Aakaar

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Can we have our bench back?

I would like to share an incident of my junior college days. We were around 17 or 18 years old. We were in higher secondary school - the academic year where almost everyone is almost done with their studies before the actual start of the year. Hence, we friends were on revision. We would attend college only in early hours of day where we had got practical classes to attend. That means an hour or two of college and before even a proper morning would rise we would be back at home. As I was a keen learner my dad had offered me to join his business to learn and also to help him. Hence he had asked me to be available at 9 in the morning. I would wake at 5:30 and reached college by 6:30 attend the classes, which would last till 8:30, and reach to help my dad at 9. This went for days and months. It was not only me who was following this schedule but a lot of my friends and classmates too would do this. Until one day the head of the college realized that lesser and lesser students are attendin

First International Travel

Miami ! Yes. That was my first international destination. Unfortunately it was not my pleasure travel but an official one. I was excited about my first international travel, like everyone. A 24 hour transit journey 'Mumbai - Frankfurt - Miami'. It was a night flight. I reached airport 4 hours earlier. I waved goodbye to my parents. Checked-in my luggage and took the boarding pass in my hands. Now I realize that how much stressed I was during that moment. For accurate luggage weight, getting boarding pass, passing immigration and security till the flight actually took off. I was overwhelmed. Yes. It was strange to have mixed emotions of being happy yet sad. The thought of going so far away from my parents, made me sad. Yet, I was looking forward to my new assignment with new team and at a new place. I was tired for mainly 2 reasons: first it was 3 am, I wanted to sleep and secondly I had travelled nearly 3 hours to get to airport from my town. Finally the flight too

The Notorious Days

An adult phase where you dont have the responsibility of an adult yet. We all have gone through this phase. Most of us might have experienced this during their college or hostel days. Those from hostel must have a lot to recall. Why do many of us have the memories of this silly behaviour during college days? I think that its because we have entered into adulthood recently, we are allowed to do everything age wise but not wisdom wise. Parents are anxious to know the transition of their teenager into a responsible adult. They, too, have their own transition memories which they might not want to share. They are well aware that the transition methods have changed. But we are ready to explore our new found freedom in various ways yet skeptical about its consequences. Some fearless folks might have a serious experience to share while some timid folks might have cute ones. These incidents could be anything from trying to climb up or down a building through pipe or reading a roma

The Dinner Date

Prisha and Divya were waiting on the table for dinner. They were dressed in their most beautiful dress. It was the special day. But they were too anxious about him. Their one eye peeking the clock while the other was fixed at the door. When will he show up? Whom will he talk to first? A rush of questions in their mind. Both staring at the other with challenging eyes. Pointing out their jewellery, dress, hairstyle as a show off. Finally Prisha starts. Prisha: He is going to wish me first. Divya: He is going to look at me first. Prisha: I am wearing his favourite colour dress. Divya: I am wearing the dress he gifted me. Finally the door knob turns and he enters Both of them make faces and rise from their chair to greet him. Karan was nervous to see them both eagerly waiting for him. Worried and confused whom to greet first. But that got clear as both Divya and Prisha hugged him together. Everyone still silent, waiting for someone to start the conversation. Karan clears his

Survival of the fittest

During these times of pandemic - a cycle of lockdown and uncertainty has worried everyone. Each one of us misses the social life. Video calls, online lessons and dinner parties have become the new way of social life. Many people are of the view that this is the new normal. Henceforth this lifestyle will continue, social distancing is the new norm. Well, I just got a thought that we are in the world were there are machines for almost everything. A new robotic way of doing things is in progress, an emerging space science is on the way and currently with the unbeatable speed in medical science. With all this technology and science I doubt that distancing will be a new norm. Every space institute is striving to achieve their goals. Do you think that they are doing this so that people can never meet or see each other? Elon Musk wants to build a new world on Mars. Jeff Besos wants to reform earth so that only humans can live on it. Achieving that by shifting manufacturing to spac

Little Joys

When my younger one was delivered, the hospital was crowded with around 20 of my own family members. Others came later to visit us. I was shocked to see so much crowd. My elder one being born in UK with only my parents being around, this was my first delivery in India. Even after having two amazing kids I still cant get enough of being mother. Not that I want more kids. But to live those special moments again. Yet again, I am not talking about the pregnancy phase or the delivery one (absolutely not). But the one when the new born baby comes into your arms. Touching those tiny little fingers, the soft delicate skin. A little cooing. Soft cries, a moment when you forget all your physical pain, problems, mentally emotionally, your look. A new mum is probably the most ugly and tired person in the room, yet the most beautiful. Its the moment when everyone is praising the beautiful child. Family comparing the baby with mother, father, some with grandparents and some with sibling. Parents sha

Blessing In Disguise

For me lockdown was like a never ending weekend. I spent a lot of quality time with kids. Saw them grow every bit, every laughter, every smile and their cries as well. Being a mother of two - one toddler and other preschooler, initially, I had a hard time to get a schedule fixed for them. I would be in dilemma all the time as one of them would need me the most. I missed the school of my elder one - Aarvi. I had to give up that time on my little one - Kriti, which I would spend on giving lots of cuddles and help her achieve her toddler milestones. This was not possible with Aarvi being around. She, as of now, being an attention seeker and a fast learner. Giving sole time to each one was getting difficult. Though things got smoother by passing time. Untimely tantrums, rising demands drove me mad at times. In summer we spent time in our garden. Taking sunshine and plucking flowers would keep them engaged and allow us to relax both physically and mentally. With my husband hav

Fall

Its FALL ! 'Gear up for winter'. This is what comes to our minds when we enter into fall. A harsh winter is on our way, be prepared. Shop for warm clothes, buy extra socks, new shoes, a new jacket, perhaps even change car tires?? An annual plumbing and heater checks. Phew. Its just like the beginning of a known yet an unknown seasonal war. Green fields turning to brown. Brown fields turning to barren land, when hay is cut and rolled into neat haystacks. Leafy green trees turning to yellow or red or orange. Then withering off to outline. Deciduous ! Like the tree saying to itself - Fall away. Science says - When autumn arrives and days get shorter, plants are drought-stressed. Hence deciduous trees decrease their pigment production giving the leaves non green colour. These trees later lose their leaves to conserve water during winter and grow back in next suitable season. Better to lose than to repair. ( as per wiki ). Every sign in autumn gives us a sense of wi

Lets Mould

Generations and again we (humans) have been thinking what is the right way to nurture kids. More than nurture we think of how can we make them excel. Excel. Why only excel is we need? Train them. Tutor them. Coach them. But make them excel. What is that we really want? Fulfilling our incomplete wishes, dreams, our own diminishing aspirations. Though some kids do live up to our expectations. Seldom excel. But majority of them will succumb their own dreams, while some might have even not found one. Another trend in community is to have a 'stand out' kid. While pushing all limits we need our kid to stand out. Do something out of box. Build a machine, be an all rounder or perhaps even fly into the space. We want it all. Its time we try something different now. Let them be kids. Let them play a little more. Let them be lazy for a while. Act funny with them. Drift away with their own silly dreams. Train them - to keep smiling in difficult times. Tutor them - its OK t