I think, therefore I write

Category: JUST LIKE THAT (Page 2 of 15)

Of fragrances and memories

~ The aroma of mom’s drumstick sambhar filling the house when you are ravenous from a long day at school. Knowing that her crispy dosas and sambhar await me for dinner is one inexplicable memory after school.

~ The smell of the house I grew up in. It was a monumental one, to be honest – built about 5 generations back by my dad’s grandfather. Stoic and old, it had this distinct smell that was a combination of the cement floors, whitewashed walls, high rise ceilings and dingy kitchens. There used to be at least 2 doors to reach a single room and weaving in and out of the house was second nature to us. My friends used to have a hard time to wrap their minds around the structure whenever they visited and I used to accompany them everywhere so that they don’t get lost. Well, that particular smell has my childhood written all over it.

~ The medicinal smell of insulin reminds me of the hospitals and sometimes it is overwhelming that I have gotten used to it so much, being around Adit. I often have mixed feelings about having to deal with a lot of hospital visits but at the same time feel grateful about being able to afford it. There are many people out there who have bigger issues and are not able to afford healthcare. And there’s no use crying over the cards you are dealt with. That’s what you got and it is better to chin up and go about doing your best.

~ The way babies smell – I used to adore this on my nephew even after he grew out of the baby phase. The innocence, the curiosity in his eyes and his voice rings clearly any time I remember that baby smell. Now it is all coming back even more clearly with Aditi. It’s amazing how she has got me wrapped with her tiny little fingers. I never believed it when new mothers spoke about not knowing it until you experience it, but now I see their point.

~ The smell of new books. Ah! This is an irreplaceable one. Ever since I started reading, the first thing I do after buying a book is to inhale the fragrance of the pages deeply. It would feel like I am part of the story already. That’s the one regret I have with switching to kindle.

~ The aroma of aunt’s bisibelebath on your hands after you have eaten and washed up. Her bisibelebath is something I would die for, it is that delicious. Yes, it is a given that a lot of oil, ghee and spices go into that taste but when she prepares it, but all my health resolutions go out the window and I wouldn’t care less if I feel like a giant anaconda after the heavy meal. I just can’t resist it. I got her special recipe and tried it a couple of times. My attempts turned out to be pretty tasty but when she does it and serves it scalding hot on a plate with her special raitha, it’s just food nirvana. And her pampering insisting that I have multiple servings is just as irresistible as her dish.

~ Of course, the way Adit smells. Fresh after a shower, a combination of his soap and himself. I could just snuggle him all day doing nothing.

~ The crisp smell of fresh bed sheets reminds me of times when I visit home after a long time. My room would be unused most times and hence mom would have cleaned it and made the bed with fresh sheets in anticipation of my arrival. The fresh bed sheet smell reminds me of my mother’s anticipation of my arrival.

~ The fragrance of winter setting in. This usually evokes a pleasant feeling since I enjoy winter of all the seasons. But ever since our trip to Boston in December 2016, it has associated itself with the feeling of vacation too. That was a much needed break for both of us and I had almost decided not to go on that vacation. Thanks to Adit, who dragged me along insisting that I needed it. We had such a great time and even if we make a million more trips, I would never forget that one.

~ The smell of baby wipes and diapers. A weird one but one that has weaved its way into my life. Can’t say I love it but all my dreams of pushing the poopy diaper department to Adit were in vain. 😐

~ The fragrance of lizol after my maid finishes cleaning the house. I am sucker for a clean house and I would launch an anti-dust campaign if I could. But sadly, it is impossible for me to keep a house that is sparkling clean with all the workload I have and the environmental conditions in the place I live. So the lizol fragrance is something that lifts my spirits. Oh, what would I do without my maid?

and many more such memories in the past and in making make life worth living for…..

Until later πŸ™‚

Be careful what you wish for

Owning a car was never on my wish list, but it turned out to be a mandatory evil that I have to deal with. Adit and I were happy with cab rides, public transport and our faithful Activa. But with impending parenthood, I started realizing the perks of owning a car. knowing how to drive a car. I was hell bent on the fact that we should at least know to drive a car even if we don’t want to own one. When you learnt to drive a car 10 years ago only for the sake of obtaining a driving license, you get a misplaced feeling of confidence that learning car driving again is easy. Well, the experience put me in my place.

Adit was not into buying a car and learning to drive it but I kept pushing him. I listed all the perks, nagged him and even told him I will use it even if he doesn’t like to. His main aversion was because of the Bangalore traffic and I fielded it with the typical answer that it is a known problem with any city. He was wary of the fact that we need to own a car and practice often in order to become a good driver and hence we would end up buying one anyway. In spite of his aversion and the fact that he attended driving school 6 months ago and then took a break before actually buying the car, I must say, he drives better than me . I just finished my driving classes and we bought our car when I was still attending the classes so that I can practice more. But disappointment awaited me. The learning experience threw me off my feet on the first day of my driving lessons. I realized that driving in Bangalore traffic is a different ball game than driving in my native.

Soon enough I started dreading the driving classes and the times when we drive our car to practice. Long story short, many driving classes and tense practice sessions in our car with Adit later, I can safely say that I now believe I can learn to drive a car decentlyΒ  someday. Till then, nerve wracking driving sessions are to continue. I have started hating pedestrians who casually walk across the road while talking on the mobile, 2 wheelers who overtake you on the left, people who cross roads without using the over bridge, vehicles cruising on the wrong side of the road. These traffic hurdles used to bother me before but now I loathe them vehemently. It’s like a mini heart attack every time something jumps at you on the Bangalore roads in addition to the infamous potholes and irregular speed breakers. I agree that I am a poor driver, but these just irritate me further and send me into a whirlwind of panic.

To make things easier, I was even wondering whether we should just buy an automatic version because the controls in the car are one too many for me. However, many discussions later, we have bought the manual version and I gotta learn to drive it. Whether I like it or not. Well, I keep telling myself, “You will get there”. When and how is something that time will answer. Sigh! I should have been careful about what I wished for.

Until later πŸ™‚

Happy 2018!

Here’s to a fresh start, to hope amidst chaos, to health, to a looming life-changing event!
Here’s to a clean slate, starting all over, to happiness, to joy, to troubles and sorrows!
Here’s to another year in this world, however crappy the world may seem!
Here’s to putting one foot in front of another and facing life one day at a time!
Here’s to picking oneself up, dusting up and moving on, stronger than yesterday!
Here’s to everything that life can throw at us and the strength to wade through it!
Here’s to a better now, better today, and a better tomorrow!
May 2018 see a better picture than the years gone by!
Happy new year to everyone out there!

 

Until later πŸ™‚

Why?

This post is dedicated to all those who answered the infinite why’s from all directions and owned up to their life decisions. May more people make the choice to answer than to succumb wordlessly.

Why?
Because I want to.
Why?
Because I like it.
Why?
Because I choose to.
Why?
Just because I can.
Why?
Because I have to the right to decide what I want to do.
Why?
Because I know what I am doing.
Why?
Because my life’s priorities are mine alone.
Why?
Because it’s my life.

Let’s start taking control of our life and stop trying to control others’ lives. Let’s own up to what we do with our lives and let each of us decide their life choices.

Until later πŸ™‚

Two sides

People who love to stay indoors will never get the thrill of adventures that have stories to tell, memories to sell and that rush of blood about exploring new things and places.

And people who love travelling will never get the peace that arises in being content about that one moment to just be where you are and enjoy that single moment in the entire expanse of time.

The two sides of a coin, the two sides of life!

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