The 'A's of my life

Ambition - The desire to better myself personally and professionally. Yes, I am ambitious. There are a lot of things I would love to achieve. And I think these personal and career goals keep me on my toes....they keep me challenged. And while I know not all the goals/ ambitions that I have will be fulfilled, it is nice to have something to work towards....sort of a destination to get to...and if I do get there, there will always be new ambitions and new goals to keep me going.

Apprehension - The feeling/fear that if something can go wrong, it will. This is a feeling I always have when I start something new. In fact if I am not apprehensive, I almost start fearing that I am being overconfident! The good thing is that most of the times these fears are unfounded and unnecessary. The bad thing is that in spite of knowing that, the apprehension is always there.

Annoyance/Anger - Yes, I get annoyed sometimes. When kids are being difficult, when things don't go my way, when the file I have been working on for the past hour freezes and crashes, when the traffic makes me late for a doctor's appointment...I get annoyed...so annoyance happens over petty little things. Anger, on the other hand, is a much more powerful emotion. I think for all of us anger stems from frustration, disappointment or the feeling of helplessness over the matter at hand. I have found silence to be a good way to deal with anger....letting this whole consuming emotion pass before addressing the issue at hand. It is rightly said that anger can blind a person. Doesn't it happen too often in this world that relationships and friendships have been broken for good and damaged beyond repair because of this very powerful and very negative emotion?

Appreciation - I love to be appreciated. I mean, who doesn't? We all thrive on it. And it is a good thing I started writing this blog post because a quick self analysis made me realize that while I love being appreciated, perhaps I am a bit stingy when giving appreciation. I think most of us are like that, no? We always talk about the people we appreciate to others but most of the time not to the person concerned. So we may tell someone else how much we appreciate our parents/spouse/children/ friends/colleagues but we will rarely say this directly to the persons themselves. Why do we do it? Human nature, I guess. But until we tell the person, how will he/she know how important they are to us.

Signing off 'Appreciating' and 'Admiring' all the 'Awesome' people in my life and this quote by 'Aristotle'

'We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then is not an act, but a habit.'

Euthanasia

Hrithik Roshan's movie 'Guzaarish' is about a quadriplegic man who after living 14 years of his life, confined to a wheelchair, decides to end his life and files an appeal to the court for euthanasia (mercy killing). 'Euthanasia' derived from the Greek language means 'good death' and refers to the practice of ending a life in order to relieve the person from pain and suffering.

On 7 March, 2011, the Supreme Court of India turned down a plea for 'euthanasia' for Aruna Shanbaug. I happened to read the story, no...the reality of Aruna's life a few years ago. By the time I was done reading the article that afternoon, I was sobbing profusely. Even now as I am typing this, there is a lot of sadness thinking about Aruna for whom life has been anything but fair. Aruna Shanbaug was a nurse at the KEM hospital in India. In 1973, she was sexually assaulted at the hospital by a ward boy. The assault was so brutal that it left her in a vegetative state. Aruna was 25 at the time and was to proceed on wedding leave the next day as she was getting married to a doctor from the same hospital whom she was in love with. But destiny willed otherwise and for 37 years now, Aruna has been in a vegetative state on a hospital bed, blind, paralyzed and unable to do anything except feel pain. No relatives visit her and she is basically alone in this world. The ward boy, was caught and convicted of robbery and attempted murder (yes, he was not tried for the sexual assault) and after serving a 14 year sentence is out free somewhere in the world. Yes, life has truly been unfair to Aruna Shanbaug.

My take on 'euthanasia'....I honestly don't know. Ideally I would say it is wrong to take a life...but I also know that if it was me in a vegetative state, I would not want to go on living like that. At the same time, if it was my loved one, I would never ever let them go...holding on to the last thread of hope. So, as far as 'euthanasia' is concerned, I don't know what the right thing is.

So, the next time life feels unfair because of a missed promotion, a traffic jam, a broken relationship or any thing which makes you say...life is so unfair...think about 25 year old Aruna Shanbaug whose life was completely snatched away from her in a matter of minutes one brutal night 37 years ago....and I am sure you will be able to put a much more positive perspective on your own life.

Signing off with a very heavy heart thinking about Aruna Shanbaug and this couplet by Ghalib quoted by Justice Markandey Katju while starting his 141 page judgement on the euthanasia plea for Aruna Shanbaug

'Marte hain aarzoo mein marne ki, Maut aati hai par nahin aati'
(Translated as - One dies longing for death, but death despite being around, is elusive)

Eat Pray Love

It was a lazy rainy Saturday today, so I decided to watch an English movie this afternoon from my Netflix instant queue right on my laptop. The movie I picked was 'Eat Pray Love'.....I had no idea what the movie was about but I picked it for two reasons, Julia Roberts (one of my favorite actresses) and the visuals of the movie (I had seen the trailer a while back and had seen some beautiful locations in the movie). I am glad I picked the movie because I loved it. I found out later that the movie is based on a 2006 memoir by American author Elizabeth Gilbert. The memoir is about the author's trip around the world after her divorce and her process of self-discovery through her travels. The movie shows Elizabeth Gilbert (played beautifully by Julia Roberts) travelling first to Italy (where she learns to eat....really enjoy her meals and learns 'dolce far niente' - translated as 'the sweetness of doing nothing'), then to India (where she learns the power of prayer and meditation - 'God dwells within you as you') and finally to beautiful Bali (where she learns to love - 'sometimes to lose balance for love is part of living a balanced life'). It was the visuals of Bali I had seen in the movie's trailers that I had found breathtaking...would surely love to visit the place myself someday. I think the movie's gist can be summarised in one of the lines from the movie....'When you set out in the world to help yourself, sometimes you end up helping everybody'.

I think the title of the movie is kind of an answer key to life, no? Eat - healthy, good food to nourish the 'PHYSICAL' aspect of our body. Pray - for peace of mind, inner strength and to nourish the 'MENTAL' aspect of ourselves and last but not least, Love - love others, love what you do, but most importantly love yourselves - know that you are unique, one of a kind, there is no other person in this world exactly the same as you...and nourish your 'SOULS'.

Signing off wanting to visit beautiful breathtaking Bali someday and these lines from the book 'Eat Pray Love' by Elizabeth Gilbert

'People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person that shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A soul mate's purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life.'

What happens next?

Yesterday, I was watching the kid's show 'Arthur' with my son. Arthur is a kid's television show based on the book series by 'Marc Brown' and the 'anthropomorphic' characters are animals with human attributes. Many a times, I watch a 'Mickey Mouse' show with my daughter or an 'Arthur' show with my son. Apart from being a great bonding time with my kids, it also helps me unwind...I find these shows a great stress buster. Sometimes, on 'Arthur' celebrity guest stars appear providing their voice for their animal counterpart. Yesterday's show had writer 'Neil Gaiman'. In the show, he encourages one of the characters, 8 year old 'Sue Ellen' to write her own book. She does that, writes a few chapters (constantly doubting that no one is going to read it or like it) and then, loses the book. While searching for the half written book, she meets 'Neil Gaiman' again who joins her in her search. And they come across her friends, who have found her book, read it, loved it and are wondering 'What happens next?'. 'Neil Gaiman' smiles at 'Sue Ellen' and says...Ah...the three magic words that every writer wants to hear...'What happens next?'


I have found myself asking that very same question many times in life....'What happens next?' I will be walking along the path of life when suddenly the road splits into a fork....two paths....two different destinations.....which one to choose....what happens next? Then starts the process of introspection....weighing pros and cons....with the full realization that while others may influence the decision, the final choice on which path to take will have to be mine.


So, have I wondered how life would have turned out if I had chosen the other path?.....Always. Have I always chosen the right path?.....Always?...No. Have I mostly chosen the right path?....Mostly?....Yes. Do I regret having taken the wrong path?.....Regret?....No. I would like to be that optimist who looks at a half filled glass and sees it as half full instead of the pessimist who finds it half empty. So, no regrets on decisions made after a lot of thought and self examination....just enriched with the experience and the hope of choosing the right path the next time.


Signing off constantly asking myself 'What happens next?' and this quote by Neil Gaiman


'May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you are wonderful, and don't forget to make some art - write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.'

Leap of faith

The other day, I was watching the dance reality show 'Dance India Dance doubles' on Indian television. The show is a dance competition among couples and the episode I was watching included the use of props. One such couple had a cage as their prop. The boy was locked inside the cage and the girl was outside. Their dance included coordinated moves between the two and one such move had the girl getting on top of the cage and jumping off into the outstretched hands of the boy (who is still inside the cage, only his hands are out and he can't see the girl....Similarly, the girl is jumping backwards so can't see if the boy indeed has his hands out to catch her). But jump she did, right into the hands of the boy who caught her perfectly. My heart skipped a beat....I personally think such moves are very dangerous and could go horribly wrong especially since there was no safety net below. The judges while reviewing their performance called the girl's jump ' a leap of faith' ....it literally was one since she jumped with the complete trust that her partner would catch her.

That set me thinking about all the leaps of faith we ourselves make in our lives....relationships, careers, every turn in our life is a leap of faith. When we get into a relationship, we do get into it thinking that it is the right one for us....so a big leap of faith. Sometimes it is the right one and we land perfectly on our feet....but sometimes, it is not and we tumble and fall. And when that happens and the relationship doesn't work for us, I do believe it is time to take another leap of faith and step out of the relationship. What is the point in staying on, if after you have leapt, you are unable to fly as your wings are clipped....no point at all...so unclip the wings, take another leap of faith and start to soar in the skies. Similarly when we change jobs, we trade the known for the unknown....we are not sure if the new job will work for us but we still do it because in our heart of hearts we know it is time for a change and so we take another leap of faith. Every turn in our life is a leap of faith....whom we let into our lives as our friends, whom we let go out of our lives, where we live, where we work, when we buy a house, every life decision is based on the trust that it is the right one for us even though at the time we are making these decisions we have no idea if they are the right ones. But I think leaps of faith are necessary....they keep our lives interesting. If these leaps were not taken....we would not make new meaningful relationships (which complete and enrich our lives), we would not let go of old relationships (which stagnate and smother us), we would stay in the same jobs (which though secure does not challenge us anymore), we would not make new friends (every new meaningful friendship brings about a positive change in us) and our lives would be the same day in and day out. So leaps of faith are necessary....they may not always be right....but they are required as they enrich our lives with the experiences that they leave us with.

Signing off having taken many 'leaps of faith' in the past and this quote by Stephen Schwartz

'Its time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap'

A Smile

Mother Teresa said..... 'Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.'...Yes, a person with a smile on the lips and a smile in the eyes is to me the most beautiful or handsome person in the world.

A smile from my children can turn around the worst of days for me. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I had a difficult pregnancy due to health issues related to fibroids which would cause periodic episodes of severe pain. And since I could take only mild pain medications, most of the times I would just have to deal with the pain and wait for it to pass. There were days when the pain would be beyond my tolerance level and the only thing that would help was to cry. There were days when that happened and I would be alone with my then four and a half year old son. So I would explain to him...Mamma is in pain and is hurting, so she is going to cry for a bit. I don't want you to worry. He would nod his head and keep playing. After some time, he would walk up to me with a smile on his face, hold my hand and say....Smile Mamma, don't cry. Everything is going to be fine....And I would find myself smiling back at him and somehow getting added strength to deal with the pain. In those moments, I have no doubt that in the parent-child equation in the relationship between my son and me, he was the parent taking care of me and I was the child being taken care of by him. So yes, a smile from my children has the power to turn around the worst of days for me.

I have also noticed that when I am out running errands or in the grocery store, if a stranger smiles at me and asks..How are you doing?...the very process of smiling back and saying....I am good....makes me feel great even if just seconds before I was feeling down and low. So yes, even a smile from a stranger has the power to make me feel better.

A friend called me last week and said she always smiled after reading my blog. Hearing her say that, made me smile. So, to my friend...since this blog post was inspired by what you said to me, this one is for you. I hope you are smiling while reading this and I hope you always keep smiling because you deserve a life full of joy, happiness and smiles.

Signing off feeling blessed to be surrounded by family and friends who always bring a smile to my face and this quote by Leo F. Buscaglia

'Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.'

Asha - Hope

I am writing this blog post....that means I can read and write. And you are reading this post....which means you can read and write. So, we are among those lucky people in this world who are educated. Growing up, like in most Indian households, my parents placed a lot of emphasis on education. I was always told....of all the things we can give you as parents, an education is the most valuable one. It will always remain yours and no one can take it away from you. My parents worked hard to ensure that my sister and I were provided with a good education.

About a month ago, I was getting my son ready for school when the thought came to my mind that there were so many children in this world who cannot afford an education because of the circumstances that they are born into. So later I mentioned to my husband that I would like to make a one time donation to an organization that supports the education of underprivileged children. My husband looked at me and asked....Why a one time donation? Why not something on a monthly and permanent basis?....Thus began the search on the internet for such an organization and I stumbled upon Asha for Education's website (http://www.ashanet.org/). Asha for Education is an organization dedicated to the education of underprivileged children in India. What I really liked about Asha was that not only were they supporting various projects in education in different parts of India they also have chapters all over the world which I am listing below.

USA and Canada chapters (www.ashanet.org/index.php?page=chapters&c=NorthAmerica)
Alabama - Birmingham
Arizona - Tempe
California - Berkeley, Irvine, Los Angeles, Redlands, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, San Jose, Stanford
Colorado - Littleton
Connecticut - Hartford, Stamford, Yale
Delaware - Newark
District of Columbia - Washington DC
Florida - Orlando, Gainesville
Georgia - Athens, Atlanta,
Illinois - Chicago, UIC, UIUC
Indiana - Purdue
Kansas - Shawnee
Massachusetts - Boston
Michigan - Ann Arbor, Detroit
Minnesota - Blaine
Missouri - St. Louis
New Jersey - Central NJ, Princeton
New York - Cornell, Danbury, Mid-Hudson Valley, NYC/NJ
Ohio - Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo
Oregon - Corvallis, Portland
Pennsylvania - Philadelphia
Tennessee - Knoxville
Texas - Austin, Dallas, Houston
Utah - Salt Lake City
Virginia - New River Valley
Vermont - Burlington
Washington - Seattle
Wisconsin - Madison
Canada - Ontario

India chapters (www.ashanet.org/index.php?page=chapters&c=India)
Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad
Delhi - New Delhi
Karnataka - Bangalore
Maharashtra - Mumbai, Pune
Tamil Nadu - Chennai
Uttar Pradesh - Ballia, Kanpur, Lalpur, Lucknow, Rajatalab, Varanasi

Europe chapters (www.ashanet.org/index.php?page=chapters&c=Europe)
Germany - Frankfurt, Munich
Netherlands - Eindhoven
Switzerland - Zurich
UK - London, Oxford, Sheffield

Each chapter deals with different projects in different parts of India and they can be contacted by following the links I have mentioned above.

So, I contacted my local chapter and was informed that they had a project in West Bengal and with a monthly donation of $15 (yes, only fifteen dollars a month), we could sponsor and support all educational expenses (including teacher salary. educational materials, admission fees, rent and others) for 10 kids (yes, ten kids).

Yesterday, through the credit card donation online setup to support this particular project, I made our first donation of $15. We will be making monthly donations and I hope by doing so we will be making at least a slight change in the lives of 10 children in West Bengal, India. We have named the donation as a scholarship in my late father-in-law's name....a man who worked very hard in his life to provide his children with a good education.

By writing this blogpost, if I have inspired even one person anywhere in this world to sponsor the education of even one underprivileged child, I think then today I would have earned my education.

Signing off knowing that I was just plain lucky to be born to parents who could afford my education and this quote by Malcolm Forbes

'The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one'.

A Prayer for Japan

On March 11, a massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit the Pacific Ocean nearby Northeastern Japan causing extensive and unimaginable damage with blackouts, fire and tsunami. The word tsunami comes from the Japanese language and means harbor wave. It has been almost a week now and I must admit I have not been able to bring myself to watch the video footage, look at the photos or read the news articles associated with the destruction in Japan. So every morning, I scan the news headlines hoping that there will be some positive news coming out of Japan but all I have been reading has been about the radiation crisis, bodies found, millions without food and water, homes destroyed....and then I don't have the courage to read the entire news article which is the reality that the people of Japan are going through. And then yesterday, I read what to me was the first positive sign coming from Japan....On March 14, four days after the disaster struck Japan, soldiers from the Japanese defense force were going door to door, pulling bodies from homes, when amidst the silent corpses, a baby cried out....and as the news article stated 'Japan met its tiniest miracle'. Under a pile of debris, amidst fragments of wood, slate, shattered glass and rock was a four month old baby girl in a pink woolen bear suit. The tidal wave had swept the baby away from her parents' arms when it hit their home on March 11. Her parents both of whom survived the disaster thought that their little girl was dead and were overjoyed to be reunited with her. The story left me with a lump in my throat and I was just so happy for the parents.

My own experience with the Japanese was when I worked with my previous company. We had branch offices in many parts of the world including one in Japan. Every month we needed the financials from these branch offices in order to consolidate them at the main office level. The branch office in Japan never missed a deadline, were always very polite in every communication (verbal or written) and the financials they sent were 100% accurate....never any mistakes...and with my association with them, I learnt to respect them. So I have no doubts that they will bounce back quickly from this crisis. Today, sitting in the comfort of my home, there are two things I can do for Japan...I can assist monetarily with donations and I can pray for them. I truly believe in the power of prayer. It has helped me tide over many situations, big and small, in my own life. So, I pray that things get better in Japan....I pray that the people there get the strength to deal with the situation and I pray that nature does not unleash her fury anymore on any of my fellow humans anywhere in this world.

Signing off with an earnest prayer for the people of Japan and this line from the historic speech today by Japan's emperor Akihito

'I truly hope the victims of the disaster never give up hope, take care of themselves and live strong for tomorrow'.

The Daily Routine

Is your life routine? Mine sure is. And I can bet that even the people we think lead the most interesting lives, must be feeling the same thing....that their life is routine....yes, the grass is always greener on the other side. So, most of my days are the same. As is everyone else around me, I am busy. I work from home, have little kids, have household chores to do, errands to run and yes, the time I take out for myself too....and before I know it, the day is done. And the next day....it is pretty much the same. There are days when the monotony of the daily routine gets to me and I have often remarked to my husband....I can predict exactly how tomorrow is going to be....it is going to be exactly the same as today was. But we are creatures of habit and so there is also a lot of comfort in the daily routine. Today someone mentioned to me....We should notice that we may be busy but that it is a good thing. A lot of people are not so fortunate....or are recovering from a tsunami!....And I really could not agree more. We are busy because we have jobs (there are so many people who are out of jobs in this economy today, so many people losing their homes to foreclosures)....because we have healthy kids (there are so many parents who are taking care of their really sick kids and whose kids won't be around to see their next birthday) and because we have a home and the means to provide food for our family (there are so many in this world who live on the streets and have no food to eat....I cannot even imagine what the families in Japan are going through right now without food and shelter). So we are busy because we are blessed. And the next time I feel like complaining about my daily routine, I will instead count my blessings and be happy doing what I am doing.

Signing off looking forward to another routine day tomorrow and this quote by Ben Nicholas

'Most of life is routine - dull and grubby, but routine is the momentum that keeps a man going. If you wait for inspiration you'll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street.'

Nothing....Nothing at all

Amitabh Bachchan wrote in his blog recently...."Idleness can be a most devastating tool of self destruction. When there is nothing, it will beget nothing"....He is right. As the saying goes....An idle mind is a devil's workshop....a haven for negative thoughts, doubts and worries. But I also feel that not all 'nothing' is unnecessary and without meaning. Sometimes 'nothing' is essential to our lives.

There are days when things get overwhelming for me. From the time I am up, the mind and body is in a constant state of motion....doing things, planning, executing....and on such days. it becomes necessary for me to catch my breath, to slow down, to take a break, to pause, to basically sit down and do 'nothing'. It is my way of recharging and I always ignore that pesky voice in my head which tells me I am wasting my time....because I am not. This state of 'nothingness' refreshes me and energizes me better than anything else. So for me, in solitude moments like these, 'nothing' is good.

It is aptly said 'Silence is golden'....and it is quite true when we get angry. How many times have you regretted the words that have come out of your mouth when you are angry....I almost always have. The apology that follows my outburst of anger always has me saying....I did not mean what I said....and it is true....the words spewing venom are out before the mind has had a chance to process them....and like an arrow shot out of a bow....once the words are out you can't take them back. So I have learnt to remain silent and say 'nothing' when I am angry....to readdress the issue at hand after I have had a chance to calm down and reflect. So for me, when I am angry, 'nothing' is good.

When we talk to our loved ones, have you noticed it is mostly random stuff....to put it in Hindi, 'idhar udhar ki baatein'....'sweet nothings'. But these sweet nothings help forge and strengthen the bond we have with our loved ones. These sweet nothings satisfy and fulfill us....because they signify the flow of our thoughts without any restrictions....they signify us being simply 'us' when we are with our loved ones. So for me, 'sweet nothings' is good.

Signing off truly believing that sometimes 'Nothing' can mean 'Everything' and this quote by Oscar Wilde

'I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about'.

Taking a step or two

We all start out learning to walk by taking little baby 'steps'....slow, hesitant, unsure baby steps and soon we master the art of walking and start taking fast, confident, sure steps. And somehow, taking baby steps doesn't stop in our childhood years....we continue taking them throughout our lives....whenever we embark on something new....we are slow, hesitant, unsure....and as we realize that this is indeed something we were meant to do, those baby steps become fast, confident and sure.

Then there is taking a 'step' forward. When we know what we want....when we know where our destination is....we take those forward steps to get to our goal and we keep on marching ahead until we get there.

And when we dance, we match 'steps' with our partner. A well choreographed, in sync dance with coordinated moves is for me simply 'poetry in motion'....a visual treat....very satisfying to the soul.

There is also of course 'stepping' on people's toes....not literally but figuratively....where you end up doing or saying something which offends or insults someone. In most cases, I don't think we do this deliberately. But humans are complex beings....and what seems perfectly fine to you may end up offending somebody else.

I love to walk on a beach leaving my footprints on the sand. After I have taken many 'steps' ahead, I always turn back to look and see that the waves have already erased my footprints....leaving no trace of the fact that I was ever on the beach....I find this somewhat symbolic of the fact that most human beings leave no trace whatsoever of their existence on this earth once they are gone.

But the most significant step, at least for me, is the 'step' backward. When things get unbelievably overwhelming, when the mind is flooded with doubts, when it feels like the roof is about to collapse on my head....it has always helped to step back, look at the big picture and reassess the situation. Nine out of ten times, any decision I have made after taking a step back has been the correct one....right on target.

Signing off realizing that with every action in the present, I am laying a 'stepping' stone towards the direction my future will take and this poem written by me a few years ago titled 'March ahead'

When the past whispers of days bygone
Of haunting memories and events which make you sad
Don't fall weak, Don't look back
Focus on the future and march ahead.

Everything happens for a reason
You may think this sounds easy to be said
But pull up your sleeves, wipe your tears
Focus on the future and march ahead.

When the days seem gloomy
And the nights seem listless and dead
Listen to the chirping birds, look at the twinkling stars
Focus on the future and march ahead.

Life is very precious and beautiful
You'll see if you raise your head
Life has so much to give, so much to offer
So, focus on the future and march ahead.

Memories

I have a precious memory....like a pearl in an oyster....of the first time I saw my son and the first time I saw my daughter. (So, actually two memories....but cannot choose one over the other). The memory of me crying when I saw my son for the first time because I had become a mother and the memory of me laughing when I saw my daughter for the first time because as the nurse handed her to me she remarked...Your daughter has lips like Angelina Jolie!

I have a bittersweet memory....like dark chocolate....of the day I got married. Because along with the joy at finding the person I was going to spend the rest of my life with was the sorrow at leaving my parents and going off to a place far far away from them.

I have a delicate memory....like the dewdrop on a flower petal....of the day my late father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer. I was pregnant with my daughter at that time and as I got on the phone to talk to him he said....You have to promise you will not worry about me. You have to promise you will stay happy so you can take care of the child you are carrying...Yes, he was a wonderful person....more a friend to me than a father-in-law and it is unfair that he is no longer with us.

I have many such infinite memories....like the stars in the sky....of the day I first landed in the US (where are all the people on the road, I had asked my husband), of the day I got my driver's license (because I had finally conquered my fear of driving), of my very first job interview here in the US (because the person who interviewed me, my ex-boss, has now become a very dear friend), of the first time I sat in an airplane (watching with awe as the plane took off)....many such memories which are my very own treasures.

Signing off depositing new memories every day into my memory bank and this quote by Kevin Arnold

'Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.'

Time

Time is priceless....yet doesn't cost a thing. We all have the same 24 hours at our disposal in a day just handed to us and we all make use of it in different ways. Commute, kids, work, chores, exercise, recreation, television, Internet, sports, family, friends and the very important 'Me' time....wow, we really do fit in a lot into a day, don't we?

Time waits for none....I would like to think I am an organized person and on top of things but the truth is I am also a huge procrastinator when it comes to certain things. Tasks that I keep putting off....feeling very guilty about not getting them done....and yet not doing them unless I absolutely have to....And as the clock goes ticking by, I have wasted time wanting to get something done...but not really getting around to actually doing it. A habit which I am very consciously trying to change.

Time is a great healer....it is true....I speak from experience. When I lost people close to me either because they have passed away or because of misunderstandings or because of circumstances....it really does feel as if the world is going to end. But then as time goes by, the pain, sorrow and wounds are healed....never completely going away but staying on as a dull ache that you can deal with and move on with your life.

Time is unpredictable....I sometimes wish I had a time machine....I could then go and see what the future would be like....and then make the correct decisions based on that in the present, say the right things, do the right things....yes, that is just wishful thinking. No one knows what the future will be like and perhaps it is exactly that unpredictability that makes life a beautiful adventure.

Time is a teacher....there have been so many times that I have wished that life had an 'undo' button.....you press it and fix all your past mistakes. But again that is just wishful thinking....so you learn from those mistakes and grow as a person.

Time is fleeting....doesn't time go by quickly when you are having fun....vacations, moments with friends and family, basically anything you love to do....it always feels like it got over too quickly.

Time is also slow....when you are eagerly looking forward to something happening, it feels like the waiting period is forever and that time is moving at a snail's pace. Also, when you are doing things which are not particularly exciting....I remember stepping out of examination halls thinking...that was the longest 3 hours of my life.

Time is ever changing....and good times invariably follow bad times. One motto that has helped me get over bad times is 'This too shall pass' and yes, it has passed giving way to wonderful happy times. So, I truly believe it....if you are going through bad times, good times are just right around the corner.

Signing off wanting to put my time to good use and this quote by Steve Jobs

'Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.'