lene ke funde...

1. Resolution are all about our benefits.(me main mera...mera kya hoga)

2. Resolutions are anything random which we guess no one will remember...(smoking chod dunga and the league)

3. Resolutions are all those statements which sound impossible to others...(saale bada aaye... smoking chod ke to dikha...paanch saal se keh raha hai..)

4. Resolutions dont mean anything...not to us not to others...its just a way to find out how bad is your hangover...(ans: umm...hmmm..sochta hun yaar=very bad, haan yaar hai ek do...dekhte hai= little bad, yaar maine to soch liya hai iss baar main boss ko dikha dunga ki mujhe better job mil sakti hai=sober but frustrated that he couldn't drink last night...)

All these resolutions and their interpretations got me thinking the importance of new year resolution...i just wonder that can our new year resolutions should be about others...a little more simpler...a little do-able...something like...i'd try touch more hearts...sit for some more time with mum and tell her how much i love her...give a little more surprises to my partner/ spouse, shell out a little more than my share of money if my friend is going through hard time...i will stop judging people by their money, car, clothes, house, etc....i will try give out some time/money to some charity, organization needy and make them feel they have equal right to be happy...something like...i will work more on the issues close to me...follow what my heart says.. not what someone like dad's friend's brother's son would say...make one person smile a day...try not to break my parents/sibling/ friends/ spouse/ girl/boy friend's heart by trying to be a rebel...

I will try just be myself...like my mum taught me to...and if this is acceptable...these are my new year resolution...

P.S. (no offence to smoking chod dunga and other resolutions...they are just references) 

Happy New Year to All

Coming back to the books

The smell of old books floated in the air. She stood there, inhaling the thick air that filled her thoughts with nostalgia. The room was locked for over three months, awaiting her arrival. Her grandfather’s will demanded that the key to his library could be handed over only to his only grand-daughter.  For, in the family of business tycoons, she was the only child who loved literature.

Like her grandfather, her paa who had majored in English and had scripted many popular plays and prose, she dreamt of becoming a popular author.  However she was still struggling with a couple of her work under print. They were critically acclaimed but never popular.

Now that she was there, she re-lived many years that she had lived in this house, away from her parents to be groomed into a sensible young lady at the convent she attended. She stepped ahead and felt the arms of rocking chair and recalled when she would wait for him to settle down in that chair so she could wrap herself around his legs and not leave till her demands were met. The strong mahogany wood table, reminded her of her duty to arrange things up on that table. She felt the leather back of his chair, where he would sit through the long evenings, furiously typing away a novel or immersed in his thoughts while he created a plot. A half typed page on the type-writer, a tick sound when she pressed a key reminded her of how this would be the only voice in the room while she finished her homework.

She then saw that smaller chair and table, made for her to sit and study, while paa worked. It was this place that introduced her to fairy tales and horror stories. At this very table, she learnt about Jesus and stories of Ram and Buddha. Although, she learnt her subjects in her school, this was the place which gave her the world of her dreams of being a writer and made her who she was. It was at this table where paa told her about his will and she had innocently asked, “Will these books will be divided too?”  He told her that she will know eventually.

Standing there she remembered the day when she had to move out of the house for her graduation. Just over there, she had hugged paa from behind and cried. She promised to come back in holidays and he laughed. He held her hand and pulled her to face him. He then asked to promise that whenever she returns, she will finish the pending piece of work. She thought he was mocking and said, “Paa, you have never let me read any till they get published, how will you let me work?” Tears welled up in his eyes and he said, “When you come back, I will be able to trust your ability to write.”

Fifteen years, yes that’s the time she took to return back. Every holiday, she planned and postponed. Sometimes it was for summer school, then internship. Eventually it turned into excuses like too short breaks to travel, then family, marriage, kids, holidays with them, etc. Today she understood, why paa laughed when she said that she will be back soon.

She saw on the table, all her books were lined up. She picked and opened one. Corrections were made, appreciations were written, and comments were scribbled with a pencil on almost every page. Each was dated differently, as if the book had been re-read several times.

She opened the first drawer. There kept his unfinished book and a note. A biography of their lives, which he had left for her to complete.

The book was later published as her first non-fiction, a bestseller and an award winner.

Based on Write Tribe Wednesday prompt - the smell of old books

UBC Day 17 - Baby - 15

Continued from Reunion - 14

“Try this one at least”. Priya pushed her students to work hard before helping them crack a problem. The boys got onto work. Priya resumed her working. She solved the question while her students worked.

The pain in her lower abdomen shot up suddenly. No matter how hard she tried, a slight scream was out before she could stop it. Tears welled up in her eyes and the world dazed.

Karthik, one of the students saw her first. He screamed, “Didi! What’s wrong?” Three sets of eyes turned towards her. For a moment all students paralyzed with shock but very soon sense prevailed.

All four of them got into action. One called her mother and another got her water to drink.

Even when two gulps of water later, sweat kept on building on Priya’s forehead, the group decided to take her to hospital.

Priya was thankful that these four kids were there with her at this moment. Her mother helped her breath. The only person she could think of at this moment was Deepti. She asked her mom to call her up.

An hour later Priya was being rushed into labour room. She was tired and dizzy. Her body was too fragile to take the pain that was shooting up. She thought she might faint.

A very friendly nurse and her gynaecologist were by her side, helping her deliver. “Common Priya.” He mother soothed. Priya tried harder. The pain was so bad that she fainted.

When Priya woke up, she was transferred to her room. Next to her was a crib. Her daughter was sleeping. Seeing her regain her consciousness, nurse came up and gave the baby in her arms.

She generally asked, “Madam! Where is your husband madam?”

She looked at her child and kissed. A fresh tear trickled down her cheek. 

UBC Day 16 - Reunion - 14

Continued from - Married Life - 13

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Priya had met Ritika at Deepti’s wedding but had not got any chance to talk. She was meeting Shriya for the first time that day. She was a bit annoyed to see two new people when she hoped to sit and talk to her best friend.

The conversation on the table was mainly around Deepti and her new married life. Her both friends seemed rather nice. Their care for Deepti showed. Priya slowly forgot her own set of issues and joined them in teasing Deepti.

They coaxed her into details of her life and teased her over minor details. Priya laughed till she had her tears in her eyes. She was grateful to these girls for she did not remember when she had laughed like this last.

“Common Deepti, tell us more about your married life” laughed Shriya.

Deepti blushed. “There isn’t much to tell.”

“Oh yes madam!” the duo teased and all of them burst out laughing.

It was after about one hour when Ritika and Shriya left. Girls promised to meet more often and hugs and kisses later parted ways.

Deepti dragged Priya to a nearby coffee shop and asked her about her health. Priya had told Deepti all about her pregnancy and her fall out with Nitin. Deepti was the only person who understood her position and supported her.

The girls sat there in absolute silence. Priya didn't have much to tell, and Deepti didn't feel like talking about herself.

After a while, Deepti broke the silence. “What next?”

Priya framed the sentence before she spoke. Then she started in a slow voice. “The baby is due in a month and a half. I will be home till then. Akash, Shailja aunty’s son wanted some help with his CS exams, so I agreed to teach him for a small amount. Just yesterday he said, that one of his friends wanted to join too. So for now, at least next four - six months, this will be all. Then I will have to look for a job. Mom is pushing me to get married, but I am not ready.”

Deepti sighed. She didn't really know how to respond. They were best friends. Sisters that neither had. They had been through everything together, but today when life was a bed of roses for Deepti, it seemed the thorns had been picked and laid in Priya’s way. She didn’t know if it was her own happiness or Priya’s problem that made Deepti feel shallow and vain.

They drove till Priya’s home in silence. Parting ways, Deepti said, “let me know if I can help in anyway.”

Priya hugged her friend and comforted her. “You don’t need to feel sorry. I am fine. Especially now that am back, I am doing quite good. I will let you know if there is anything you need to do. Otherwise, for now your support is all I need.” With these words she opened the door and walked up to her house. Deepti started the car to park it two houses away and then realized she had to go to her new home, to Harsh.

UBC Day - 15 Married life - 13

Part of my 30 part story, continued from Day 14 - Depression 

Parting from ones loved ones is always a tender moment but when it is post marriage, it is really a painful one.

Deepti tried to control her tears, but they seemed to have a mind of their own. She dabbed her eyes as she hugged her mother hard. She sobbed when her aunts blessed her. Patiently standing by her side, Harsh tried to compose her, but she couldn’t stop.

Priya came ahead. She wiped the tears of her cheek, and hugged her friend. She whispered good wishes and helped her get in the car. Even in that moment of parting with her family, Deepti looked at Priya and wondered how weak she looked.

Next few days were highly busy in Deepti’s life. Dinners and lunches at relatives and friends, and then a honeymoon gave Deepti no time to think of anything else. Harsh was doing all that a good husband would. He attended all the invitations without throwing a fit; he helped her when she got tired. He pampered her thoroughly during their honeymoon. He was as good as one could be. Deepti thought to herself that she might have had a wrong opinion about Harsh. He was well travelled, he had really wide knowledge, it maybe wasn’t completely wrong that he wanted to improve her a bit.

 Once back, Deepti asked Harsh if it was okay to join her office back and he simply replied that it was completely okay with him if she could manage the house and work both. She happily agreed. It was after a couple of weeks when Harsh one day asked her about her friends.

She suddenly felt guilty that she was so busy in her own life that she forgot about Priya. She asked Harsh if he was okay with spending the evening by himself. He happily agreed. She picked up the phone and called up Priya. After hanging up, on impulse she called up Ritika and Shriya too.

Wednesday 8 pm, girls decided to meet up.

UBC Day 14 - Depression - 12

This story is continued from Tough times - 11

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Priya’s world seemed to have crashed. The tears that she strongly held back when her father went through accident, when Nitin didn’t turn up at the airport, when she found the apartment empty, now came flowing down.

She remembered the time when she realized that she had missed her periods, and found out that she was pregnant. Nitin and Priya were living together for about a year. She had landed on bed with tears in her eyes. She thought of abortion, but Nitin consoled her. He stopped her from doing so, he said that they’ll get married as soon as possible.

Keeping that as a plan, she went to India for a holiday, thinking that he would join her and they will together announce her wedding. That’s why she hadn’t told anything to her parents or to Deepti.

In the coming weeks, grief engulfed Priya as though she had nothing to live for. Her performance at work deteriorated, her social circle disappeared. She denied all invitations to meet friends and missed office every now and then. She visited her gynecologist  who advised her against abortion and asked her to stay healthy.

It was about two months later; notice came from her landlords, for the end of her tenure. She realized she could no longer afford a place like that. She called Sushant to help.

When he came down to see her, he was shocked at her appearance. He cajoled her to tell him the entire story, after which he took an appointment with a Counselor  He also encouraged Priya to tell everything to her mother.

Her mother was surprisingly supportive. She said she understood, and asked her that she could come back home if she wanted. However, keeping in mind the society, Priya chose to stay back.

However, even at the end of two months, she was unable to find a place. She had decided to move into a hostel, when Sushant requested her to come and live with him as flatmates while she found a decent place.

Under her counsellor’s supervision and Sushant’s support, Priya nurtured her health back to normal; however she was still weak to be seven months pregnant. Things were still difficult at work. She had received several warnings during her depression and it was too much of a task to keep up with pressure with her present health.

When she walked in her boss’s office to ask for a maternity leave from next month, he sort of warned her once again that at the end of this leave, she could lose her job. It irritated Priya to the extent that she resigned at that very moment, gave a major part of her saving as compensation for discontinuing without notice and bought a ticket back home to be just in time for her friend’s wedding. 

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What next is in store for Priya? Is life as a single mother going to be easy? Read more on Day 15.

UBC Day 12 - Tough times - 11

This post is continued from Last minute jitters - 10

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Life had shown Priya more than a fair share of miseries in last seven months. She sat there and sighed as she wondered how she got the strength to even survive through all that she had gone through.

Priya was one of the meekest girls in her batch. All her life she had seek Deeti’s support and stayed out of the limelight. When she moved to Singapore, she was highly scared. She had somehow survived. But when her dad went through the accident, she for the first time learnt to take up responsibilities.

Sitting in the mandap of her best friend’s wedding she thought about the plans she had made for herself.

When she last came to India, Nitin was supposed to come down to announce their engagement. They were to have a small wedding in Singapore in a month.  They had decided to make their relationship official.

Maybe it was that assurance, that Priya wasn’t scared of her future.

She thought about the last time she was with Deepti. They had gone to the airport to pick up Nitin. It was on her way that she received a message from Nitin that he couldn’t tell her earlier, but he could not take the flight due to some urgent work. He was re-scheduling his trip.

Priya waited for him for next two days to re-schedule his plan, at the end of which she received a brief call when he said that he had to go to Hong Kong to the company’s headquarters.

She left for Singapore as planned still single. When Nitin did not call or answer messages, she had not thought a lot into it. However, when she unlocked her apartment and found several things, Nitin’s things missing, the reality sunk in.

He had left. Even without a proper word. He left a note, saying Sorry and asking her to check her mails.

She dumped all her bags and opened her laptop. In the mail Nitin had simply told her that he was shifting to Hong Kong and he wasn’t ready to take the responsibility. Neither hers, nor of her unborn child.

To be continued at Day 14.

UBC Day 10 - Coming back - 9

Continued from Part 8 - Wedding

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Priya had gotten back home almost after six months. Given the new conditions of her dad’s paralysis she had resolved to come back more frequently but her own life didn’t allow her to come back. She couldn’t have been a burden on her parents while grieving for her loss while her mother struggled to cope up with the new routine of nursing her father.

However, this was the occasion that she wouldn’t miss for anything. Keeping her problems aside, she had resolved to come back to India, an idea that her shrink excitedly supported. On her last meeting he had told her, “Priya leave your worries behind and go have the best of times. You need to spend time around people who love you.”

She was scared, but finally on the wedding day, she put together all her remaining savings and bought a last moment flight to India and managed to reach the venue just in time without getting a chance to go home.

She asked the driver to park in front of the house and got out. “Oh my god! Look who is here!” shrieked her brother and came running to help her with her bags.

Her mom seemed equally surprised but more because she was supposed to be at Deepti’s wedding. Mildly scolding, she asked “what are you doing here? You should have at least waited for her phera to start”

Priya cried, “Mom, I am home after six long months. And I couldn’t wait to see you. Plus, why didn’t you go? I thought I’ll meet you there. Had I known you won’t go, I would have come home first and then gone for her wedding.”

“Anyway fast, I have just come to drop my bags, say a hello to dad and go back. Yash can drop me. Do you want to come?” She continued towards dad’s room while gesturing Yash to keep her bags in her room and come back.

“No I don’t want to, plus your dad is sleeping, I want to be by his side in case he needs something.” Her mother pleaded.

Quickly changing her killing heels into flats she came out of her room. She wondered how six months ago she could dance all night in those.

When she walked back into the venue a very worried Ritika came rushing to her. She shouted, “Where did you go without meeting Deepti? She has been so worried. She is trying your number, she is in the room right now, went to get some rest while the preparation for phera were over.”

Priya hurried towards the direction Ritika rushed to.

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What has happened with Priya in these six months? What is in the sore for the girls? Read more at Day 11.

UBC Day 9 - Wedding - Part 8

This mail is continued from "Part 7 - Coping up".

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One year ago – Deepti was rushing out of the parlour. She was late. Cursing under her breath she made her way to the car. After all who gets late for her own wedding?

She sat in the car, on her way to the venue, bundled with nervousness and anger at the parlour. It was her big day. Deepti hated the constant ringing phone while Ritika shouted at each and every caller with same answer. “Where is Priya? Where is her best friend?” Deepti wondered.

Calming her nerves down, Shriya asked Deepti to close her eyes and relax. But relaxing was almost impossible. She thought of Harsh’s comment from the function yesterday when he said that her make-up was too much. She absently touched her face and prayed that there was nothing wrong with her make up today.

“Forty minutes late” text from Harsh read as they parked the car and Deepti struggled to get out.

She walked up to the gate where ribbon cutting was in process. She stopped in her tracks when she heard someone cheering and teasing Harsh. Priya?? Her best friend was really there!

Suddenly all her worries disappeared and she took a confident step ahead.

Though it was her wedding she managed to give a quick hug to Priya before going ahead to the stage.

She looked at Harsh. He looked just awesome. She extended her hand to hold his for a minute. He looked at her and gave her a mock glare. She saddened.

Deepti didn’t have to be sad for long. Long queue of relatives from both sides kept coming up, cracking few jokes, livening up things, clicking pictures. 

After a while, she realized that she hadn’t seen Priya ever since the ribbon cutting. She asked one of her friends to ask Priya and Nitin to come up too. She replied, “But last I saw Priya, she was going out to the parking.”

“What is wrong with Priya? Is everything okay? She has to speak to her, but how?” Deepti thoughts were stopped short as some friends dragged the couple to the dance floor.

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Where did Priya go? What's in the store for Deepti? Read more on Day 9.

Friends are forever

I am participating in Ultimate Blog Challenge and writing a story as part of daily post. Having written the post for the day, I was more or less done for the day.

However, then I came across the prompt from Indibloggeshwaris and couldn’t resist.

Rightly said, friends are the family we choose. And my family that I have chosen to live with for past two years is my roommate.

There are so many moments that I can think of when I think of this girl. One of the most hilarious ones is when a friend hopelessly tries to pit us against someone as a joke and we rather bash him up.

Friends, whom we live with, become more like our sisters and our family. As much as we do appreciate our space, we miss them when they aren’t around.

Good music, good food, good wine and good times. What else does one need when you have a good friend as a roommate?

Love you girl.

***************

Well, my post on friends won’t be complete without posting anything for my two lovely ladies who are now happily married and are busy with their lives.

No matter how far our childhood friends maybe, there is never a distance between hearts. No matter how seldom we speak, there is never any communication missed.

These are the girls whom I have grown up with and against all evens and odds our friendship has lasted.

They know my secrets, my embarrassing tales. We have been with each other through crushes, love, breakups and patch ups. We have driven each other crazy and cried over silly fights. There are countless memories that we together smile at.

Friends who are there forever.

UBC Day 7 - Accident - 6

This story is continued from UBC Day 5 - Catching up - 5

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Deepti and Priya rushed to the Sadar Bazar government hospital. The world had dazed in front of Priya’s eyes.

The hospital was a mess. Crying, wailing men, women and children were everywhere. The reception counter was full of people with questions. There were journalists, camera and police.

Priya and Deepti searched for Mr. Khan who had called her to police station. “I found his phone and wallet in this bag. We want you to go and meet him at room number 125 on first floor.” Mr. Khan said handing over her dad’s belonging to Priya.

Priya let out a cry. Consoling her he said, “You should be relieved. He is still alive.”

In room number 125 there were doctors consulting over a serious matter. One of them looked up from the board and looked at Priya. “I am his daughter.” Priya replied.

“Ok. Well, he has some internal injuries and he has lost a leg but mainly his body is paralyzed due to shock. We have spoken to Trauma Centre at AIIMS. We will transfer him there in morning” Doctor gave a full account of her father’s health.

“Let him sleep now, you can come back in morning. Be here before eight.” A junior doctor continued.

Priya walked up to the bed. There lied her dad. Still under sedation, he slept as if nothing had happened. Doctors had cleaned his smaller wounds and had already operated on his leg which lay perfectly hidden under the sheet.

Once home Priya switched on the television. She sat there listening to the news and consoling her mother. In serial bomb blasts in Chandni Chowk, there were over 20 dead and more than 80 injured. Death toll could go up, it said.

It seemed so unfair, so rude. She called up Nitin. It must be early morning in Singapore, phone went unanswered.

Tired and deeply hurt, Priya put her mother to her bed and went to sleep. She had to be at the hospital in morning.

In her dream, everything was perfect. She was back in Singapore. Nitin and Priya were married. Her parents had come to visit them and she was lovingly taking them to Singapore flyer.

Shrill voice of her alarm woke her up out of her dream. She switched it off and stretched. Reality dawned upon her. She was home. Her father was at hospital. There was still no news from Nitin.

She sent a text to Nitin to call her back as soon as possible and got up to get ready.

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How is this going to change Priya's life? Will everything will be normal for her once again? Stay tuned for more on Day 7.

Letter unsent - letter to my darling sister

My dear Vani,

I got a prompt to write a letter to my sibling/closest cousin and well! I could only think of you.

With our age difference and lives in different hostels, we hardly ever spent our childhood together. My memory of our childhood together is mostly limited to summer breaks where all of us would meet once a year under the roof of our mother’s childhood home.

When you shifted to Delhi in order to complete your graduation, my first thought of that was of indifference. However, after initial shock (on your part) and indifference (on my part) we graduated to being more friends than sisters.

In last five years, I have shared with you all my secrets and embarrassing stories. I have had so much fun staying up late, eating/munching and chatting. I love the memories of times I spent walking around the GK market with you. Especially the winter evenings, with a coffee cup in hand, endless conversations while we took rounds of the park.

Last couple of years; you haven’t been as close as earlier in terms of actual distance but it hasn’t made much difference. For all I know, you are the first person I would call if I am extremely happy or extremely distressed. And we both know that it is both ways.

My dear sister, I have never said it in so many words, but you mean a lot to me. I love you. I would like to assure you once again that I am there if you ever need me. You can count on me like I can.

Love you,

Sugandha

Am I Truely Alive?

This question here is- am I truly alive?

When I hug my mother and feel her warmth seeping into mine, I am truly alive.

When I kiss my niece and her baby smell fills in my nostrils, I am truly alive.

When I sit in meditation and the chant of Om fills my mind through my ears, I am truly alive.

When I am lost in the taste of a delicacy I am especially fond of, I am truly alive.

When I dress-up and someone admires lovingly, I am truly alive.

In these small moments, yes I am Truly alive.

This post is based on prompt "Truely Alive" by Write tribe.

Seven super - teachers in my life

My original post planned for the day was seven people I love the most. But keeping in mind that today is teacher’s day celebrated in India; I change my post to seven teachers of high importance in my life.

Since everyone we meet, knowingly or unknowingly, whether we like or not, teaches us something, my post is categorized into groups who taught me a certain thing. This isn’t a first or second list, it is in the order of when I met them in my life.

Tale of tangy mango pickle

I received a package from home. Someone was visiting so my mother decided to pack a few things for me. We sibling often call it as “Maa ka Pyaar package”. The package usually contains some food items, maybe some clothes that she bought for an occasion, some cash as blessings and a letter.

I know we are in 21st century and almost every Indian who can afford a decent meal can afford a phone connection. I speak to her each day, but we still prefer to write letters time to time.

Each time I get to know that there is a package coming, I can hardly wait. Food items are always a surprise and as always mom knows the likes and dislikes best.

So today it was. I received the package through my uncle and I could hardly contain my excitement. I could already smell the oil and tangy mango pickle. Summers have just gone by and she must have made some fresh pickle.

To the girls I love the most...

Some of my posts in July have revolved around my best friend’s wedding and this friendship day (otherwise I find the concept a bit over-hyped) I get a bit nostalgic over the years spent with the friends who have been with me through most of my life.

Happy Birthday Mom

Today is the second last day of the Ultimate Blog Challenge (Yipeee!!!), and the most challenging day in the entire month. I have been on road since 5 am and the day is almost about to end. I caught cold and have a pathetic headache since noon. I didn’t have my laptop and my phone constantly had low battery alarm. (Thanks to the maps on smartphone). Therefore, here I am, managing to put a small post just before the deadline.