No,I am not making any resolutions this year.In fact ,there is no point in making them when I never could stick to them.But this blog is about resolutions ;so,here you go......I have a list of resolutions for my dear husband if he decides to make any for the coming year(see,I am always making things easier for him!!)
The List....
1.To literally lift his eyes from the computer or newspaper and look at me before saying"You look fine" whenever I ask for his opinion after getting dressed for some ocassion.
2.To restrain himself from telling the truth when I ask him "Am I looking fat in this outfit?"(I know the truth and don't want to hear it from him)
3.To actually go out and get some food when I say "I am too tired to cook but I will manage!"instead of asking me"Are you sure,Honey?"
4.To be able to do simple things on his own...like giving the kids a shower(not call me to ask if they need shampoo or what are they going to wear).
5.To thank me for the little things(which are really BIG)like reminding him his siblings' birthdays and his mom's favorite colour(does he even remember my mom's name?)which keep life and relationships moving.
For this year,I don't want to burden him with too many resolutions.If he manages to stick to even one or two of them,life will be much better for me....so,my resolution for 2011 is to make My Man stick to at least a couple of the resolutions written above.:)
Happy New Year to all!!!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Chalk and Cheese
This is the story of two sisters.They are the only daughters of a loving couple whose only aim in life is to raise them to be two independent,loving and caring individuals with all the right values and principles in life.
Well,coming back to the sisters,one followed the other into this world after seven long years.The younger one was the elder's prized possession right from her birth.......while the maternal grandmother kept on insisting the little 7yr old to pray for a brother the night mother was in the hospital,the little girl kept on praying for a baby sister to play with...and BINGO....God answered her prayers!The younger sister was a winner right from the beginning....she suffered a terrible stomach infection for the first three months of her life and emerged stronger.Everything was extraordinary about her...she walked and talked well ahead of her peers,was able to do many things which kids her age never even tried to.Most remarkable was her desire and fondness for academics,her love for routine and schedule,her craze to know more!!
As the two sisters kept growinng under the care and warmth of their parents and grandmother,more prominent became the innumerable ways in which the two were different.The older one who in fact took upon herself to be the second mom to her little sister,was in fact the one who needed more guidance and supervision most of the times.The older one(We will call her "P") was always wasting away her time throughout the year to study only for a fortnight before the exams .The other(Let's call her "N" )always had her syllabus ready and stopped studying since a fortnight away from the exams.P had all her stuff all around the house and was forever losing things while N had everything in their designated places.P never blinked before spending and N took at least a week to decide if she really wanted to spend those ten bucks.(Of course,now things have changed that she is earning her own...point is P never thought any money not to be her own:))P acted and talked first and then thought;N thought and weighed the pros and cons..seldom talked.N does things according to her "to do"list and P never can stick to any routine in her life.
Even on the social front,the sisters are poles apart.P talks,makes friends and is comfortable in any gathering while N has her own special friends and rarely allows anyone into her life(so much so that often P feels like a stranger in her sister's life).P always wears her heart on her sleeve which is often the bone of contention between the two sisters.
Well,besides the above differences,Nature and Society have also done their bit in making the differences between the two girls more prominent.While P was often praised and admired for her "fair" complexion and beauty,N was never spared to be reminded that she was the "darker" one.(Little did she know that many a times P cursed herself for being fairer than her baby sister).Of course,it's different now...after she has climbed the ladder of success to the top,many people are finding her "Fair enough" though!!While N grabbed the first position in all the exams of her life,society kept on reminding her that she has to work harder for not being the son everyone wanted(who cared for what the parents wanted?) N,who very much has a mind of her own always felt left out when people called the parents as "P's parents"(I don't blame the people...after all,P is the first-born).Hence,she found out a way to have it her way....with her brilliant academic success,the parents started to be known as N's parents:).When it comes to hard work,determination,and will power,N has all of the three in excess while to P these three words are foreign.
So,by now,don't you agree that the two sisters P and N are as different as chalk and cheese?(now please don't start judging who is the chalk and who is the cheese).But wait,that's not the end of the story.....With all their differences,they are very much one....they love the same parents,they adore the same mom's food (different dishes,though),they want to make the same parents happy and they both want the same sibling they have in their next birth too(at least P wants it for sure,)....Who says Chalk and Cheese don't love each other??
Yes,Chalk loves the Cheese and wishes the Cheese many happy returns of the day for her upcoming birthday on 31st December,2010.Love you sis....
Well,coming back to the sisters,one followed the other into this world after seven long years.The younger one was the elder's prized possession right from her birth.......while the maternal grandmother kept on insisting the little 7yr old to pray for a brother the night mother was in the hospital,the little girl kept on praying for a baby sister to play with...and BINGO....God answered her prayers!The younger sister was a winner right from the beginning....she suffered a terrible stomach infection for the first three months of her life and emerged stronger.Everything was extraordinary about her...she walked and talked well ahead of her peers,was able to do many things which kids her age never even tried to.Most remarkable was her desire and fondness for academics,her love for routine and schedule,her craze to know more!!
As the two sisters kept growinng under the care and warmth of their parents and grandmother,more prominent became the innumerable ways in which the two were different.The older one who in fact took upon herself to be the second mom to her little sister,was in fact the one who needed more guidance and supervision most of the times.The older one(We will call her "P") was always wasting away her time throughout the year to study only for a fortnight before the exams .The other(Let's call her "N" )always had her syllabus ready and stopped studying since a fortnight away from the exams.P had all her stuff all around the house and was forever losing things while N had everything in their designated places.P never blinked before spending and N took at least a week to decide if she really wanted to spend those ten bucks.(Of course,now things have changed that she is earning her own...point is P never thought any money not to be her own:))P acted and talked first and then thought;N thought and weighed the pros and cons..seldom talked.N does things according to her "to do"list and P never can stick to any routine in her life.
Even on the social front,the sisters are poles apart.P talks,makes friends and is comfortable in any gathering while N has her own special friends and rarely allows anyone into her life(so much so that often P feels like a stranger in her sister's life).P always wears her heart on her sleeve which is often the bone of contention between the two sisters.
Well,besides the above differences,Nature and Society have also done their bit in making the differences between the two girls more prominent.While P was often praised and admired for her "fair" complexion and beauty,N was never spared to be reminded that she was the "darker" one.(Little did she know that many a times P cursed herself for being fairer than her baby sister).Of course,it's different now...after she has climbed the ladder of success to the top,many people are finding her "Fair enough" though!!While N grabbed the first position in all the exams of her life,society kept on reminding her that she has to work harder for not being the son everyone wanted(who cared for what the parents wanted?) N,who very much has a mind of her own always felt left out when people called the parents as "P's parents"(I don't blame the people...after all,P is the first-born).Hence,she found out a way to have it her way....with her brilliant academic success,the parents started to be known as N's parents:).When it comes to hard work,determination,and will power,N has all of the three in excess while to P these three words are foreign.
So,by now,don't you agree that the two sisters P and N are as different as chalk and cheese?(now please don't start judging who is the chalk and who is the cheese).But wait,that's not the end of the story.....With all their differences,they are very much one....they love the same parents,they adore the same mom's food (different dishes,though),they want to make the same parents happy and they both want the same sibling they have in their next birth too(at least P wants it for sure,)....Who says Chalk and Cheese don't love each other??
Yes,Chalk loves the Cheese and wishes the Cheese many happy returns of the day for her upcoming birthday on 31st December,2010.Love you sis....
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
December.....
I love December.There is something very festive ,warm and joyous about this month.....festive with the Christmas spirit,warm with so many houses ,shopping centres and landmarks well lit and decorated and joy in every heart ready to welcome a new year,a new beginning
December means cakes,soups,rich food,parties and celebrations.It used to be synonymous with picnics(in India)during my childhood days.This month is perfect for vacations(if you don't mind the extra weight of woollens in your luggage:))Its that time of the year when the bright silks are out and you can dress yourself up without getting all sweaty and humid.Its the time for roasted sweet potatoes and colourful caps,mugs of steaming coffee
and stylish boots,holidays with relatives and parties with friends,going out in the snow or fog and warming up in the bonfire with company or staying inside cuddled up with a blanket by the firepace reading an old favorite all by yourself.
December is special to me at my personal front too....it has given me my only lovely sibling and made me a mom for the first time.
So,here it is again and I am celebrating the month with my loved ones,wrapping up the year,thankful for all the good things that happened during the year ,remembering the souls who left for their heavenly abode before the year ended,getting ready to welcome another year with great expectations!!
December means cakes,soups,rich food,parties and celebrations.It used to be synonymous with picnics(in India)during my childhood days.This month is perfect for vacations(if you don't mind the extra weight of woollens in your luggage:))Its that time of the year when the bright silks are out and you can dress yourself up without getting all sweaty and humid.Its the time for roasted sweet potatoes and colourful caps,mugs of steaming coffee
and stylish boots,holidays with relatives and parties with friends,going out in the snow or fog and warming up in the bonfire with company or staying inside cuddled up with a blanket by the firepace reading an old favorite all by yourself.
December is special to me at my personal front too....it has given me my only lovely sibling and made me a mom for the first time.
So,here it is again and I am celebrating the month with my loved ones,wrapping up the year,thankful for all the good things that happened during the year ,remembering the souls who left for their heavenly abode before the year ended,getting ready to welcome another year with great expectations!!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Thank You !
Do we have any occasion similar to "Thanksgiving" in India?I am really curious....I find this event so very meaningful.We are taught from our childhood never to forget out "Thank you" and "Please".Most of us are very particular about them too....we thank the waiter in the restaurant,the doctor in the hospital,the postman ,the banker and many such people in our daily lives.But,to be frank,how many of us say(not only feel)the words "Thank you"to the people who matter most in our lives?
Let me think......on how many occasions have I failed to say a "Thank You".........
*When my parents showed trust in me and let me go around Delhi with my the then boyfriend (of course,with my kid sister as the "tag-along")while they stayed back at the hotel....anyone in love will surely understand how priceless it is!!
*When my mother-in-law asked me(a new bride,married for just 7days) to wear salwar kameez or a pair of jeans for my comfort instead of sari,in a house full of relatives while I was going away with my husband to his work place.
*When my father-in-law,while visiting us, helped me in chopping the vegetables when I was juggling a career,a new baby and cooking ,with the maid playing "hide and seek".
*When my younger sister-in -law did my pedicure to relieve me of my stress even though she was the cause of my stress in many occasions:).
*When my brother-in-law convinced my mother-in-law that my parents'home was the ideal place for me to prepare for my B.ed exams.
There are many people whom we have just forgotten or ignored to thank for the things they have done for us or for their kind words.My list is endless.........On this Thanksgiving,let me make a resolution....I will not fail to say those two magic words even for the simplest of actions or words.
Thank You everyone for reading this post!!
Let me think......on how many occasions have I failed to say a "Thank You".........
*When my parents showed trust in me and let me go around Delhi with my the then boyfriend (of course,with my kid sister as the "tag-along")while they stayed back at the hotel....anyone in love will surely understand how priceless it is!!
*When my mother-in-law asked me(a new bride,married for just 7days) to wear salwar kameez or a pair of jeans for my comfort instead of sari,in a house full of relatives while I was going away with my husband to his work place.
*When my father-in-law,while visiting us, helped me in chopping the vegetables when I was juggling a career,a new baby and cooking ,with the maid playing "hide and seek".
*When my younger sister-in -law did my pedicure to relieve me of my stress even though she was the cause of my stress in many occasions:).
*When my brother-in-law convinced my mother-in-law that my parents'home was the ideal place for me to prepare for my B.ed exams.
There are many people whom we have just forgotten or ignored to thank for the things they have done for us or for their kind words.My list is endless.........On this Thanksgiving,let me make a resolution....I will not fail to say those two magic words even for the simplest of actions or words.
Thank You everyone for reading this post!!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
"Tumi ki keboli chhobi......?" --Tagore...("Are you a mere photograph....?"---Tagore)
Can we love and feel someone as our own even if we have never met the person?I am not talking of the feelings some teenagers and many grown-ups too have for their ideals(be it a film star or a sportsman).I mean someone whom you have seen only in a photograph and realise late in life that how this person has been a part of your life (in fact,the whole family's)witnessing everything from that frame on the wall?
We(my sister and me) call him "Dadu".No,he never called us back because he was long gone before we came into this world.My dadu(paternal grandfather)had left for his heavenly abode in his early forties leaving behind his widow and 3 kids,the oldest of whom(my dad) was only 12 then.So,unfortunately,the family had him with them for a very short period of time.
Surprisingly ,we felt his presence in all walks of our lives in more than one way.Since I was a child ,I remember praying for his blessings before starting anything important be it school exams or any other competition.On every festive occassion,be it "Bijoya Dashami" or "Poila Boisakh",we used to bow down in front of his photo and seek his blessings before touching the feet of "Thakuma"(maternal grandmother) and other elders.Not only did we go to Dadu(I mean,his photograph) before the commencement of anything ,but also never forgot to share with him the results(just a "pranam" was the means of communication ).He was the first one to get a "Tika" on every Holi and the first to get a "Diya" lit near his photo every Diwali in our house.
We never got to see any other snaps of "Dadu" except the one framed on the wall nor any belongings of him other than a cigarette case.Maybe,the struggles that my grandma had to face in bringing up the three kids single-handedly in those days didnt leave my grandma with the energy to save some of his belongings as keepsake for the future generation.So, the photograph was the only thing we knew adout "Dadu".
He was there in my prayers when I was getting ready as a bride on my wedding day,when I was in labour and heading towards the hospital for the birth of my first born,when I was going for my first job interview and on every important event in my life.I have never seen you but I know you;I have never touched you but can feel you;I have never hugged you but I love you,Dadu!!And I know you love us and keep us blessing from that wall even today!!
We(my sister and me) call him "Dadu".No,he never called us back because he was long gone before we came into this world.My dadu(paternal grandfather)had left for his heavenly abode in his early forties leaving behind his widow and 3 kids,the oldest of whom(my dad) was only 12 then.So,unfortunately,the family had him with them for a very short period of time.
Surprisingly ,we felt his presence in all walks of our lives in more than one way.Since I was a child ,I remember praying for his blessings before starting anything important be it school exams or any other competition.On every festive occassion,be it "Bijoya Dashami" or "Poila Boisakh",we used to bow down in front of his photo and seek his blessings before touching the feet of "Thakuma"(maternal grandmother) and other elders.Not only did we go to Dadu(I mean,his photograph) before the commencement of anything ,but also never forgot to share with him the results(just a "pranam" was the means of communication ).He was the first one to get a "Tika" on every Holi and the first to get a "Diya" lit near his photo every Diwali in our house.
We never got to see any other snaps of "Dadu" except the one framed on the wall nor any belongings of him other than a cigarette case.Maybe,the struggles that my grandma had to face in bringing up the three kids single-handedly in those days didnt leave my grandma with the energy to save some of his belongings as keepsake for the future generation.So, the photograph was the only thing we knew adout "Dadu".
He was there in my prayers when I was getting ready as a bride on my wedding day,when I was in labour and heading towards the hospital for the birth of my first born,when I was going for my first job interview and on every important event in my life.I have never seen you but I know you;I have never touched you but can feel you;I have never hugged you but I love you,Dadu!!And I know you love us and keep us blessing from that wall even today!!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
13 years of Habit
In a few days ,we will be celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary.Thirteen years of sheer bliss.....of course,not! We are normal human beings.We had our own share of "small tiffs",big arguments","ego hassles"."emotional highs and lows" and all those problems that any normal couple goes through.But then,didn't we have the blessings of being together?.......there are too many of them,touchwood!
Life with you has not always been "rosy" but who wants a rose?I am blessed to have someone who argues and fights at the top of his voice;and then forgets everything within 10 mins and wants to take me out to a fancy dinner(while I am stil sulking).I respect you for not thinking that taking care of the in-laws is a woman's duty only......my parents could never have had a better son-in-law.I don't remember you bringing flowers (once or twice ,yes!) but I find you to be the most romantic when in a room full of gorgeous women,you assuringly whisper to me that I am looking the best inspite of having a "bad hair day".I am proud to have an early riser like you to share my life with.How else could I have slept in everday while you get the son ready for school and make tea for me(even though you are not a "tea person")...You make my mornings sunny and fresh everyday!
I know you must be planning for some real fancy gift for me on this anniversary(at least I think thats what you are browsing through online these days.....fingers crossed!).For you,dear husband,this blog is my gift to you.I am grateful to you for encouraging me to pursue my dreams and passions,thankful for all the little and simple ways you make me feel special.And yes,I have to admit this too.....You are special to me!Happy Anniversary Deep!!!
Life with you has not always been "rosy" but who wants a rose?I am blessed to have someone who argues and fights at the top of his voice;and then forgets everything within 10 mins and wants to take me out to a fancy dinner(while I am stil sulking).I respect you for not thinking that taking care of the in-laws is a woman's duty only......my parents could never have had a better son-in-law.I don't remember you bringing flowers (once or twice ,yes!) but I find you to be the most romantic when in a room full of gorgeous women,you assuringly whisper to me that I am looking the best inspite of having a "bad hair day".I am proud to have an early riser like you to share my life with.How else could I have slept in everday while you get the son ready for school and make tea for me(even though you are not a "tea person")...You make my mornings sunny and fresh everyday!
I know you must be planning for some real fancy gift for me on this anniversary(at least I think thats what you are browsing through online these days.....fingers crossed!).For you,dear husband,this blog is my gift to you.I am grateful to you for encouraging me to pursue my dreams and passions,thankful for all the little and simple ways you make me feel special.And yes,I have to admit this too.....You are special to me!Happy Anniversary Deep!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)