Two Women in My Life!!!

I realised that I have been writing a lot of stuff related to LIFE and how could I just forget to mention here about these TWO personalities who have made such a great influence on my life. Does one really need a "Mother's Day" or a "Sister's Day" to tell them how much you love them?

Well.. I am sure, by now you would know who they are? She is the one who has brought me into this beautiful world, my Aai (mother) and Tai (my sis) with whom growing up has been wonderful.

It's been soo many years now but all seems like it just happened yesterday. Today too, as I flip through some old family pictures, I remember all the childhood days vividly. (As filmy as it may sound, but it truly happens to most of us quite often....you grow up only to get into the flashback mode..very much like a Karan Johar or a Yash Chopra movie). I still recall all those sisterly fights, being at loggerheads all the time..the bugging and hugging, sharing secrets and funny stories (now we laugh about thinking it not to be funny anymore) and her being my partner in crime :)

With Aai, the mother- daughter relationship took a different meaning in my teens. I sensed the transformation in Aai from being a strict disciplinarian to my best friend. I would always be at the receiving end when it came to her discipline (the brat that I was then, not anymore ;)). But no regrets, today she has helped me become a better person.

As years passed by, I have realised that both these women have played a vital role in my life...today they both are my bestest (if at all there is such a word in English) friends, my ultimate confidantes, my unwavering supporters and my strength.

The support, affection that they both have given me goes beyond words. I could not thank them more for all the unconditional love. Today, I see Tai as a reflection of Aai in true sense (now that she is a mother too), I would definitely like to dedicate this video to both of them.

-Sanmita

A Divine Gift!!

Watching movies together over weekends has been like a ritual at home. Come Sunday and you would find us enjoying a tubful of popcorn watching a flick together. This Sunday too the scene was no different.

We started off the day with "Welcome". A movie that could hardly welcome our attention (pun intended ;))

Without losing heart, we decided on another movie (Taare Zameen Par, again a new release that we had thought of watching) with a hope that atleast this one would keep us glued to our seats.

It's been a while that I have seen a Bollywood flick and have been left spellbound. This movie is one of its kinds that has stirred my emotions. It has changed my perspective towards life. No doubt, as we take on the burden of adulthood, we often tend to gradually distance ourselves from our children, even our own childhood.

Today's parents are so engrossed in making a future for their child. Every parent wants his/ her child to stand out in the crowd. Are they trying to achieve through their children what they themselves could not achieve due to various reasons? Are they putting too much pressure on their child in achieving something they are not capable of?

Children are GOD's gift to Mankind. HE has gifted each child with unique talent. The responsibility rests on our shoulders to draw out and develop this talent of our child aiming him at the purpose for which he was created.

It is good to instill aims and ambitions in young minds but while doing so do not hamper your child's growth by forcing him to fulfil your dreams. Help your child to expand his horizons and with each passing day you would realise that a little bud has bloomed into a beautiful flower.

Just as Ellen Glasgow said-

"The older I grow, the more earnestly I feel that the few joys of childhood are the best that life has to give."

- Sanmita

Jeena Isi ka Naam Hai...

I was dozing away to glory when my alarm clock beeped to announce the beginning of another day. I woke up and peeped out of the window. It was a dark and drafty Sunday morning. It seemed as if the Sun was enraged and had decided not to smile and welcome me with his brightness. (This is how usually mornings are during winters in UK). Suddenly I remembered that I had asked Aai to come online for a chat. (An activity that we both religiously follow every weekend). I hastily turned on my lappy waiting eagerly for Aai.

Talking to my family has always been something that I look forward to..it has always helped me understand other person's views and think from another perspective. It has brought in a lot of learning and helped me become a better person. (that I am today :)) This time too while chatting with Aai, we touched on a lot of interesting issues. But this one has left me with no answers. All I could say is that there is no right or wrong decision in Life. Life in itself is a journey where situations or rather circumstances force you to act in a way, you commit mistakes, learn from it and proceed in search of happiness.

This is a story of a girl in her teens called Miss Anonymous. A girl who earned her daily bread and butter by working as a domestic servant. Despite doing a dawn-to-dusk work of washing, cooking and cleaning she had a bright smile on her face.
Days passed and one fine day Mrs Pseudonymous (mother of Miss Anonymous) found that her daughter had become a victim of the so-called 'vicious circle of life'. Shame and brokenness had replaced her daughter's girlish bashfulness. Barely able to restrain her tears, Miss Anonymous declared that she was pregnant.
A pauper, who was in search for love, a friend, a soul-mate all the time, believed that there was someone made for her who would bring a smile on her face and give her all the happiness in the world. But fate was never on her side. Her love, whom she believed in more than herself, had ditched her. She was left alone to bear the consequences. She had no support of her loved ones too.

I don't know what Miss Anonymous did in life later. Umpteen thoughts disturbed me that night.
I just wanted to know Why did Miss Anonymous do such a thing in life? Was she really to be blamed for her act? Was her love playing with her emotions? Was it her ignorance that made her do so? Was it that she was unaware of her actions? Was it because she was not educated on this? Is it wrong to believe in Love? Did the situation then forced her to get into this? What would she do in future? Will she abort the child or will the society accept her as an unwed mother? Will she be ostracized by the society that she lives in? Will she take charge of her actions and move ahead in life?

A lot of such and many more questions remained unanswered. I did not get to hear anything about her later.

I pray that all goes well with her. A Pollyannaish that I am, I would just like to believe that:

Humari Filmon ki tarah, humari zindagi mein bhi END tak sab kuch theek hi ho jata hai...Happys Ending!!

Aur agar theek na ho toh woh "The End" nahi

Picture abhi baki hai mere dost...Picture abhi baki hai!!

Disclaimer:

The characters in this story are completely fictional. Any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental.

- Sanmita

Life's 2nd Inning: in a far away Land!!

I had reached a marriageable age (read: nubile) and seemed as if my life would suddenly change (wasn't sure then for good or bad). I was about to be tagged Mrs soon and was going through a mix of emotions: was happy to settle in life with my would- be husband (a dream that every girl dreams of :)) but at the same time the thought of leaving my parent's home and accompanying my better half in a foreign land was petrifying.

The D-day approached and there I was with him in a far away land, miles away from my home country with a dream and a hope to spend the rest of my life with him happily. It just sounded like a fairy tale to me until I landed at the London Heathrow Airport. From whatever little I had heard from my kith and kins, I had made myself to believe that Life in a foreign land is hunky-dory. All I knew then was one leads a life in the west with a lot of comfort and luxury.

It was during winters that I had come to UK. Temperature during winters drop to almost 1°C. The freezing cold, gloomy weather, short days, jet lag cumulated into perturbment. I realised life wasn't that easy as it seemed. I felt like an alien in the city of Liverpool, now titled as "European Capital Culture 2008". It was a challenge for me to apprehend the Scouse accent and dialect of English which is highly distinctive and wholly different from the accents used in the neighbouring regions. Though I did my schooling in English from one of the best schools in Mumbai, I felt dejected being in this land and felt like I didnt know to speak their language. Being brought up in a chaotic city like Mumbai, a city that never sleeps, it was difficult to live a day here in tranquility. Silence would kill me all the time. To top it, racial discrimination was prevalent to make my life further miserable.

In all such miseries, all I could get was the support and "you can do it" attitude of my husband. It was he who stood by me through thick and thin. Very soon I managed to get a decent job for myself in this country and lead a content life.

Today, I have left behind the agony and have started this 2nd inning of my life. I hate to preach but would definitely like to address my readers that do follow your Dreams and have a Hope and I am sure you would reach great heights in whatever you achieve.

I recently celebrated my first wedding anniversary and today I grab this opportunity to thank my husband for all the support and love he has given me.

This little poem is dedicated just for you my hubby,

How do I begin to tell you how lucky I am to have you in my life?

I'll start by saying what an honor it is for me to be your wife.

You're my best friend in the good times and my rock in times of sorrow.

You're the reason for sweet yesterdays and my promise for tomorrow.

I never thought I could feel this loved until I became your wife.

You made this year and every year the best one of my life.

- Sanmita