If Wishes were Horses!

If wishes were horses!!!

Was watching this TV show on a Friday evening where the protagonist goes to a restaurant with live music cos he feels that Live Music drowns every sorrow..n seeing that i felt the sudden urge to listen to music- live music.....a heartfelt wish!!

The next morning I had an appointment for my hair with Michelle. I reached there, we were seeing each other after long.. we had an earnest chat for a bit and she got on to her business. A few minutes later a gentleman walked in and the casual greetings were exchanged again. In a few minutes he was  on the chair next to me.

After a few minutes the conversation amongst Michelle, the gentleman whose name was - Mr. François and the other hair dresser gained momentum, it is imperative to mention at this point that this conversation was entirely in French and I do not catch a word when they r in full speed. the only bilingual person in the salon is my hairdresser Michelle who suddenly briught up my name in tht conversation- ya i caught that!

Now all 3 of them started saying -- Ruusha more than once, Michelle sensed my discomfort n translated - " i told Mr.Francois that if u want to practise English, talk to Ruusha, to which Mr Francois said he cannot speak English but he can sing for u in English"

My eyes popped in disbelief....this can't b happening.. "ofcourse...please sing" n the next words i heard were those of Mr.Francoise- he started on a high note and what followed was Frank Sinatra's - "My Way"...

Within few seconds his powerful voice filled the salon....n in next few seconds i was transported into another reality...all i cud hear was his melodious n heartfelt words...it was like sitting in an opera...i was mildly aware of my hair being cut or Mr.Francoise hair being dried or anything around me....

Once he finished.. i clapped n it was absolutely involuntary!!

I had just witnessed brilliance...my eyes could not retain the joy...n seeing me happy gave the amazing artist such satisfaction!!

Mr Francois is a boxer - singer, the combination as rare as the man himself. He stoped singing professionally a few years ago as it dint give him much joy and now only sang for friends.n yet I had the privilege to hear him :-)

It is on such days that i believe in magic!! I believe in the power of wishes!!🤩

love!!

"When you love someone, you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It's an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity ; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity - in freedom, in the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern.

The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in nostalgia. nor forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now. Relationships must be like islands, one must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits - islands, surrounded and interrupted by the sea, and continually visited and abandoned by the tides."

— Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea

Mummy....u r our super star!!

Khudse Subah jaagna...toh pata hee nahi hai

Humari alarm clock ho aap! 

Kabhie ajwain-namak se pet theek kar dete ho..

Kabhie nazar utaarke, bukhaar...

Humari doctor ho aap!

Na kabhie aalas kiya....na karne diya( humne try to bohot kiya)

Humesha "aim higher" seekhane wali...

Humari motivational speaker ho aap!

Kahaniyaan sunate ho.....har normal kisse ko bada interesting bana dete ho...

Kisi bhi group mein jaate ho...toh jaan daal dete ho...

Humari toh story teller ho aap!

Aapke haath ki har dish humein school mein popular bana deti thi...

Daal-baati, namkeen poori, pav bhaji .,taste humesha best...

Humari toh Tarla Dalal ho aap!

Rahul ka 'Shakuni Mama' ho ya mera 'Ram Lakhan' ka dance....

Humare costumes ho ya school craft...humesha ideas aapki....

Is Ghar ki Creative head ho aap!

Papa ka humesha saath dete ho....par jyaada khane par turant tokate ho..

Laad pyaar jaise Mera aur Rahul ka ...waisa hee Pooja aur Anurag ka...

Tokate bhi waise hee ho...no bhed bhaav...:-)

Dreetu aur Anu ko poora spoil karte ho...

Humari pyaari Maa, Nanima aur Mummiji ho aap!

Aapko kabhie toh batate nahi...

Aaj birthday hai toh bata rahein hain....

Humari Super Star ho Aap!!

When I count my blessings...I count u twice

I don't remember clearly what did I feel when I first saw u as the baby brother...but I remember almost everything since u came home...

I remember how u always smelt of Johnson's baby powder....remember how u used to love eating tooth paste off ur brush...how u loved tomato ketchup n how I made u play with the dolls...

We have played n teased each other, laughed with and at each other, travelled together,danced together and discussed everything under the sun...n we will keep doing so...forever....

U have always been the one who speaks less but observes more, understands more n absorbs more....u r the one who is always determined and oh so wise!!

U care n love everyone who is around u....with no expectations...u never wrong anyone n if there is anyone other than Papa whom I know..who will always try to do the right thing...it's U!!

I wish I could b with u more...I wish I could b there on ur birthday...but we will do it soon :-)

Happy 36th Birthday Bhaiyyu! May u smile more everyday...may u get the love n understanding u deserve...may u b the same sweetheart always!!!

I love u bhai n let me tell u..always remember ...u have the world's best sister :-)).

Find ur tribe!

Swagata,Aditya n Poonam looked at me with all compassion n told all would be fine...they even stuffed some food in my mouth and cracked some silly jokes to make  me laugh.

Bindu n Roli called before I boarded  from Bangalore...n assured that nothing would ever change our equation.

Buckets of tears were shed in front of Rahul n Adit who had come to drop at airport and hugs exchanged...

Mom n Dad called and said good byes ...again with a promise that all will turn out good.

..I was to leave Bangalore and go to a new place...how would i survive .I will miss Bangalore n miss India n miss everything n everyone....Shantiji and my friends with whom chai everyday was a must...i would miss my help Sabina who always cheerfully made that chai at home...i would miss friends whom I hardly met but were just a call away...would miss Sufi..Anvi's bestie...My parents n in-laws who would rush to Bangalore on a call and whom I could run to in the hour of need. Would miss the Christmas trips with the close clan..basically everything we knew was to change ...I was to leave Bangalore n go to Sheffield.

Present Day:
Tears were shed ...Claire gifted a hand made painting on back of it was written - she would miss me but she hoped all would be well in Canada.
..Simi in my stiffling hug told me she will miss me more but is hoping for my best ....

Team members who had now become a family, in past 2 years brought gifts n cards... arranged for lunches, n teas ...and cheerfully reminded me of my crazy episodes in past. Bosses gave a warm farewell and made sure my transfer was smooth.

There were few whom I had missed to inform about the move but they called to wish and dropped by to pack and called my move to another country a crazy step while helping with the packing.

I was going to miss my home for more than 2 years now...All the fun we had, books we had read, parks we had visited, cities we had explored, the office, school everything but what I would miss the most is the people...

The people who had rushed to see me when I broke my foot, friends who stood up for me in an argument , friends who could see my face and tell i needed a tea, friends who loved my daughter like their own...friends who came home early to apply make up on me for the evening party, friends who would hate to see me go but would still want me to do best for my family,

Again Roli n Bindu were called n asked for assurance... .No matter where I go..U will b my constants.

Mom, Dad Rahul were called n wishes were taken...admist the realization that I am moving farther away...

But then when I sat in my flight and in between the dozing on n off sessions..i realised how lucky i have been ...I was crying to leave Bangalore n come to Sheffield and now I m crying while leaving Sheffield.

What had changed is...I had luckily found  people worth crying for...the most amazing and kind souls who would root for me wherever I go...who will have my back..In 2 years I had found dance partners and chat partners...girls who hated cooking and boys whom I could gang up with, my daughter found her best friend here..she made friends who told her how much she meant to them and teachers who actually shed tears when she said good bye...We had found our clan..our tribe in a foreign land..N that's how we had not just survived but had a most memorable n meaningful stay.

I wish for myself and all of us to have the will n courage to put ourselves out in the world and find our tribe ..Give and receive love and move on if we have to ...with the hope of better tomorrow and the promise to foster the bonds created.

Just draw the curtain!!

So I was asked to attend this business meeting in Paris ofcourse on a short notice...It was to be a short 3 day trip! Short - 3 day?? Without my husband n daughter...No sir...It's not short for me...i cannot go to the "city of love " without my love...What will they do without me...Daughter hasn't been without me for more than a night in all of her 8 n a half years...How cud i travel like this...I can't! But I have to b there I am the presenter...So the night before travel while putting daughter to sleep ...I hugged n cried...When she could not take it anymore - "Mom...U r just going for 3 days...N u love the Eiffel...Last time when we went u didn't want to come back...So go...See Eiffel again n bring me a gift!" ..Those two left for their respective stuff next morning n i made some basundi for them...Wrote hand made cards...Kissed their pictures(talk about being over dramatic) n left.

Reached the beautiful Paris at night...Arrived at one of the finest hotels i have been to...I was to stay on floor 9..the lift had button that read ' Eiffel tower view' on 25...I wished I was on 25... Sigh! However...i checked my room and it was huge..Why am I here alone.. How would have my kid loved this room...It has everything she likes...Oh there is a huge tv too...Husband would have loved it....sigh sigh again ..There was a huge window...Length of my room ...With sheer curtains...I drew the curtains very little to peep outside....Looked at the rain...Saw the traffic moving on road....Sighed ...N called the two...Who were all fine. Next day went very well...Got good feedback... meetings till 7 in evening...I still had hopes of stepping out n getting a view of tower...But apparently Paris is facing tough times with its traffic scene...I would not have been able to go to Eiffel n b back in safe hours...So I joined others for a drink n chat...N reached hotel at 9.30...Drained...came back to my room....Called the family...Who were all fine still. I got up next morning....Got ready...I had to check out today...I was ready...There was poster of Eiffel in my room...I clicked a selfie with it....If I cud fool my daughter that mumma actually saw Eiffel...sigh again...I still had 5 mins to kill...Went to the window....Drew the curtains wider..All open...On my right...I spotted something...i squinted....What!!.Am i seeing the Eiffel...right in front of me...from my room.. was so thrilled...I started laughing...On my own, loudly...i took a selfie immediately...Appreciated the tower some more...I had to leave...Time was up....But I couldn't thank God enough that I atleast now i got to see it...The rest of the day was well spent and I returned home...To the two were happy to see me and were all fine.

 The whole trip back home...I could not get over this thought-- I could have seen Eiffel tower all I wanted for 3 days.... I could have seen the tower whole 2 nights lying in my bed..It's diamond lights go on n off! ...I just had to draw the curtain ...One bloody curtain...N i dint!! Why !! Cos i was so absorbed in my problems...My sadness of being alone that I shut out everything. This episode made me realise...i do this a lot....Focus too much on my little problems..that I might not see a big opportunity placed in my way...have seen most of my friends do same....Agree as women we have many issues n all seem very big at that moment..A child with fever...An angry email from boss..An unhappy mother in law...Husband's missing sock that we misplaced ...But we have to learn to look beyond it...We have to move that curtain ...We have the room with a view of Eiffel tower...We just have to draw the curtain...We have to learn to lock our problems away when required and focus on something that we dream of!