Passion rekindled……..

“Amma, don’t move from there – Azhar just hit a four when you were in that position. Dad, what dress did you were two days back when India won the match?!!” very common utterances when I was watching cricket as a kid in our home in Trichy. As a kid I used to watch every match possible and used to even bunk school to watch a cricket match on TV!! Used to be highly superstitious about everything concerning the game and the passion for the game was sustained for several years thanks to the interest and fervor with which our family watched and discussed the game!!

Over the last few years, this passion has come down drastically and I am not sure why?? The over hype on cricket or is it the match fixing allegations or the fading away of my heroes like Azharuddin, Wasim Akram???? Recently, when my family got together after several years, we got to watch day 3 in the Indo-Pak 2nd test match. “Come on, do anything but don’t get out to a Shoaib Akhtar ball” screams by dad; “its time to give Afridi some bashing – hit him for a six’ pleads by uncle!!!!!!!!!! I sit glued to a seat because Dhoni (the new poster boy of Indian cricket?!!!!) smashes all and sundry to the fence. Arguments galore amongst everyone about ganguly’s omission, tendulkar walking away, the Pakistani crowd and what not.

Watching the match brought back memories of my childhood. The passion that flowed, the idiosyncrasies that followed, the expert commentaries, the non stop snack flows etc etc…………….

I miss those times……….. I miss that old me…………I miss that passion…………..

Another year younger.........

Who doesn’t like a surprise??! And especially so when it is planned and presented by near and dear ones. I am a sucker for birthdays. Generally don’t miss wishing people on their birthdays and try and make it special for them in my own way. Like a kid, I get excited when my birthday is approaching and sulk (a little!!) when it comes to an end!!!

This birthday (14th of Jan …. Ah ah! Not letting u all know the year of birth though!!) of mine was special for me in more than one way. For starters I got to be with my parents on my birthday, secondly my brother was with me on this day after maybe 20 years!!!! and the icing on the cake was the surprise party that was planned by my sis!!! It was a poignant moment to meet friends of mine whom I had not met for a long time!

And NO! Surprisingly I didn’t sulk when my birthday came to an end this year!!! Am I turning a new leaf??!!!

Inner Yearning……….

Yesterday I went to a birthday party of a 2 year old kid. Nothing new or uncommon… all of us attend birthday parties. so what’s the big deal? For me this was special, very special. I traveled almost the other end of the world (for the uninitiated…. I live in a city called Mumbai - its easier for me to get to Pune and other places than to a place called Kandivili which is a western suburb of Mumbai) to be there. Why all this effort when I detest the clamor of Mumbai traffic? When I have to be on the road for longer than I have to be with the birthday kid?

All this because this kid is special, very special. She is an angel because she has brought in so much of light and hope into my friend’s life. My friend has found the meaning of her existence through this kid. She has become an inspiration for several of us who have not dared to take the step even though we have thought about it several times. She is precious to not just my friend but to several women because she stands tall as a testimony to the triumph that single women can achieve.

She has been ‘adopted’ by my friend but in all truth she has adopted all of us into her world – her world of innocence, her world of simplicity and her world of truth. The bond between mother and daughter was so pure and so natural that it brought tears to my eyes and a sense of guilt as well. Why? Ever since I remember I have always wanted to bring home a child who was lesser privileged but have shoved it under the carpet and got on with life without paying much heed to an inner desire. What am I scared of? What holds me back?

Will I ? Wont I? ………. Time will tell…..

happy new year!!

couldnt have asked for a better start to the year! A great new party with my siblings, partied all night and the icing on the cake was getting an award for the best dancer at that party!!! (have often wondered whether I should seriously pursue a career in performing arts!).

Have recently started freelancing for various development organisations and the new year has brought in new assignments as well. yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!! Juggling being a full time mother with this work would be exciting and challenging..............

The new year has also brought in new energies within me to get in touch with all my old friends and I am having a great time connecting with all of them. Life couldnt be better and the year has just begun and there is so much to be done.........

All of u out there, may this year be the way u want it to be. Just go and chase your dreams..........