A simple breezy thought !!!

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.~ from The Wonder Years

I believe there is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where the air is softer,  the colours are brighter and the mornings more fragrant than ever.

My garden brings these rolling thoughts....
My dad playing and running after us in the lawn while enacting the story of little red riding hood.
Me and my cousin getting up early in the morning and cross the park fences before it opens so that we can get on the tamarind tree and get our handfuls for the day. 
Me and my brother fighting over the bicycle to ride in the park. 
Picnic to the dam and mountains around with mom and dad when I used to try and pose for each picture clicked and borrow the villagers chulha to cook some delicious baatis. 
Mom watching from the balcony and cheering us up, when we used to show off our cricket skills with our neighbor friends. 
Going to farms at grandmom’s place to get bag fulls of mangoes and green grams, later hiding our share from everyone else. 
Everyone sitting with bucket full of mangoes competing to see who eats the most. 
Sketching the view from the balcony during my summer vacations. 
Climbing on dad’s shoulders to peak in the ventilator space to see if those pigeon eggs hatched in the nest on our ventilator space. 
That friendly goat who used to knock our doors every morning to get some chapatis or veggies. Those surprise rainy day leaves when our cycle speeds used to increase while coming back home, to play football  in the ground. 
Those Sunday’s when mom washes our clothes and we were buzy making bubbles using soap water………..

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what you are going through now or whatever is happening in your life today, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is. For me it’s my childhood spent with brother, mom dad and cousins….What’s your pick??

Games: WORDLESS WEDNESDAY (1)

Childhood Games Nostalgia 

Uncovering…. Small Joys!

Those small  moments, that make us smile instantly. You would agree when I say they are the most precious in life. Those little joys that make our life complete. Simple joys that motivate us,  lift us  and reflect in our passion for life.

Mostly in our life we overlook them and run after big joys, which look like dreams and might or might not happen in future… .. like owning that car, a gorgeous well furnished house, an envious holiday in your fav destination....buying that exhorbitantly priced Guccis, Vittons or Fendis...etc. There are endless things we can eye for or dream about, which may give us immense pleasure when they would happen, but do you have time to wait till then, you never know tomorrow. But today and every passing day, there are so many small things that happen with us, and they do leave a smile, not only on our face but in our hearts too.

Like……

 Your mom making your favourite thing to eat when she feels you need to cheer up. Feel blessed, your mom is there for you.

Exploring facebook and you come across an old childhood friend, you had been searching for, since so many years.

A wonderful breezy weather when you walk hand in hand with your loved one and have golgappas, bhelpuri and momos. Or at home with family, bajiyas and few cups of chai.

That cute and hot dress you eyed for, every time you passed that store but couldn't buy because of the guilt price, suddenly slashed to 50%. Instant purchase and the feeling of "God knows what you want"

The moment your boyfriend proposes you in front of the world. 

On your birthday, when your mom dad & bro come down on a surprise trip to wish you, just when you were missing them the most! Precious.

Missed calls and a message from someone who's call you were waiting for since morning

Combing and not finding a single broken strand of hair! ultimate small joy. And ofcourse a good hair day!

In a meeting, when your boss gives you an sudden appreciation. Least expected but a proud moment.

Stuck in some confusion and surprisingly your brother, who always used to fight with you, understands you and says ‘Don’t worry sis, I am there’. Priceless.

Street shopping and snacking. Underrated. Uncomparable to the designer malls window shopping. Street shopping is an instant mood lifter… and street food?? YUMMMM. Moreover when you come back home with numerous of bags and open them to find something that you forgot you even bought! What say girliieess?

A Wake up Sid movie moment. Getting the parcel from home full of your precious books and collectibles or the brithday celebration with do cup chai & bread jam cake ;-p

You know you had chat yesterday, but morning your weighing scale says you lost a few 0.XX kilos :-)

Sharing the dinner plate with your husband while watching a beautiful movie, and he suddenly whispers ‘I love you’. <3 Unconditional.

Chicken Biryani or Momos ( this tops my list at the moment) .. no matter how upset i am, a faint smile comes when I see a plate of momos coming my way that my office colleague (JB or granny - nicknames) has ordered specially for me.

There are endless more to list here. Realising this I feel, human tendency is such an ass sometimes, we go behind stars ignoring the Moon.

Pin down some of your small joys, they will surely make you smile.

Smile now silly... xoxo .

I miss those days... do you?

It’s the days and the memories in those days that make up our lives… but why is it that when we hear the word memories, the first thing that flashes in our minds is our childhood? I’ll tell you the reason for this today.

The millions of tiny memories of those times have helped me grow to what I am today. No matter, where I go and what I do, every question of my life and all my thoughts shape up according to what these memories have made up of me. Those small happenings at the school or at home builded up my experiences. I am thankful and grateful to Allah for giving me a loving and fun filled childhood days. Whenever any memory of that time creeps in my mind, it instantly makes me smile :) They are a treasure that no body can steal and which will never fail to make me smile.

Those were really the beautiful days… do you remember how as a child, you were fond of little things? How you used to fight over a pen or a pencil with your sibling… yet no greedy desires and no high amibitions! Simple dreams meant life to you, like a red school bag or a pink bicycle. Your future was clear as water, you knew what you wanted to be…. A doctor, engineer, teacher, pilot …no hassles and no strings! Pleasure was in small things that we tend to overlook now…

Remember the days,  when chocolates were the most precious gifts, when your biggest concern was where to hide during a hide n seek game. When all your problems  could be solved  by playing “akkad bakkad bambe bo” and “eeny miny mino mo.” When only skinned knees brought tears; when your parents were the coolest people in this world. When goodbye meant only until tomorrow; when your clothes and shoes didn’t used to match; the only race issues were who ran faster; when love went on forever  without a broken heart; when you used to think about how cool it would be to become a kid. Now  you are that big kid  and you look back  on what used to be , thinking to yourself…”I miss those days!”

It’s sad that, materialistic things have taken place of the simple sweet pleasures…. It’s sad when I see around people so buzy in life that they overlook the happiness around. Sad you forgot how to enjoy the wind on a scooter/bike coz that will spoil your hairs, sad you forgot the happiness rains used to bring along with woh kagaz ki kashti, you  forgot the hand shadow art when electricity goes off. Do you remember what fun it was to play a hide n seek game or have a pillow fight with your brother/sister. Why? Why did you stop writing your names on the hazed glass in the winters? Why did you stop doing all this?

Yet again, relook at yourself, infact look inside yourself. Hunt for your childhood innocence and notice what it has taught you. We were simpler beings then, dedicating to those memories try adding smile to the next kid you see begging on the road, or carry back a chocolate or a book for your  brother/ sister thanking them for making your childhood days so memorable... or simple stroll down the road with them and have a samosa or chaat remembering the old times or simply watch Mr. India again with them. Trust me you wont mind being a child again even for a moment **smiles :-> **

The Mango Nostalgia

The Mango Nostalgia !

Today, on my way to work, I saw a tiny kid sitting on the edge of his door and fully indulged in the thing in his hands.. not to my surprise, it’s every kids love during summers – Mango… Since then I noticed every shop and thela selling these gorgeous fruit.

With mangoes now being sold at every nook and corner, it’s quite difficult to resist them even though they are priced at above Rs 100/ kg.. not just a mere fruit but I consider it as a part of life. A sight of these yellow gorgeous things gives my nerves a nostalgia buzz. My childhood with kid brother, cousins, mom dad at nani’s or dadi’s place comes flashing right infront of my eyes… Mango dreams fills my heart with reminders of childhood..  the joyful swings, the tiny buckets full, licking the dripping juice of this luscious fruits flowing along our tiny bare arms, climbing the trees.. hiding the mangoes in the trunks… Mom’s scolding to get away from the bed and sofa….what not.. it was truly a craze !!! moreover , the precious moment when there was no tension of controlling the diet and thus no control on the urge for this super tasty and much awaited fruit….

Mangoes and summer holidays are a true match .. made for each other.  Guess our schools then used to close, to give us time to indulge in this once an year craze !!! :D  those innocent days of life, when the only thing in mind was to grab handful of mangoes and take in every bit of it without any interruptions. Sometimes it was Mom’s surprize mango icecream  in the fridge and sometimes it was that yummy mango chutney with dal chawal.. What a  divine feeling it was! I sooo want to go back to those time.. this time I won’t mind those scoldings by mom too, I won’t mind our agreements of finishing the homework to get mangoes as prize… atleast will have my mom with me wearing that beautiful smile and holding the basket of mangoes.
To refill the senses .. Now … is a new life, a new hope.. am ready to create more beautiful memories, the days of youth.. in each other’s arms.. A plate of mangoes in hand and a mild mango fragrance in the air… me thinking- What’s more indulging ?? 


In a way, Indian summers are synonymous with mangoes and I can bet, that every Indian will have a life story linked to it. If not… go grab this luscious fruit and with every drip of juice, the memories will come floating in your mind ! 


HAPPY MANGOEING to ALL!

Raining Thoughts & Feelings !!!!

Tip Tap Pit Pat… I know everyone is with me when I say that there is something about rains which adds smile to everyone’s face.

These million drops enhances good mood in some way. While the rain is pouring through my office window, my mind goes back to my old school days. Rains always gave me a reason to wake up with an excitement of rainy day at school and samosas from that shop near our school. The sound of the rain drops gives me immense joy and reminds me of the power of these tiny drops!

Rains in childhood was all about the indoor sport of counting drops or catching hold of them or football or cycling (when we always used to choose the longest way back home) or our terrace dancing. WOW what an unexplainable feeling ‘Rainy Day info’ by the school guard used to give us.

Rains for me is always a sign of togetherness…. Let me prove this equation to you ---

I always loved our government flat, having 2 bedrooms, a living room, a verandah cum dining, a kitchen and a washroom (may be this love is coz I have beautiful memories of my mom linked to it).But the idea of small houses have always appealed to me; the reason probably was the sense of security it gave me. This is the reason I never had problems living in any size of rooms when I shifted to Delhi :-) since, there are limited rooms; there is no extra room for pretence and ego. One cannot keep themselves in isolation for long. Big Houses save spaces for privacy, isolation, independent thought process, habit of staying alone and enough space for the blossoming of egos and needs. My small house always gave me a sense of unity and strength! Similarly, Million drops of rain drenching many of us unite us in some way. It synchronises our thought process, towards happiness and love.

Thus Rains = Togetherness + Happiness + Fun!

Hence Proved :-)

Another feeling …..As soon as you think rain or a droplet touches you, you cannot escape your romantic side being unleashed.It’s the very essence of rain that can make you fall in love with it. Whether it’s the smell of the first rain that seduces you to pour out your heart’s hidden desires for your loved one or makes you take that pen to paper to express unsaid feelings in a poem or unleash your passion on the canvas with colors reflecting the vivid moods the rains get you into.

It can make you sit at home having hot bhajjias or just simply snuggling up with your love; it can also make you want to go out and get completely drenched and do a lil Chhai Chhapa Chhai!!! Rains can get you in the right mood for catching up on the special moments of life. You wont realise but sometimes it does wonders for you. The weather is so cold and nice, and in this phase you can feel the right spark, since you can notice who is the first person, striking your mind!

The birds, the thunders, the pit -pat, somewhere create a unique music which triggers those rain-songs which have been written and picturised endless times. So when it rains, somehow those flash in front our eyes. Also, in this rat race to earn a better living, people somewhere have been missing their childhood days when they would run around freely in the rains without any of the daily tensions of work they have now. The rains provide them that platform wherein they can bring out the child in them without having to give any justifications to anyone. I so love the rains !!!

Everything around you looks dreamy. The freshly-washed earth and the glistening green leaves make you want to breeze through life. There’s something about the monsoons that makes you want to break the routine monotony and pull back, spend time with loved ones. Enjoy simple pleasures of life such as watch a movie at home, go out for a drive; or even plain sit on your window sipping tea, having a chat and enjoy the drizzling sound through the wind.

That’s the magic of rains that definitely triggers your mind to get thinking, being creative and being romantic!

Best companion called BROTHER !!!

It is said ‘A brother is a friend given by nature’, today I am smiling because you are my brother. Shaifi or chhotu (yes that’s what I call him) is the best brother one can ever get. It was fun growing up with someone like him - someone to lean on, someone to count on... someone to tell on!!

I remember the days, we were young and used to play business,  video games or basketball on our terraceJ. There were times when whole day we used to only quarrel. The quarreling used to start with television serials. I still remember that he liked stupid WWF shows (I  guess he is still fond of it) or some cartoon series. The victim of our quarrel was the TV remote that used to fall and rise several times from the floor. The only cartoon we enjoyed together was Tom and Jerry or Duck Tales. I liked comedy movies whereas he wanted to watch action. My mother used to waste half of her energy shouting at both of us. While returning from school everyday we competed on our cycles to reach home early.

He still complaints of one fact that my birthdays were always celebrated and his only few a times (since it mostly used to fall during exam days) but still on my birthdays he was as excited as if it was his (vice versa too J)

There was a day when while studying in my room I suddenly saw my brother running towards me from the other room and hugged me tight…. Coz he was scared of some horror scene he saw on television and mom dad weren’t there… hahahaa ..

I cannot forget the sight of him with my mom’s clothes when we realised she wasn’t with us. That was the time, when our bond grew from just a brother sister bond. Whenever I used to visit home, he was one who used to be eagerly waiting for me and for the new style clothes he had asked for ….. next day slowly he would whisper ‘Appi I need that new jeans too please’. Everytime I visited home he said, ’soon I’ll also come to Delhi and we will have a lot of fun there…. ‘

Delhi came with a new excitement… when I knew now ill have my brother every time I want to see or need him. And to my belief he arrived here as brother and turned to my best friend.

A part of who I am today is because of my little brother… When I felt weak, like I couldn’t face something, he always shined the light on my strengths…..He helped me to see that I am a strong, smart, and courageous woman….. When I felt sad, he would say something hilarious and make me laugh…..He helped me to see sadness is a part of life, but you don’t have to dwell on it…. When I did not want to face something, he held my hand….He showed me that sometimes you need a united front…..We came from the same seed, but are unique...Each holds something special….We complement each other...always have and always will…Just like salt and pepper, each has their own unique taste, but you always see them together... Because that is how it is supposed to be.

It was yesterday when I realised my this little brother has grownup, may be even more than me. 
And from today to my life’s end, you are not just my brother but my life’s greatest friend.

“To the outside world, we all grow old but not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other’s hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family grief and joys. We live outside the touch of time. I think people who have a brother or sister do not realise how lucky they are. Sure, they fight a lot, but they know that there is always somebody there, somebody that is family and a true friend.”

I LOVE YOU Sharfu !!!