The First Time...

As soon as you read the title, a little box in your mind opens up, the one that has all the firsts registered. Some of them to be cherished, some saved for youself to relive and some locked away.

We do not remember the first few firsts of our lives, the first step, first word, first walk, first day of school. But as we grow, we start recording the firsts we have had in our life.

Let's rewind and see what we can recollect... First full marks, first crush, first first performance, first hobby, first friend, first medal / trophy, first love, first kiss, first praise from parents, first drink, first adventure, first salary / earning, first heartbreak, first time you become parents, (you remember all the baby's firsts thereafter)

Now, please return and I'm sure you have a smile after the end of this beautiful time travel.

Just a few days back, me hubby and cherry experienced one such first. I would like to start from the beginning here..

Sany has been persuading me to send cherith's pictures for kids competitions, I did give it a thought too but somehow it did not work. Recently I did send them across to a lady. After an introduction video and 2 auditions, cherry was selected to shoot for an advertisement.

I got the confirmation on Thursday and the shoot was scheduled for Saturday. Honestly, I didn't really know how to prepare cherry. I did switch to being a panicky mom wondering if all will go well, if he will obey us or be a troublemaker. Apprehensions overtook my excitement but after talks with bro and sany, I was looking forward to a good show.

On saturday morning, surprisingly hubby switched to being the panicky papa. We were called at 8.am and while on our way, I told hubby "I have been referred to as your wife for a long time, now I will be referred to as cherry's mom" we smile at each other excitedly.

We entered the villa after thorough sanitisation. As soon as we entered stepped foot inside, we saw a team of almost 25 people at work, setting up lights, camera, products, art, people running to the director for approvals.

We were shown our room and asked to wait till cherry was called for costume trial and makeup. While we waited, hubby said "I hope he does well, doesn't look like these people have any backup"

"Relax" I said reassuring him, "they would have worked with kids before and know how to manage them, besides I know he will do what is asked" he smiled wryly in reply.

Well, he was in front of the camera for a few hours. The director was patient with cherith while his assistant and the actors enjoyed his company. After few retakes, we took a lunch break and then followed a few hours of wait (which nearly bored me and hubby)

"I was thinking..." hubby said as we waited "while having breakfast today, ki humein cherry ki wajah se khana mil raha hai aaj" i smiled outside but I knew exactly how happy, how proud and how touched hubby felt at this opportunity our little one was given.

Both of us tried to keep cherry's energy up, hubby took him for a troll in the balcony, we did counting footsteps and lights, few chocolate bribes, a little academic revision, all to keep him from dozing off and then we were called for his close up shot and then we were free to leave while the others finished work with the adult actors.

I was handed a form to fill before we left, it mentioned 'Child Actor' on top, the feeling was inexplicable.

I must confess, I was charmed as I looked at him on the director's screen. I was ecstatic to see how he gelled with people and how the team enjoyed his expressions and gig.

It was an unforgettable first no matter how his journey in this field goes in future.. For now, you can return to your treasure of firsts..


CHEERS!!
GOD BLESS!!


CHS

After Life....

We watched Dil bechara last night. It was an extremely emotional journey after which I tightly hugged hubby for a good five minutes, never wanting to leave and not at all wanting him to go.

I don't really know how to put my views about it in words. I am still giving it a try.

Sushanth's dhamakedar entry brought a smile on my face. His lively, happy, fun loving character took me with him. His smile made me fall for him all over again, his moves made me dance, his words gave me hope and his pain transfered to me even through the small screen. I was thrilled to see him alive and it broke my heart when I realized he isn't.

There were moments of pure joy, deep love, great friendship, positive parenting and truth about life and death. It is indeed a piece of art that every single person must watch.

"We cannot decide when to be born or when to die but we can decide how we can live our life"....

From movies like Aanand, Kal Ho Na Ho, Chicchore, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, we have learnt and understood that this is one life we have and we must do what makes us happy and live it to the brim. This is one facet touched in Dil Bechara.

When Sushanth said "I want to attend my funeral" I so wished I could do that too..

But there is one thing that I connected to instantly. It is something I keep thinking about too often, how will the people I love go on after I am gone and this facet is brought about very beautifully too..

I am really keen on knowing if my dear ones will miss me, what is it that will remind them if me, whether I would have a piece of their heart or if I'll be forgotten with passing years...

Well that is not in my hands but I want to make sure that the thought of me makes them smile, that I have influenced them in a positive way, that they miss the good times we share.

While I write this, my thoughts are drifting to the bestest friend one could ever have. He is not with us in body but his spirits were so lit, it can still brighten dull moods, his stupid jokes make me smile, his praises for me make me swell, his way of life inspires me to be.

I had my first drink with him, we had each other's back, we lied for each other, had our jokes, shared our experiences, joys, fears, secrets and when I got the news of his demise, I could only remember him with tears.

I did not cry after that because he is meant to be remembered that way. I have lost a few other people in these years but I have somehow never felt their absence.

So when you loose someone that held a piece of your heart, keep them alive in your good memories. Talk about them, share your joys with them, feel them hold your hand when you reach out.

When a body leaves us to join the spirit world, there may or may not be a life after that but here on earth, we do have a life after such people are gone.

There is undoubtedly a hollow left behind but that should not stop us from continuing our journey. In the end, all of us will meet again and this time, together forever...

Until that happens, lets remember, cherish, rejoice and relive the best moments with the best ones we have or we had...


CHEERS!
GOD BLESS!!


CHS

Keep Love Alive..

I posted the quote on insta in April. I don't know why but this question has continued to be a new unsolved mystery offlate.

Chetan recieved a few replies from his friends when he added this to his story. One of them said trust and understanding. Another one of his friends said that the fact that your partner is with you irrespective of the situation keeps love alive.

They were good replies but somehow did not answer my question. I left it at that continuing to be intrigued.

Today while I chatted with an old friend, I shooted this question. Excerpts from our chat are as follows.
Me : What keeps love alive?
He : Trust and bonding
Me : You din't get the question
He : Elaborate
Me: Love is this world can be felt and expressed towards anything and anyone. Its vast.
He : Right
Me : Trust and bonding happens with people and animals

I understood I needed to explain further so I went on..
Me : Love is universal agree?
He : yesss, no doubt
Me: you love your parents?
He : yesss
Me : country
He : yesss
Me : children
He : yesss
Me : then how can you put all this love in the bracket of trust and bonding?

He : agreed. Now I get that
Me : do you agree that we keep loving someone even without talking, meeting or being in touch?
He : yesss
Me : it's an emotion right, a feeling that never dies.
He : true that
Me : so now tell me what keeps love alive
He : emotions???

Me : for example, you love someone as a child or a teenager, a school teacher, a crush or something like that. Imagine one such person
He : yesss
Me : now after all these years, you have a family, work, you have grown in more than one way.
He : true, your thoughts are too deep and accurate
Me : but when you think of that one person, it makes you smile.
He : satyavachan
Me : your memories are always happy no matter how you parted ways.
He :  sahi
Me : and all these years you have had no contact so there's no question of trust and bonding.
He : its an emotion
Me : love itself is an emotion, so what keeps it alive??

In the end, may be after a lot of forceful deliberation he replied.
He : love for me is complex. Its a mix of emotions, behaviours and beliefs associated with strong feelings of affection, protectiveness, warmth and respect for another person. It can either be for animals, love for freedom or love for a hobby.

I realized that I really pushed his normal mental state to become a deep thinker. He did somehow decipher the meaning of love but my question remained unanswered yet again.

I am of the view that we can feel love for anything and anyone. A person, a hobby, a song, a habit, nature, our country, a sport, our work or even God. And while I write this, I got my answer... What keeps it alive is Dedication...

Look up the dictionary and you find the meaning of dedication saying wanting to give your time and energy to something because you feel it is important.

And finally I am content. Irrespective of the age, distance and years that have passed, regardless of playing a sport or not, whether we continue to pursue a hobby or not, our dedication towards that something or someone is what keeps our love alive.

We never see God, but we do give our time and channel our energy to pray. This keeps our love for God alive.

So continue to love whatever you once did, try to restart a hobby, make contact with lost friends, apologize for your mistakes and forgive others and yourself. Give your time and energy to good things and love shall prevail.

However, the question is still open. What do you think?? I'd love to get replies.

Keep the love alive.


CHEERS!
GOD BLESS!!


CHS