R@J aur Sweety ka Scribble Pad

  Universe has mysterious ways of connecting people. Some connections last only for a short time, some a little longer and a few a lifetime. What makes these connections last and what makes these connections fade away? And what about reconnections that happen after a long gap? There is some trigger for every connection both for a start or an end.   July 16th was the day one such reconnection was rekindled. 17 Year long wait came to an end! Even though we started out with being reserved, slowly we inched forward to regain old times comfort. With the embrace all the pent up emotions flooded out and we couldn’t hold each other back anymore. We were back together again and that felt like heaven! Eventually we had to come back to reality and had to part ways    with heavy hearts that night.  Days that followed were filled with sweet thoughts, messages and phone calls, recollecting old memories and learning about each other’s past and present. Over time both of us had...

Recently, Sweety wrote about her dream life, and it hit me like: I’ve never really thought about mine! Honestly, cities just don’t cut it for me anymore. After dutifully playing referee in my kids’ epic sibling battles, . I would be craving some peace and quiet. As I get older, tranquility has become my new best friend. I’m all about that “I can hear the thoughts in my head” kind of silence. Guess when the kids eventually spread their wings and fly away, I hope this dream kicks in. So here’s the dream: I want to spend my golden years in a small town where the biggest drama is choosing between ginger and masala chai. Picture this: I run a cozy little café where the only complaints are about the coffee being too strong. I’d serve up a delightful array of teas and filter coffee, while also showering unconditional love on abandoned furry friends who need it. We’d dish out food, provide basic health care (or at least a good belly rub), and spread joy one wagging tail at a time. My dog, Cook...

 Sweety requested me to post this on her behalf -- a Tribute to her Mother! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have been so blessed to receive so much love from so many people in my life. Mom’s love tops that list. She has outpoured so much love over the last 40+ years without any bounds. She pampered me to no end and always cared for every little thing for me. She never said no to anything I asked or said.  After many years of being unable to travel, She gathered every bit of her frailing energy to travel across the world to visit and spend a good amount of time with me and her grandkids. Unlike previous years she was unable to do much or talk much but her presence is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity (even though short) to take care of her and serve her. I only wish I could’ve done more and had more time together. I love you and miss you so much Maa. I am so luc...

When you’re happy, you dance along with the music.  When you’re sad, you dissect every lyric like a deep, personal confession.  Turns out that over time, our brains go from 'party mode' to 'therapy session' when it comes to music. The question is "When did your music taste go from 'party animal' to 'emotional therapist'?" Every infliction point has a reason What was that one life event or series of events that led you from carefree dancing to scrutinizing lyrics with the precision of a true crime investigator? It is not about how severe the life event or events were,  but it is about how long you have carried that with you Your musical journey could be a secret diary of your life’s story! Those key moments might just be the hidden chapters of your personal soundtrack revealing the story of who you’ve become today.

After several days of mundane news, something caught my eye today: Trump has announced a new proposal to eliminate all taxes on overtime pay as part of his tax cut plan. This change is long overdue. By removing taxes on overtime,  we'll likely see more employees willing to work additional shifts. This shift is particularly beneficial for those needing extra income. Companies will potentially have more employees volunteering to work overtime, making US companies more productive and competitive.

Today, I got to know about Sweety's mother. Unfortunately birth and death are the only two realities in life. I had the privilege of meeting Sweety's mother just once, in the meeting, her mother was very quiet, and her father did all the talking.  Hope the lord gives the family the strength to carry on.  I did not know what to tell Sweety, just advised her to stay strong, and ensure her father stays strong.  Hope her mother attains peace and liberation. Om Shanti! I was reminded of a short Sadguru clip that I had seen this week. This summarised everything that I experienced and learned in the last 17 years. 17 years of understanding summarised in 30 seconds. Hope Sweety can look at the situation this way and take solace.

Its been almost a month, since Sweety came to BLR to be with her mother, she will be heading back home tonight. I've picked out a song that’s guaranteed to bring that fabulous smile back to her face. Here is a song for her, hope it does bring back the pretty smile on her face. I am sure she is going to keep humming this song until she reaches home. I'm already grinning like a Cheshire cat just thinking about her smiling as she listens to this. Have a safe flight.

It’s been a while since we last wrote, and both Sweety and I have been juggling a lot. Sweety returned to Bengaluru to care for her unwell mother. For the past four weeks, she and her dad have been working tirelessly, with progress as elusive as a unicorn in a fog. It’s been a stark reminder of life’s fragility. Even though we were miles apart, WhatsApp has been a lifeline, allowing us to stay connected and share our thoughts and moments. While I’m no medical expert, I’ve been listening to Sweety’s updates on her mother’s condition. I hope my support has been of some help. With everything going on, we weren’t sure if we’d even get to meet on this trip. I contracted Chikungunya from a mosquito bite, leading to body aches, fever, and monsoon flooding in Hyderabad which looked like it was auditioning for a disaster movie. Meanwhile, Sweety was juggling her mother’s unpredictable health, her own allergies, and a fever. We stayed hopeful but didn’t want to count our chickens before they hat...