Men..........men.........mean........men !

Men are strange creatures. While we try changing them and feel all guilty about it, they are able to do it more discreetly and successfully.

May be its because women are more adaptable and unsuspecting. No matter how big our careers get, we want a good family life, a home and children.

Men are detached. If a woman gets a free hour, she will run to spend it with her husband and children. Where as ,the husband runs to watch TV or cricket or hangs out with his friends. We come second. It bugs me, but it is also true.

May be we should try genetically modifying them ! At least the future generation of women will be a relieved lot !!!!!

You are not obligated to succeed here, but you are obligated to try your best...................


What do you say ?

Ignore Ignore Ignore.................go ahead and Ignore !!!!

" Ignorance is the best form of humiliation", and I whole-heartedly endorse it.

Ignoring is also a healthier way of venting out your negative emotions. Atleast you dont act out against anybody !

There is a certain sense of royalty and arrogance about ignoring unpleasent people.

Its like telling them, "you are too small and frail to be worth my consideration".

Ofcourse, I assume they must be sensitive enough to get the message !

Dont surround yourself ever with negative people.........people who have nothing nice to talk about others.

Echoes of childhood ...............

I wish to fill this blog talking about my two lovely sisters........Poornima and Priyanka.
Poornima is my best cheer leader, an essential advisor, a party to my mischief, my pillar of strength and a one woman audience to my idle chit chat. The feeling I guess is mutual. We have always been there for each other.
I still remember the day Pappa came to pick us up from the school and told us that we now have a brand new sister [ Priyanka], and how we had clamoured to see her. And the sight that greeted me in the hospital will always be etched in my memory.Ruddy faced, with clenched fists, eyes shut tightly, ready to lapse into one of her crying bouts, as if angry to be brought in this world ! This was a toy to be coveted and protected. I used to sit by her bedside, before Poornima could come, sacrificing my precious playtime in the fear that some one could whisk her away while I was not around.

We three are spaced with 4 years of difference between me and Poornima and 11 years with Priyanka.
Things werent always this picture perfect. Initially me and Poorni had our minor squabbles, but Amma quietly, but very efficiently smoothened out the rough corners.
Growing up was fun- sharing chocolates, clothes, jokes ,secrets-not realising how close it brought us. I was and probably still am, the first person my sisters turn to.

Many years ago when Priyanka was still a little girl Amma asked her as to who her ideal was. She gave her, one of her incredulous looks before answering " why, Prathima akka , ofcourse", as if it was so obvious and a totally unnecessary question.  Trying to live up to those standards has not always been easy, but with time she will realise that I am not perfection personfied, as what she thinks now.

Priyanka has always been the baby of our house, but there are a lot of lessons she has taught me too; she doesnt realise now how inspiring she sometimes can be. Not only do I gain srenghth from her unquestionable faith in me, but her quiet courage and a never- say- die attitude helps me to get up and get going whenever I falter. She is a person of very few words ,but with a keen power of observation, and is a careful critic with darting comments that always seem to hit the mark!

When I left home after marriage, every little thing that reminded me of them would bring me to the verge of tears. Its hard to adjust to meagre phone calls or an occasssional visit, when you are used to being around them on a 24 hour basis.
The voices of our childhood echo in the background and we threesome are looking forward to making more such memories.

Remembering them!

Me, And My Talking Tree..........

I have always been fascinated by trees. Even as we zoomed in pappa's Fiat when we were small ,I would  streach my neck up and watch the tree tops passing by. They seemed to be happy , like me ,waving at me.

Thinking back , I try to recollect the origin of this passion. One day ajji while telling us the story of a princess who was married to the tree mentioned that even trees and animals would talk to us in ancient times.[ but didnt answer why they stopped].She later told us trees would still talk to each other when all of the world goes to sleep. Fascinated, me and my cousin [Radhika,do you remember?] woke up till midnight without the elders knowledge and quietly slipped into ajji's backyard. LO ! YES, there were some noices, strange hustling sound.We slipped back to bed immediately scared, very scared to tell anybody about our nocturnal adventures.I continued to believe in ajji's story even after so many years.[ for some strange reason I havent shared this story with my children, doubtful whether they can relate to this]

Life went on and this incident faded in my memory. Much later in my college days I took a liking to paint. Its easier to paint than to draw.So I began painting. And how strange it is that I found myself painting trees! Only trees! huge trees,small trees, tall trees and skewed trees,ugly monster looking trees,trees looking so delicate like a new bride........They seem to have come to me from my memory of 'ajji mane'[ granny's house].

I so distinctly remember the trees everywhere, the road lined wth trees,the trees in our grandfather's compound,the neem tree just outside the room in which we slept.I remember waking upto the sounds of sparrows chirping in it. The sunlight playing with the trees and creating several bizzare images on the bare wall.

While walking in the park one evening I sat all alone on the bench and looked up at the tree much to the amusement of my fellow walkers.Many might have concluded i have a severly challenged faculty up above. But I come home each day a changed person. Who knows ajji might be true after all.Trees do talk to us.Only thing is you must sit and listen.
 

My little angel !!!!!!!

She slips into this world, and into my arms,placed there by heaven. She is straight from God. An incredible gift ! As I look upon her, peace and purity fill the air around her. Through joyful tears I whisper in her ear,"we are both so glad you are here.We waited so long to see you".
She opens her eyes, and I am transformed- a timeless moment filled with the infinity of what life is. In her eyes I see total recognition, unconditional love and complete trust. I AM A MOTHER !
In that instant I feel, and in my heart I know, everything I need to know to guide her.

Lying on the bed, she sleeps between her pappa and me.We count the toes and fingers and marvel at the perfection in such a tiny form. Vasuki usually looks for ways she looks like us and ways she is uniquely herself. We have nothing to say, but our hearts and minds are full of thoughts- of our hopes and dreams for her, of who she might be, of what gifts she brings with her and how she might touch the world.

Just looking at her and feeling the love and sweetness she brings, it seems the stress and weight of the world are lifted from us, and what is important and true in the world becomes apparent-as being in the presence of a great wise sage.It is hard to close our eyes to sleep these days.( inspite of several sleepless nights on row)

As the days and years pass, we will be awed at the transformation of who she will be. The first smile, the first step,the first word- all according to plan,yet in her own time and special way. She teaches me how to play again; to slow down and see the world again.To rediscover the things we used to see, and know. It is clear there is much she remembers, feels and sees that we no longer can, and maybe never could.
Time will fly, suddenly she will be grown, a young adult,ready to soar into the world and give what she came here for.Letting go will be wrenching,and yet we know that she is not ours to keep.She came to teach our lessons,to give us joy, to make us whole ad finally to connect us to the universe !