The Father of innovation

Cherith had a long weekend with leaves from friday to sunday. We get updates about everything taught in class and homework given. Luckily for cherry, there wasn't any this week as I dint get any update on homework. So he enjoyed a good time out.

Last night as we were retiring for the day, I told hubby "Strangely this week, there wasn't any homework despite the 3 day off" 

I turned to cherry "We could have atleast revised orals na" "Shall we do it now?" asked cherry.

I was super exhausted but I was happy he was taking initiative. I opened his book and randomly took a look at the activity section. There, he was asked to do 6 sheets of activity as homework.

This bomb fell on us at 11.30 pm and I just couldn't sleep leaving it like that. All three of us got to work. I went through the activities while cherry and hubby collected material. 

Paste pieces of orange crepe paper on the letter Q. Colour pink on the pictures that start with R. Sprinkle sand on letter S. Paste picture of three objects that start with letter T. Dab a balloon dipped in brown colour on letter U. Draw and colour an object starting with W.

Watermelon was done quickly. I drew it, Cherry coloured while hubby sat with a stack of newspapers lookin for pictures with T. In another 5 minutes that was done too. 

For Q, I had crepe papers but there wasn't any orange. "I'll do something" said hubby. We neither had pink and brown water colours nor a balloon and sand. I hated to send Cherith with undone homework.

Hubby pulled out white crepe paper and started colouring it orange. And I got my hands on a box that had white, red, blue, green, black, yellow water colours.

I googled to see what colours were to be mixed to make pink and brown. 

Red + White = Pink. Quickly mixed, result achieved and R done. Now for brown, equal amounts of red+ blue and little white if dark brown needed. I started mixing the pink (red +white) with blue but got lavender. 

It was 12 and cherry was looking at both of us busy at our jugaads. After another 10 minutes I was able to mix up and make something close to brown but still, noo balloon! 

Hubby dug into the bunch of crepe papers and found a balloon and cherry rejoiced "Mumma, balloon mila" U got through somehow. Now for Q we used the white crepe paper, coloured orange on one side. 

Hubby carefully cut it into pieces and I and cherry started pasting, Q done. Sand kaha se laaye?? I asked "Subah dekhenge"hubby said and we wound up everything and went to bed. 

Cherith was restless, "mumma, lets do it now only please" I turned to hubby who went out to find sand. After 5 minutes he came back with some sand on a piece of paper. Finally S done!! And cherry slept happily.

Sometimes, with just the application of common sense and team work diffcult tasks turn out to become interestingly easy.

Necessity is the mother of invention. Lack of time and resources is for sure the Father of Innovation!! Keep renovating!


CHEERS!!
GOD BLESS!!


CHS

Out - rage

How often have we done something and regretted later?? Regret comes as an after effect of anger. Many times we know what we are doing isnt the right thing but sometimes rage overtakes our conscience.

I was of the view that anger is a part of adults only. That children are away from the cons of it until I was proved wrong recently.

A few months ago, I noticed negative changes in Cherith. He would disobey, do only what he wants to, ignore anyone talking to him and when persuaded would not hesitate from hitting, kicking or screaming.

This otherwise quiet, smart, thoughtful, sensitive and happy boy would never act in such an awful manner. 

Though hubby assured me I was doing well as a parent, a question always hindered my thoughts. "What it is that im doing wrong? Was I making a mistake somewhere?" I was deeply saddened but had to do something about it.

I noticed Cherith's behaviour all day. He would be his usual self but when things din't work his way, he would go rogue. A big reason for that negative behaviour was his inability to control his anger.

I have to confess there have been a lot of things on my mind and I would be annoyed at times. Cherith would be at the receiving end when I fumed. May be that's when he imbibed the idea that it was alright to get angry when things dont work our way.

I failed to realize the effects of my actions on him. Though I never meant any harm, unintentionally it did harm his naive little mind.

So I pledged to be as calm as possible, stay happy and adopt different methods of doing daily chores with him. I started getting him involved when he din't let me do things alone.

I let him do things his way at times and introduced fun things every couple of days. I try to make him agree at times and at times just let him be unburdened. I treat him as a baby sometimes and as an equal when we become partners in crime.

Motherhood is a learning experience both for mother and child. Now, I and cherry are both happier, calmer. He still gets annoyed but now, instead using my motherly authority, I try to understand him and try to pacify him. With both are behaviours inproving, he is a happy kid and I am a content mom.

One major change I brought in myself is when he talks, I pay full attention to him and try to comprehend. In return he is all ears when I talk. Communucation is a virtue..

The process will take time but I can see the results. I wish every parent would undertsand that use of power on children spoils their future forever.

If only every kid born would have been taught how to channelize their energy in the right direction, many people would have been safe and alive. After all, a crime may have many reasons but it all starts with anger and the incapability to overpower rage.

A moment of rage destroys years of hardwork. Its like a volcano. The measure of damage can only be done when it cools. Our anger not only spoils our relationships but many times hurts our personal growth and tarnishes mind, body and soul.

Anger might bring the end of the world before nature could. Lets throw rage out of our lives and bring in positivity and peace.

People sparkling with smiles would be more successful. We would have more believers and go getters versus less doubters, more lovers less haters, more achievers and lesser morose, more life givers and less killers.



CHEERS!
GOD BLESS!!

CHS

Cryptic mind

A couple of days ago, I was going through the newspaper and one headline caught my attention.

"Firstborn's hospital bills to be borne by mother's parents".

After reading further I found out that the concerned woman is fighting a matrimonial dispute with her husband during which time she delivered her child. So she filed an application before the family court seeking hospital expenses from her husband.

The family court order was "Admittedly, it is her first delivery, so it is the duty of her parents to bear the expenses as per customs in all communities"

However, the high court intervened and said that the judge should not use his personal knowledge to decide on cases. It rejected the cryptic order and sent it back for reconsideration.

I now wonder about the cripticism of the judge's mind. He is also amongst those lakhs of people who equate females to money (in the wrong way)

Why are parents of girls still harrassed for monetary benefits. I am appalled by such incidents.

Perhaps this is the reason why many parents still want a boy child so they dont have to burden themselves.

The moment a girl is born, I witness people worrying about her looks, her character, her ability to do home chores and the calculate how much they would have to accumulate for her wedding.

As a result everything that a girl eats, does, wears, says, sees, everywhere she goes even everything she thinks is monitored by owl eyes.

Parents do so much before, during and after marriage but will that ever be enough? When we have the capacity to produce children we should also have the courage to raise them without gender bias.

Be delighted and proud to have a girl child. She is not a liability but an asset that will continually get your return on investment in the form of lovely memories, unending happiness and unmatchable love.


P.S: I hope the judge doesnt have a daughter in law!

CHEERS!
GOD BLESS!!


CHS

The language..

I visited a home for special children 2 weeks ago. It was just a visit to donate some eatables and come back home.

It was a place that housed 30 differently abled girls managed by nuns. I walked to common hall and saw a sister helping an elderly woman whose tongue hung outside her mouth. 

I turned around to walk outside as I dint want to barge into their rooms uninvited. I found a girl of about 13 years of age who did not know what was going on. She simply giggled always. Then there was another one who was keen to see new people, she quietly and quizzically followed them. 

There were one who some cluelessly looking at the sky. One who wanted to say something but words just got blurted out in a manner no one understood. One who played with her hair, one who stared without reason.

There was a two year old girl in the hands of one of the nuns. "What's her name?" I asked sister. "Swetha" sister replied.  "Hi swetha" I waved at the girl and she smiled. 

Even before I could say something else, she hopped and jumped towards me. As I held her in my arms, she looked at me quizzically, then smiled and then gave me a flying kiss. 

She then turned to sister and gestured that she would go with me. Everyone was surprised as the girl happily pulled one more of her companions by the hand and waved everyone meaning the two would be leaving with me. 

Despite many attempts by the three nuns who stood there, swetha refused to go back. She enjoyed being in my arms as I reckon Cherith loved. Her gleaming eyes and sparkling smile melted my heart.

She held on to me so tight that it felt as if I was her mother and she met me after being lost. The feeling was simply inexplicable. 

The sisters finally took swetha back as she made faces and still continued to blow flying kisses at me. I smiled back and promised to come to meet her again. 

That girl, being so little gave me the so much joy. It's strange how a meeting of a few minutes could be so impactful.

I walked back with a smiling face, ecstatic mind and overwhelmed soul. It reminded me of the words I read somewhere when in school 'The language of humanity knows no religion"

I do not know where shwetha came from, I dont know her condition, I dont know her progress or anything else about her. All I know is that she is one girl I would never forget because she made me feel alive. 

That short encounter filled me with so much unconditional love that I am bound to go back and meet her whenever I can.

We have all forgotten the feeling of pure love that comes only from the heart, not from need. 

I would like to tell you to visit and orphanage or an old age home and spend sometime with them. It is ok if you do not take anything along. There are many who come, donate things and leave. There are very few who give them the most precious gift, time. 

Many tell us to look at the unprivileged ones for us to realize how fortunate we are. I would say being around such special people decodes the true self that is within us. It lightens our burdened brains and lightens our dark lives. 

You will return with an amazing feeling you never thought could be for real. That is something each one of us should experience atleast once before we totally die. 

CHEERS!

GOD BLESS!!

CHS

Flaws in the Laws...

How many laws do you remember to have come across??

Laws of nature, laws of attraction, laws of gravity, thermodynamics, laws of the constitution, laws of exponents, laws of motion, reflection ...... phew! I dont think i can cover everything here let alone finding flaws in them... 

This one is about flaws in the laws that are most generic, visible and easily flammable and most vulnerable; daughter-in-laws..

A few points that bother me:

Firstly, Son-in-laws get an overtly special treatment. They are welcome everytime they walk into their wife's home, showered with so much respect, care and love that every daughter-in-law would be jealous. Why is that kind of treatment not given to us?

Infact we leave our clan behind to join yours, you should not only be thankful but also even more supportive towards us.

Second, Mothers want their son-in-laws to always stand by their daughter, support her, love her, care for her, encourage her,  understand her and never leave her side. Predictably fair.

Why do the same mothers behave differently when sons treat their wives that very same way? Isn't it simple logic that what you want for your daughter is what someone else wants for their daughter too? Common sense is so uncommon!

Third, The ideology that you need to control daughter-in-law, else she would fragment the family. I do not understand where this mediocrity comes from but this is totally untrue. We young women do understand the importance of togetherness.

Fourth, daughter-in-law is always wrong. As you can see, we are humans just like you. We have an opinion, a point of view and we do like to take a stand. Doesn't mean we are at fault for speaking our mind. Take it or leave it.

Fifth, Mother-in-law is a better mother. Being a mother in itself is an achievement. You can't say who has accomplished more or less, sooner or later, with flying colours or just managed to pass. Every mother knows what's best for the child and always works towards the same.

Sixth, Daughter-in-law should always think about others first. I unapologetically disagree. We cannot take care of anyone by ignoring ourselves. A plant needs daily inputs of sunlight, water and air, only then will it deliver blooming flowers and nourishing fruits.

Few humble points to be noted:

A Daughter-in-law do not want a share of your property, she wants a share of your love.

She is not robots that is insensitive towards cold behaviours. Please treat her with some warmth.

Spending time with her husband is not a crime. You brought her home to share a life with him. A little alone time would not do any harm, she is entitled to that space.

There are times when she is disinterested in daily chores. Dont misunderstand her to be careless, just give her some time.

She may not be born in this house but is undoubtedly reborn as a wife and mother. She is trying her best to play all roles well.

She may not say it but she terribly misses her parents and siblings. Empathize with her and let the doors of both homes be open for her at all times.

Finding flaws is always the easy thing to do. A little care, a little encouragement, a few advices, a few experiences, an open mind and a big heart would actually be beneficial because a rotting tree can never give healthy fruits. Lets work towards this to make our lives stress free, more productive and most blissful...


CHEERS!
GOD BLESS!!

CHS

My Karma...

Samavatsari Mahaparv... The king of Jain festival, it is the festival of forgiveness.. 

There are so many facets to these eight days. Fasts empower our mind, Bhakti induces new energy to worship lord with more zeal. Pratikraman enables us to rewind, rethink the deeds done, accept mistakes, ask for forgiveness and promise never to repeat them again. Pravachan gives an insight to the lives of tirthankars and reaffirms how jains should lead their lives.

The way of live, the habits to imbibe and teachings to follow; all not only have religious contentment but also scientific validation. 

For example dining before sunset is the best way to keep body fit. Drinking boiled water, and fasting help detox. Various asanas during pratikaman are a yoga session in itself, dhyan helps develop the habit of silence thus facilitating meditation.. All in all this multi dimensional phenomenon enables a 360° purification of mind, body and soul.

Over and above all of this, the one aspect that I am not only fond of but also proud about is the act of forgiving all beings and asking for forgiveness from all beings.. 

This is not just any other ritual, it is a filter..

Karma is said to be the base of all our lives. Good or bad, right or wrong everything is a result of the choices we make and actions we take. What goes around definitely comes around therefore, there is no need to be over joyous in merry times and no use of being sorrowful during testing times.. 

I am of the view that owning up is equally significant. Everything that has happened, everything that is going on is a result of my deeds. 

Most of quarrels, heartbreaks and disappointments crop up because we expect things from some other person. Simply acknowledging the fact that this particular event took place as a reward for my doing, solves the most complex of problems. 

Im am happy because of me, I am in a mess because of me and I am out of it because of me is what we should practice telling ourselves every single day. 

Eventually, we won't grunt for too long for failing and will start working towards getting better. This will detangle relations and infuse strength in bonds..

Evaluate yourself, healthify your body, empower your mind, elevate the class of your soul and enhance the quality of life..


CHEERS!!
GOD BLESS!!


CHS

The unlove story..

I got back to my reading spree recently with Jeffery Archer's 'Matter of Honur' that sat on my bookshelf and longed to be picked up.

Soon I ordered 3 more and have already finished Jeffery Archer's Clifton Chronicles part 1 and Chetan Bhagat's The girl in room 105.

What caught my attention while reading the synopsis of the last book was that it was not a love story. It was an unlove story...

So I had to read it to know what it is that one can actually do to get over a broken relationship. The beginning was a usual guy trying to forget the only girl he had immensely loved. She moved on, he did not.

A series of drunk dialling episodes and texting followed asking the girl to get back. The story takes a drastic turn which I can not talk about as it would just kill the interest of anyone of you wanting to give it a read. So go ahead...

I had actually expected it to be a story where the broken one would try all he could to forget, get over or even hate his ex. He might have called names and tried to insult the other guy but could simply not resist looking at the pictures of his love and revisiting the moments they spent together. Everything he saw, did, ate; everywhere he went, he was reminded of her..

I related to him... Though I could guess what would have led to the twist, I was wanting to read a more clearer understanding of how one would learn to unlove..

We fall in love quite too easily, we are taught to hate even more easily but in between these two extreme emotions, there does exist a midway. It is indeed a need for each one of us to practice that.

Remember how there is one thing we have loved too much during our childhood? May be a toy, a book, a piece of clothing, stationary, it could be anything...

Sany was obsessed with her blanket, she slept with that in her hands even when it was nothing more than shreds..

Imagine the blanket was a relationship and now visualize the consequences of holding on to a bond that is now only tatters. While it does not give us any love, it also takes away a lot of our energy, our ability to think logically and most of all our precious precious time..

After reading the book, I smiled and said to myself "I unlove all the things and people that I dont have anymore. May the good things I learnt stay with me and the ones that disrupt my happy state be gone"
Sounds like a mantra...

This is a generation  of people exposed to so many things. People look for love through artificial means, yet human emotions are valued measly.

Love is no doubt important, hate is of no significance but in my view, learning to unlove is of utmost essence.

So we may have helped people make friends and find love a lot of time, let's make a first attempt at spreading the idea of unloving someone that is no more available.

Of course it is thought impossible by the one who is hurt but it is for us to be there and make sure he or she is over that one that thing that hinders his or her view of the rest of the world.

This simple step could perhaps save a lot of girls being victims to acid attacks, rapes and murders and also a lot of boys from being victims to cheating, violence and criminal activities at large.

We have learnt too much is too bad. It's time to apply it to the emotion that needs it most - Love. Do not love someone so much that it deters yourself, your personality and your growth. Let's simply learn to Unlove...


CHEERS!
GOD BLESS!!

CHS

Soooperstitious!!

DISCLAIMER : The anecdotes and incidents in this article are purely non fictional and real. Any resemblance to such other instances is not at all co- incidental.


A friend of mine was discussing the previous write up elaborating how colours are discriminated and that simply made me realize how badly color black is treated.

I remember many such incidents when my mom not only frowned but also gave us a hearing with such enormity that made us think of black itself as a bad omen. I pity the colour today.

My sister loves black but when she was to go see a guy for matrimony, "Dont wear black! mom would instruct. Going out for some good work "No black". About to get into something auspicious "No black". Birthday "No black". To be married "No black". Just gave birth "No black".

I mean its okay to have some colours as a priority but totally negating one colour just because its black, is another level of unfairness. It brings me to think of all the superstitions that I have not only seen people follow but a few done by myself too..

First The Black Cat.. When we left home to go out and found a black cat crossing the road ahead of us, we stop. Bad omen. Really?? had the cat known, she might have waited perhaps!! Some people dont even focus on the colour, "Billi ne rasta kaata, chal ghar"

There's another silly one : Sneeze and plannings are opposite to each other. For eg; I'm about to book flight tickets for a trip and Aaacchi, and I say "Flight might crash, Train se chale?"

A sneeze here is treated as a sign by God that something bad will happen on the path we choose. Coming to think of it, would a train driver or a pilot change their destination if they hear a sneeze just before starting the journey..

We are ready to take and will reach Delhi in... Aaaaaccchi... We are expected to land in Ahmedabad at 12:00 hrs... literally sabki baara baj jaayegi...

Here comes a stupid one.  As a kid I was told that if I see a mail van and make a wish. If a black car follows within two minutes of making the wish, it might come true. I remember scanning the road hungrily looking for black cars and also remember getting nothing at the end of the day despite spotting one. The belief never died, I still used to wish.. Kya pata aaj koi teacher absent hi ho jaaye...

Making a wish reminds me of the tiny hair from the eyelash that might have fallen because it generally does but I never let even one go without closing my eyes for a moment and then blowing it away from my fist.. You must have done that too..

My mom used to tell me not to do something of significance on an amavasya. "Why?" I ask. "Bade buzurg kehte hai it's unfavourable" I simply ask her "Amavasya ok baby hua toh kya karenge?" Clearly she had no answer to that shrewd question.

Some elderly say breaking of a glass is a bad omen while others argue it is indeed a good one. Encountering a milkman while leaving is a bad omen while spotting a cow (The one that gives milk) is a great sign.

We might have all experienced our bits of superstitions. I am more of a logical thinker so I would only attribute fear as the reasoning for such ideas to exist and spread. That is why there is no proper answer to such practices staying alive till date.

Perhaps superstitions  are rightly translated as Andhvishwas. People who believe them are virtually blind towards the truth.

Stay logical, stay untangled!


P.S: My left palm itches a lot since I got up, waiting to see where the money is going to come from (;


CHEERS!!

GOD BLESS!

CHS

Blues and Pinks...

Last week I received a text from Cherith's school saying they would celebrate buddies day on Friday. Hence, we were asked to dress our kids in pink.

Wednesday I checked all of his wardrobe but failed to find anything pink. So I decided to buy one. The next day I go hunting a pink t shirt for cherry and it was such a task.

I went to my usual shopping adda and I told the lady, I want a t shirt for a three year old boy. She assisted me to the heap and asked me to check.. "I want something in pink" she immediately replaced the t shirt that she had in her hand and blabbered "Nahi hai"

"Ek toh hoga" I retorted "No mam, boys ke liye ek bhi pink t shirt nahi hai"..

I walked out of there and went to two other shops and after failing there as well decided to give one more try at a shop near hubby's office.

After about half an hour of the three staff and owner peeping into all the boxes, finally I found one. Eureka I screamed in my mind. Outside I said haash mil gaya!!!

I was thinking this colour discrimination of clothes is happening at the manufacturer level!!

First of all, there are limited dressing options for boys. Second, every store has a 70:30 ratio of stock where girls' clothing stock is higher than boys'. The most annoying thing is the dedication of particular colours for boys and girls attires..

Girls will have more options with red, pink, orange where as boys would have to opt from blues, greens and grays..

Although colours are universal, we affix boys with blue and pink with girls even before they are born. Imagine the plight of the other colours.. Poor they, might be feeling either out of place or feeling like an in-betweener perhaps!

On a serious note, it results in shaming and teasing at young ages.. Especially boys wearing pink. I remember hubby's nephew being bullied by his schoolmates for wearing a pink t shirt. He came home and swore never to wear it because he was called a girl for wearing pink.

What are we getting into our children's minds...?

I was once asked by cherith if boys can wear pink. "Yes. Why do you ask?"
"Mumma, bhaiya says that is for girls"
"There's nothing like that" and I decided to prove it to him in time..

We went out one day and I found a man wearing a pink shirt. "See that uncle cherry" I directed his eyes to the man looking the other way. "What colour is he wearing?" "Pink mumma" "Isn't it looking nice?"
"Very nice" his face lit.

"We have got so many colours around us and God has made all of them for all of us. So anyone is free to wear any colour." I completed.

A few days later hubby was skeptical of wearing a pink t shirt and asked if he should change as we were getting ready to go for a movie. "Its looking very nice papa" said cherry and I smiled, relieved that he had got the point after all.

It's not just about colours, it's also about the kind of clothes we wear and the jobs we do. I find a kind of discrimination everywhere..

For example I was told working, earning, night outs, were associated with boys and cooking, cleaning, stitching, painting were all tasks of girls.. So I never got a chance to enjoy a pajama party and my brother was opposed by mum when he walked into the kitchen to learn how to make his favourite dish.. While we cannot change the way we have been brought up, we can always change the way we bring up our future generations.

Things have no doubt changed now but that's limited to a few. A huge number of families are still unwelcome to these changes mine including.. I intend to go the other way in parenting my child though.

Let us make sure our kids have an all accepting view. So he wont find it hard if the girl he likes doesn't know how to cook. Or if the boy she is dating helps them at home chores. They would be fine if a girl is working late nights and also when a guy volunteers to take care of the child at home..

Let's not focus on Blues and Pinks anymore, let's liberate them to try, experiment, fail and learn with as many colours as nature offers...

That is how we would have all hues beautifully blended to make their lives as stunning as a rainbow..


Towards a colorful future...
CHEERS!
GOD BLESS!!


CHS

Definition...

As soon as I read the title, something from my school days comes to my mind. Remember the two marker that was common in all question papers, regardless of the subject throughout all the years...

Since the time I have understood what a question paper is, there has been this question asking "Define the following" and I used to smile having mugged the definitions really well.

A few days back I was in my zone pondering what defines us? I mean as human beings, what is it that truly defines us.

Many of us might not be the same implications of our names.. Santosh might be unhappy, Bhavana may not be able to expresses her feelings and Chandra not as beautiful as the moon perhaps!

The environment we are brought up in, the family we live with, the friends we make, the religion we belong to, the relationship we get into or out of.. These are aspects that mould us.

We may have been carefree as a teenager but when we are into relationships, a son or daughter, friend, a partner or a parent, we do take up responsibility. So our behaviour is influenced by the relationship we are dealing with. That is not who we really are.

There are hundreds of thousand of people around us. The ideologies of society, the working of a system all have an impact on our lives but it is still not something that defines us.

What really does define us then??

We may react to a same situation differently given the circumstances. After contemplation and evaluation, we may apologize for our mistake and move ahead, we may be grateful for a favour, we may regret a bad desicions.

Your thoughts define you, your capability to think, differentiate and act in a good or unpleasant manner is the definition of you.

When you put in 100% in your bonds, irrespective of how much return you may get, that investment is what defines you.

When you mourn the loss of a loved one and also get filled with anguish when you hear about a little kid being exploited in some other part of the world, those expressions are what define you.

In college, we used to have definitions of one topic given by different authors and all of them were acceptable. In life, none of the definitions given by others should be acceptable.

"A homemaker is someone who sits at home all day and does nothing much in life" "A girl who has had a relationship before marriage is not a worthy prospect" "A boy who does chores of the home or a boy who cries is a girl" "A strong girl is one who is brought up like a boy"

There are many more such preposterous definitions I keep coming across time and again.. None of which I agree with. So if you call me arrogant, I would love that but it is nobody else's business to define me.

The self belief, the perseverance, the character we show in happy and unhappy days, the efforts, the love we have in our hearts, the values we imbibed from our parents that we want pass on to following generations, these are things what define us.

You are what you think, feel and understand about yourself. So explore different hues and facets of life and keep redefining yourself in your own words.


CHEERS!!
GOD BLESS!


CHS

Daddy cool!!

I read Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad about a decade ago. I loved the way he put his personal life into the book which majorly constituted of qualities of his father by birth and father by teachings.

My dad and his elder brother are of the same importance to me in my life.. I call both of them papa but for you not to get confused about which papa I'm referring to, let's name them A papa and M papa.

M papa is my father by birth but I spent 13 initial years of my life with A papa.

A papa has faced dire situations since the time his children were little. One of his daughters had a life threatening disease, one of his sons was not too great at school. He had to set up a business all alone and shelter his family. Another daughter had been attacked and years later when things seemed to fall in place, yet another daughter was fighting for life during childbirth..

A few challenges I can only mention but many more he must have faced...

M papa on the other hand, had challenges related to work early on and emotional issues came up much later. He was opposed by his children (including me) had to handle a stubborn girl, a zarurat se zyada bholi girl and me!! His son though was not much of a trouble...

Both of these men have had different matters of concern, I must admit that they not only managed them but overcame them while earning utmost respect.

While A papa showed perseverance with his little girl who had polio, M papa showed dedication to his work only for the better future of his family.

A papa is a risk taker and would go fearless to face problems. He worked really really hard, established connections with a new sie of the country and is now the owner of a great business with both his sons. M papa on the other hand is calm, doesnt talk his mind. He had the patience to let things be with his naive daughters who knew less about the world.

A papa has utmost faith in God, his Gurudev which brought his child back to life and M papa never gave up on God either, but he also believed in the decisions of his children..

A papa is now living a carefree life as opposed to many people of his age who still hold on to their offices and homes.. M papa has shed inhibitions and is now a more liberal head of the family enjoying holidays with family giving equal freedom to his  daughter in law and his daughters..

A papa brought out the truth from me regarding marriage and M papa accepted it and got me married to my friend for life.
Both of them left me with an unspoken message "Never leave the side of you partner. Stay together in hays and hos"

A papa's cheerfulness and nonchalance lightens up the mood in all situations and M papa's knowledge gives me inspiration to learn more...

A papa has thought me to be courageous, straight forward and unapologetic. M papa infused pddles of patience and trust to relentlessly keep going on.

These men have moulded my character to a great extent and I'm blessed to have them with me..

In the truest sense they are the coolest daddys anyone could have asked for and I am joyous and indebted to them for bringing all the good things to us and keeping bad things at bay..

Thank God for my Daddys cool!!

Cheers!
God bless!!

CHS

The Jig-Saw Puzzle...

I was out buying a birthday gift for a two year old when my eyes landed on a small box which read puzzle for kids..

I was immediately taken to my childhood days where I dreaded the sight of the puzzle.. So many pieces scattered and I had literally no patience to solve it.

I decided to make cherry more resourceful so I picked up a trial pack and was keen to see how he'd react.

"Surprise!!" I announced as he waited for what was coming.. I showed him the box and his face lit up. After explanation he understood the concept and was instantly ready to try...

I was amazed at the way he received it. He not only understood the concept but pretty quickly cracked the technique and in a few minutes and very little help he completed the 3 puzzles in the box. He was so happy that he asked for more which I promised to get him next time I go out.

Honestly I thought he would think it was a no pointer but his acceptance made that little surprise so much more enjoyable..

Today he went on to solve a bigger puzzle with many more pieces and he killed it. I'm glad he doesn't replicate me when it comes to puzzles.

Seeing his frenzy, I too sat down with him and realized that life is such a jig-saw puzzle too...

It looks messy when scattered all over, you gape cluelessly, might just scare you. Once you calm down, start with a random piece and try, it starts to get connected.

It is even more rewarding when you concentrate not only on completing the picture but also focus on detail that help you put it together.. In life, the facets are moments of happiness, little efforts, heart touching gestures that give us inexplicable joy, the core of our lives..

Of course a puzzle can be solved in minutes while life lasts longer but the idea is to keep trying to fit every piece together, using all combinations patiently and believing that we are capable of finishing despite the number of failures that lurk en route..

All the best to all of us with our jig - saw puzzles.. May we nail it!!


Cheers!!
God Bless!!


CHS

India rising!!

Its result day!!! The results are clear by now and Indians have chosen their Pradhan Sevak yet again.

I am watching live telecast from BJP head office and just as I see this man walking amidst people, humble body language, victory on his face, I have goosebumps!!! I feel I have won!!

I was never interested in politics honestly. The day I got my election card, I felt a sense of responsibility but the first time I voted, I felt real freedom. Free to press the button and take part in nation's most important choice.

This time around, saffron was in the air since the beginning. Month long election process, so many campaigns, innumerable speeches, talks and rallies.. any of which I did not follow!

Since the time we had our new Prime Minister in 2014, I was only observant of and admired the small things that happened.

Swachh Bharat (Clean India) all of us wanted it but it was never supported on such a huge scale.. Today we see cleaner stations and roads.

Voluntary giving up subsidy was welcome and then bank accounts assured that subsidy goes to the ones who deserved it. This made LPG a possibility for rural women.. To those who have burnt wood all their lives..

Electricity to lakhs of villages drowned in darkness for so many years after independence.

Homes to all was made reality to the people who lived in sheds. Education, Loans, empowerment to women, availability of toilets, medication and cure to the needy.

The basic bricks that lay foundation to the country's future were not only addressed but seriously taken and appropriate and strict measures implemented to make it happen.

10% Resevation for the financially weak, use of taxes rightfully, economic growth, skill development, Make In India.. These things actually happened!

Indians have been used to playing golmaal when it comes to taxes. We were first asked to voluntarily disclose unaccounted income and pay due taxes. That was a smart move to not only catch the thief red handed but also make him repay!

So many financial goofups! Such cowardly acts of looting people of our country and fleeing also took place. But there was also a law enforced that gave other countries the power to nab those special celebrities.

We definitely have had national security breaches and this year witnessed the most brutal attacks of them all. The answer to such criminal heads was given in their faces under the leadership of this man with a real Jigra.

I had said earlier that no matter how loud lies are shouted out, a subtle and quiet truth is more powerful than hundreds of such lies.

This man sitting in front of me (on Tv) today, addressing the country brings an altogether different aura. It is the commonness of his face, the genuinity of his smile, the confidence in his courage, strength of his character, dedication to his work, commitment towards his country and after all of that, the simplicity of his life that not only inspires youth but infuses a new zeal and makes us believe that we will have a better future.

I wish our Prime Minister good health and a long life to give our country a new life. I hope our children will not have to worry about corruption and insecurity when they grow up.

He says "Desh ki janata ne is fakeer ki jholi bhar di" I want to say, we are with you Sir, in waking up our country and watch a Rising India...

Bharat Maata ki Jai!!
Cheers!!
God bless!!

CHS

The Second one...

Cherith is 3 and a half now and many including my mom keep reminding me that it's time for the second one!!

I have told her and everyone else talking to me about this that I am more than happy with cherith and I do not think there is any reason for me to have a second kid.

There have been a lot of long talks with many regarding having more than one child. These are a few questions posed along with answers I have got in my head. However, these answers refuse to be deposited in the heads of my opponents (in beliefs).

When are you planning another kid?
I am not! I think raising one kid with good values and a strong character is very fulfilling than having children to fill the house..

You too have siblings.. He needs a sister or brother.
I dont think so.. Besides he has brothers and sisters. I never tell them they are his cousins..

Who will he have when he grows up?
He will have his extended family and the friends that he would choose for himself.

It goes on.. The point is, having children and number of them is perfectly one's personal choice.

At many instances I crave to be the mother of a baby girl. I want to raise a girl, make her a strong headed one, capable of giving tough competition, able to take desicions and stand by what her heart feels is right. But while these thoughts keep crossing my mind, I am very sure that I need not give birth to another.

For one, I am not sure if it will definitely be a girl. I dont want another boy. Second, just because I am proficient in bringing up two children doesn't mean I have to give birth. I can adopt a child, give her and myself a new life and ambition..

Own is own and adopted I adopted - this is what my wish is always welcomed with. With due respect to all elderly having huge families, how many are such where elderly are taken care of with sensitivity?

How many parents are sure that their sons wont drift apart as the journey of life advances. How many brothers have been loyal to each other with regard to money matters? So it's not about the blood, but the bond that we have..

Also what about my life? A girl marries and has to keep up with everything just instantly.. After a baby there are lot more mental and physical challenges than men can imagine.. So when we are finally on track with our usual selves when the kid is about 3 or 4, the topic pops up again.

We want to go out, catch up with watsup, be free to talk to people, take care of ourselves, spend time with our partners.. I am of the view that a good 5 years is taken away in getting a baby into world and getting them to be on their own.. so nothing of the above is possible while we are at it..

What about couples who have two happy kids but an unhappy marriage? Kids may not resolve issues and resolve differences.. I have a lot more questions when someone asks me about my second kid. But now I refuse to answer because people just dont respect any decision we take.

We are cursed if we dont have a kids. (Ab tak baccha nahi hua?) Pestered to have two as soon as life settles after one. (Ek aur kar le) Critised if we have more than two (aaj ke zamaane mein itne bacche?) Its a lose lose situation..

While you are reading this, please ensure that you do not entertain such conversations.. let's be a little more human to the women in around us...

As for me, i had a very short two day trip after wedding.. The second one that I am looking at is a vacay in Europe!!

Cheers!!
God bless!!

CHS

Saying Goodbye...

"Alvida kehne se phir milne ki ummeed kam ho jaati hai" I love this movie and this dialogue makes me believe that its true to the core. Does saying goodbye lessen the chance of meeting again??

That's not the thing in my mind right now. The question I have today is "Is saying a goodbye necessary at all?"

So many times, I hear instances where two friends have been so inseparable close in college but life took them away to different directions without a chance to meet again.

After the pulwama attack, wives of martyrs saying we had a talk over the phone and he said "I'll come back soon" but then came the news..

A person leaves home for work as usual and is either meets with an accident or death itself and the whole family is only left with questions..

A girl brought up like a darling of the house, is married for a better future and soon kills herself for being tortured mentally and physically without giving the parents even a clue of what she had been through all this while..

We all might have witnessed or experienced the inability to say a happy, memorable goodbye to a our parents, a friend, a companion, or partner..

In all the above situations, the goodbye is more often avoided by nature... Sometimes to keep the good memories alive and sometimes to keep the sad ones at bay.

In my opinion, there is another reason. Our generation is a socially very active and connected. Everyone knows what is going on with someone else's life. So many times I have felt like saying a warm goodbye to once dear friend. I act against the idea because I may not matter to that person anymore..

Also, many occasions are such that a person suddenly tries to know what's happening with you and instantly also wants to bid adieu for life..

That phase of arrival and departure may only add on to the mental chaos. In my opinion the damage already done is more than enough to avoid saying a goodbye.

After all why it should be other person we should care about? It's good to be a little selfish and do what makes your heart happy and leave the other wondering what's on your mind.

So alvida kehne se bhale hi milne ki ummeed kam ho jaati hai, kabhi kabhi bina alvida kahe chale jaana bhi dil ko sukoon de jaata hai...

Cheers!!
God bless!

CHS

Rajasthan...

I'm on cherry's summer vacay at rajasthan. After settling in the dry heat here, we left for a 2 day trip.

5 am in the morning and the roads blessed us with quiet emptiness along with cool morning breeze.. Though I missed hubby immensely, I could not afford to miss the unmatchable serenity..

The cool winds presented me with mixed memories that have collectively contributed to my childhood.. Also some rare instances where I thoroughly enjoyed just being in this place irrespective of the weather and company..

Fun and carefree school vacations. Papa took us to our farm and we would pluck tamarind from the old tree there. Relish freshly ripe chikko, corn whatever was available as per season. The desi milk, butter and curd was the icing on the cake.

Then college made it difficult for those vacations to happen again and after a long time I went to rajasthan again during bachelors for a fest at udaipur. I had an unforgettable trip. Visiting places like ajmer dargah, pushkar fort, samarkand island, I made memories that are mine alone...

Before I was to be wed, papa n mom made sure I got blessings from all gods so I have a great life ahead. All rituals performed with pomp, I sat on a horse and a procession with dhol and people dancing announced that i was the bride to be.. There were shagun ke geet at home later on..

Coming back happened sooner after marriage with hubby this time performing post marriage rituals with him. Our stay at his ancestral home and everyone in the village coming to see the new bhabhiji.. it was interesting hilarious..

Our new home was ready soon and this time we were back for housewarming. Travelling in the train would have been a task but the company of 35 people made it happier and easier than imagined.

After Cherith's birth, came back for some more rituals and was soon called again for papa's last rights and funeral services. The saddest trip of all.

Now while the kids are asleep and I am all by myself looking outside the window listening to rare selection of songs, I am having a memory touch up.

The half dry and half green vegetation accepts the scorching heat as nothing less than a present. The little puddles of water is relished more than a feast. Any scarcity is never cried over and enjoying today is the people's way of living.

From being the place of my birth to being the place where so many important events of life have taken place, rajasthan mysteriously fills me with so much more zeal, joy and new energy that I feel alive again..

Proud to be connected to this land of desert..

Cheers!!
God bless!!

CHS

Price of truth!!

Thruthfulness and honesty in today's world is a virtue. I am trying hard to help Cherith imbibe this quality into his core. He has these sadly questioning eyes when I ask him to speak the truth. "Sach bologe toh koi nahi daatega, jhooth bologe toh koi bharosa nahi karega"

He is visibly skeptical but eventually now, he has to quite some extent learnt that truth does save him from trouble.

All of us, since our childhood have been taught the habit and importance of saying the truth. Are we ever told what price we would have to pay for saying the truth??

I have been an endorser of the truth but I also accept using white lies to make people happy, they are purely intentional and harmless though..

There have been instances when I have made most hurtful declarations. They might have hurt people, made them think ill about me, also taken them away from me emotionally but my intention was just to be honest.

While reading the above lines, you too would have been brushed back to such bitter experiences. Saying the truth in a relationship and being slapped, questioning a wrong decision and being fired, fighting a right cause and being accused instead. These are usual returns today.

Standing by someone unimportant while he/she is right and with you losing a lot of important things. It indeed takes a lot of courage to speak the brutal truth but that's only the first time. After it becomes a habit, it is the most easiest thing to do.

Truth alone triumphs!

As for the returns, with all my heart I would say, sincerity to yourself is of utmost significance. And being honest and losing something less dangerous than having a heavy soul.

However hard you try to mend things with the help of manipulation and lies(they may even work sometimes), the short term gains will blur our sights and make us unaware of the capital losses we are going to incur.

In the end, we lose everything for those little momentary gains. There is nothing much you can do about things that have happened  already but touch your heart this very moment and take an oath to be true to yourself now on.

Finally, you will be the owner of the genuine price of truth. A liberal, light weight, guiltfree soul.


Cheers!!
God bless!


CHS

Kalank nahi...

I got to listen to the title track of kalank yesterday. It is undoubtedly beautifully sung and even more thoughtfully written. The best lines - " Na jaane ye zamaana, kyu chaahe ye mitaana, kalank nahi ishq hai kajal piya..."

Love for parents, friends, children and work is all taken positively.. Love for someone special is more often unwelcome. As in, I have seen people being questioned about who he/she is, where are they from, age, family, background so on and so forth.

Does it really matter?? I would touch my heart and say No. Neither are these issues of concern nor do we hold a degree to judge anyone's personal choice.

What is love after all? I'm of the opinion that Love is indefinite...
Indefinite in the most elaborate way.
It doesn't know things like age, distance, appearance, status and even gender.

Love is what you feel, when you are around someone and also when that someone is not around. Love is proximity despite the distance. Love is knowing the shortcomings of the other and not complaining.

Love is not forgetting things about someone regardless of the years that have passed with or without that person. Love is not only what makes you smile but also what makes you cry.

I believe both these are core emotions so when someone is capable of bringing a smile on your lips without a reason or make you cry, he or she truly has conquered an irreplaceable spot in your heart.

That is the reason, some point in life or even years after being away from the person we once loved, we think of them, we want to talk to them or know if all is well with them. The place they had, may not be occupied now but it isn't vacant for anyone else either.

No matter what anyone says, love is what your heart feels. And feelings are never right or wrong. Expressing them is upto us but experiencing them is not in our control.

Nobody in love can ever explain why they feel a particular way. The heart knows it all and being true to our heart is love..

Many of us are looking for love, many are living with their love and many have lost their love. In any case what really matters is what we feel.

So when any of us come across someone in love, make sure we dont judge them..

After all true love is not a blemish that needs to be erased, it is something that not only beautifies us on the outside but embellishes our soul...


Cheers!!
God Bless.


CHS

The Banyan tree...

I am mesmerized by the performances of kids on Super Dancer that airs on Sony TV. 

It was grandparents week this time and one of the contestants performed for his grandfather who is not alive in person but very much alive in his memories and feel.

Seems like he was just 3 years old when his grandpa bid adieu and he barely remembers things about him but missed him immensely. After all the emotional tides subsided, Shilpa shetty quoted someone who had given her strength during her similar loss..

"Parents are like trees that give fruits and grandparents are like banyan tree that gives shade. Parents do give the children everything required to emerge and grow. When the shade of the banyan tree isn't there, that's when we feel the heat."

That whole performance and dialogue exchange made me really emotional  and I missed my father in law terribly. We lost him in person 2 n half years back. Cherith was just 10 months old but still recollects a few somethings about his dadaji..

Me and hubby did not get to see our grandfathers. My grandmother left us when I was a little less than 2. I have heard a lot about her but they are just like stories that I could never be a part of. 

I had always prayed that Cherith grows up taking lessons and learnings from his grandparents' experiences. That he would run to them when he won some competition at school. That they could be a part of grandparents day at school and see him perform for them. 

I wished he had some real memories and happy incidents with his grandfather too.. I reckon how he used to call Cherith aloo since he was so fair..

In his last days, papa was severely ill and I used to stop cherith from going and disturbing him. He nevertheless crawled sneakily and went to his dadaji. He smiled everytime he saw the toddler crawl into his room and stand at his bedside making gestures asking him to hold him up. Cherith also ate what his dadaji ate, regardless that he was a patient, careless about the taste of the food.

It is indeed true that things and relationships changed tremendously after he left us and I am sure, these difficult years would have been a breeze had he been with us to guide and shade us. 

We are visibly the unlucky lot in this aspect so all those who have grandparents at home, I request you to shower then with utmost love, care and respect. They are the ones who have time to spend time with our children. 

They are the ones who contribute to the core of our children's character. They are the ones that make the garden of our homes bloom with the sunshine of warmth, water of love and occasional trimming of unwanted memories that might harm them. Stronger the roots, sweeter the fruits..

They are not the stepping stones of our lives, they are our foundation. A strong foundation makes for the strongest structures that can withstand all adversities head high...

Cheers..

God bless!!

CHS

x

Payback Time..

A relative of someone I know recently got married. So what? you may think, everyone gets married. That was the second marriage. Nothing new you may say, many try to relive their lives after losing dear ones. What would you say if I tell you that the man who got married is 60 year old??

Difficult to digest. Don't hide your shock. Every person who hears this, either laughs at the man or talks ill about him. That's what happened around me. While the two women sitting near me were talking about this old aged newly married couple, I was thinking what's wrong in it?

When nobody questioned me when I got married at 25, why do it for someone who's 60? Everybody needs and has a right to have a companion.

Here's the story.. A lady passed away, her daughters and sons are married. This man (I'll refer to him as uncle) was left dependant even for a cup of tea. His daughter in laws would finish their daily chores and head back to their rooms and the widower was left alone.

The woman(aunty as I would like to call her) was a widow too and had two married sons. One had settled in the US and the other was going there too.. The sons wanted to take their mother with them but she did not want to leave her home, her country.

There's no shortage of money but you can't live with just that. Uncle and aunty were both alone and this marriage would give them a company to talk to, a caretaker if one falls ill, a friend to cry and laugh with..

The two ladies discussed this point of view and settled that it was a good decision for both and then came the news that uncle's son was unhappy with the wedding and is now demanding his share to stay away from him.

Now I want to ask, what have our parents not done for us? I always say we need to do this and do that for our children. Today, I urge you to do something for our parents.

They have stayed hungry for our tummy to be full. They gave up their dreams to fulfill our desires. They forego their necessities to make way for our wishes. We can go on and on..

Children are parents' lifetime investment and its payback time now. Let's not let our parents sacrifice anymore. Let's relieve them of their unending duties and give them opportunities to enjoy their lives. Let's get together and do things they love.

Make them relish food they love. Dance to their favourite music. Go for pilgrimage, movies, hotels. Send them for a world tour.. In short, let's buy them their dreams...

They have tirelessly supported us, it's our turn to stand by their desicions and prove that we are neither a debt nor a dead investment.

I'm sure after all the effort, you will get the same reply. A heart filled with oodles of love and happiness, teary eyes and unending smile will revert "You think about us, that's all that matters"

They have been selfless all their lives, let's make them a little selfish now..

Cheers!!
God bless!!

CHS

Re-Public

Happy Republic Day!!

I watched Uri day before and I am truly truly blessed and proud to be an Indian.

First I'd request and urge every person reading this to watch the movie. Take your friends, family, neighbours along but watch it even if you or the others are not action lovers..

After all, the movie is not just about the action, but about the ones who die for us everyday- our soldiers. It's about their families that they leave behind to go ahead and protect each and everyone of us. It's about the brevity of the army personnel who not only stand by each other but also avenge the lost brothers. It's about the conviction and commitment of the men who pledge to get back and bring everyone with them alive when they go for a mission.

I can go on and on.. but none of my words will do justice to what's in store for you when you watch it. I admire the makers and actors of the movie who did not make just another movie.. They also made us feel the pain, the zeal, every emotion so well. I appreciate the smallest contribution of every single person who put away a normal life for a way thrilling, risky but most rewarding one serving our country..

26/01/1950.. We got our constitution this day and it was drafted keeping in mind the goodness of all of us. Those makers of our constitution would be saddened seeing the situation around us.

Let's not only be one person or a few people. Let's become Re-Public. We may not be intelligent enough to track the plotters, we may not be qualified enough to take security decisions, we may not be strong enough to join the armed forces and die or kill for the nation but there are some things we can still do as citizens.

We have lots of enemies from outside, let's avoid creating enmity within ourselves. Let's not be resilient anymore. Let's help those affected by the coward terrorists. After all they are not content with petrifying just Kashmir. They are creating havoc in all of India.

Let's contribute towards the families of the armed forces. They are braver than all of us to let their sons, husbands, brothers and fathers go out there and face death each day.

Let's be sensitive, caring and helpful and teach our children the same. Let's also teach them not to give in when they see injustice, take a stand and fight when needed.

At the end of the movie, one girl shouted out 'Bharat maata ki' and we all joined screaming 'Jai'. Chorus 'Vande Mataram' echoed in the theatre for a few minutes thereafter. Let's keep that chorus going in our hearts. So whenever we are confronted with conflicting situations, we shall realize that the person in front of us is another Indian just like us.

Stay safe, stay healthy, stay one, stay Indian!!
'Jai Hind'

God bless!!
CHS

The Year That Was...

2018 was a dramatic year..  January started off decently, we gave a lovely surprise to bhai and bhabhi on their first anniversary in Feb. I was waiting to spend time with mom and papa I March but spoiled my vacation plans and shook me to the core during the phase of Cherith's accident and recovery which took over April and May. We got back on track again in June and there were a couple of short trips and occasions where we got good family time together in September and November..

December was when the wedding of my sweetheart niece happened. As she walked towards her companion for life, I went through and inexplicable roller coaster ride of emotions. The visions of both of us in our childhoods screened in front of my eyes. Our play, our fights, our pranks, silly jokes, plans for the future and a bag of golden memories...

The moment I saw Piyu posing with Ronakji and his love for her, tears rolled down my eyes.. "My little girl has come a long way and will now be the queen of someone's heart" I was immensely happy and so grateful to god for I got to witness that day so closely...

Also in December, mom in law was going for the much awaited pilgrimage tour and we wished she would have a great time with her siblings and a lot of good memories to come back with. Now again I was awaiting spending time with mom, papa, sany, bhavna di, bro, bhabhi and most of all perry during Christmas...

This time I got to go. Good family time, some interesting lunching sessions, a nice evening just for laughs, some crazy moments at home it was all good.. Cherith got to play outside and also be with his baby brother. I finally got noticed by baby Perry and I also nicknamed him.. It looked like the perfect vacation before my week's stay turned dramatically filmi.

I was thrown back to the past and there was salt sprinkled on some sour memories but I felt unbeaten and unmoved by them and that moment I realized it did not matter at all.. I am so happy for what I have and there's nothing I could have asked for.. I grew up a little more...

31st seemed to be the most chaotic day in my head. Hubby planned a surprise for the new year and I not only spoiled his plans but also upset him by doing something he did not want me to. Though I promised to make up to him, while getting back home the next day, I was prepared for a flared up argument and was skeptical if the year would start happy this time...

The moment we set eyes on each other, the previous day simply vanished. All his worry, complains, the anger, the spoiled mood was blown away... Our eyes screamed "Nothing can ever come in between us". We were much more in love, much more together and much more happy to be each other's...

It turned out to be a rather surprisingly great day and I was happy that hubby lets me be who I am, lets me take my decisions despite his concern that never wants me to be hurt in any way.. I deeply adore the fact that he doesn't let me be dependent on anyone apart from myself.

All in all, it was a year that was fun, traumatic, hopeful, joyful, emotional, introspecting and full of love... 

I still have a small wish-list for the year...
Wish we make a difference where ever possible..
Wish we spread smiles that rebound and come back to us..
Wish all those with bad health a very speedy recovery.
Wish we become less parents and more friends.
Wish we have a little spice and lot of adventurous rides...

Happy New Year...
Cheers!!
God Bless!!


CHS