Memory Lane Beckons!

Santosh TAGGED me to go down memory lane. Before we go there, a little background. I'm a fourth generation North Indian settled in the south. So most of the post below will be about traveling during summer holidays to grandparents place in UP. So without much further ado here goes.

What is the oldest / first memory you carry of:

Of your Mother: Huddled in a train surrounded by scary looking people. I'm 4 years old. My bro is few months and we are in a connecting train with mum at Lucknow on the way to Lakhimpur. We are surrounded by milkmen with their milk cans hanging outside the train. And they did not believe in ticket travel either for themselves or for the others. I have never been so glad to see my grandpa ever. Man my mum was and is so gutsy.

Of Crying:Have two memories here, both when I was around 5 years. 1.Being chased by my cousin. She just loved to pinch and wouldn't stop till blood or tears started flowing. 2. Its my ear piercing ceremony, I'm howling away and I spy my uncle telling me that he will give me a bar of chocolate if I stop crying.

Of your Father: I was a very short tempered child. This is one and only time I got beaten by my dad for really hurting my bro and mebe thats why I distinctly remember it. Must have been 8 or 9 years old.

Of School: Walking into school discussing fashion with my cuz. What were we talking? We both needed glasses and she is trying to explain to me how glasses will affect her look. 6 years old, First standard.

Of a Fight: 8 or 9 years old, fighting with my bro. And I hit him really hard on his back, so hard that he had my hand print on his back. We really fought a lot.

Of a Lie you told: Topped in Sanskrit (7th Std) and decided to psyche my mum. Told her I flunked. Man she freaked and started to search my school bag for my answer book. Cat was out of the bag soon enough. Hey, I've been a good kid, never lied till I became a teenager:P

Of a Vacation: Have plenty of these. Really have to exercise my brains to get the earliest. Vacation time = Summer hols = Masti n Fun esp during traveling and Joint family = 15-20 kids of different age group. Since all of us would be going the say way at least half the journey, we usually traveled together. Yes the whole jing bang children and mothers. But my earliest would have to be when I'm 4 years, spending Holi at my granny's place.

Of Laughing: All of us cousins sitting in the lawn during one of the functions at home, playing and laughing for no rhyme or reason. Must be about 7 - 8 years old.

Of a Class Mate: Priya. Studious to boot and very particular about scoring 100. Cried like crazy at getting 99/100! Left us all speechless. Wonder where she is now.

Of a Relative: My much older cousin babysitting me and my cuz, playing Badminton at my granny's place. Must be 5-6 years old.

Of a Teacher: My KG teacher. Try as I might can't recollect her name, but the trademark sari of the nun's stand out.

Of your brother/sister: My cuz and I pulling each others hair. Must be about 4-5 years old.

Phew! I'm done. This has been at the back of my head, a relief that it is over.

But honestly, what a wonderful exercise. Had a great time racking my brain and brought back a lot of laughs and memories.

I now TAG all the people reading my blog to the same. Happy exercising!

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On Children by Kahlil Gibran

I came across this poem written by Khalil Gibran on Children in his book The Prophet.

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let our bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

This is how I would like to bring up my daughter, without imposing my expectations and desires on her. To let her be who she wants to be.

What Mythological Creature are you?

What Mythological Creature are you? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Angel Angel: Angels are the guardians of all things, from the smallest ant to the tallest tree. They give inspiration, love, hope, and positive emotion. They live among humans without being seen. They are the good in all things, and if you feel alone, don't fear. They are always watching. Often times they merely stand by, whispering into the ears of those who feel lost. They would love nothing more then to reveal themselves, but in today's society, this would bring havoc and many unneeded questions. Give thanks to all things beautiful, for you are an Angel. Angel 84% Mermaid 75% WereWolf 50% Faerie 50% Dragon 42% Demon 0%

Another First

I love freedom. I love the rush of wind in my hair when I ride my bike. Needless to say I fall in the category of fast riders not rash. "Your daughter rides real fast" is something my father has grown accustomed to. Belonging to a family of rally drivers this really should'nt surprise him. But as a parent he naturally wants me to be careful. My teenage years have been full of admonishments from relatives and the like. I was even told that my license would get revoked and I would have to appear in court. Ever since then I have wondered what it would be like to appear in court.

Well, I found out yesterday!

I filed a petition for divorce in the family court yesterday.

Judge: Why are you here?
Me: To file for a divorce
Judge: What does your husband do?
Me: Business
Judge: And what do you do?
Me: Staying with my parents, looking after my daughter.
Judge: (nodding her head, looking at the calender) Next hearing on 12/02

and my first day of court was done. My lawyer says I did good.

And I say, this is not going to get me any of my money back, all it will get me is my divorce on ex-party decree. No maintenance no alimony. Lord please prove me wrong. Please.

Shame Mumbai Shame

Mumbai was considered a safe city in the night for women to travel. Now it seems to be going the Delhi way. Mob molests 2 women on New Years day in Mumbai

But is only the mob responsible? What was the need to go out for a walk so late in the night. If you are dressed in a certain way, it becomes your responsibility to make sure you stay away from sensitive areas. Don't get me wrong, I wear western dresses too, but that does not mean I will go for a walk after a new years party (which will no doubt end late) as there obviously will be groups of people roaming the streets drunk and high, making merry. And its only inviting trouble.

All the drunken mob saw were 2 women walking towards Juhu Beach. It wouldn't have mattered if they were fully covered and from the looks of the photograph they were not wearing revealing clothes. A sad and a traumatic beginning for the 2 women and their families.

Mockery Of Death

Its been 6 days since the death of Benazir Bhutto. And still there no questions are being raised about who killed her,forget the answers. The Pak govt. is concerned only about how she died. Repeated news footage make it clear that she died of a gun shot wound and not due to a fractured skull. The Interior Ministry is only interested in covering its ass, they failed in their job of providing adequate security. No postmortem was conducted. Why? One can only guess! And the govt says that they will exhume her body to conduct the postmortem. How ridiculous! Do they have no respect for the dead and the departed?

My condolences with the family through the tiring time. May her soul rest in peace. She was a brave charismatic leader and will be missed.

Retrospection

New Dawn, New Day, New Year and a New Beginning.

The past year has been a year of revelations. The truth of all my relationships have come forward. I've changed so much in the past year, that I don't recognize myself. Life and Angel have been my teachers.

Angel has taught me patience,endurance, how not to loose my temper, to channel positive energy & remove negative energy, to be calm, cool and collected at all times. Her smile brightens up my whole world, her laugh is the most melodious sound I have ever heard. I've never before been more aware of my shortcomings and sensitiveness.

Each day has been a new discovery and continues to be so. I now know the meaning on Unconditional Love.

Life has taught me to never take things at face value. The start of 2007 made me realize what a sham my marriage was. I was taken for a royal ride by my husband and in-laws. I was being played like a fiddle for money. I was their cash cow. And I took a decision to stop it all. No More being good, trying to keep all relations intact. Enough is enough. I also reallied how supportive my parents are. The equation I share with my parents and bro now is unbelievable and very precious.

2007 has been an introspective year and will continue to be in 2008, albeit with much better control.

Happy New Year!