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Perspective of a parent
After visiting an elderly relative of mine yesterday, I was quite disturbed on seeing him, sitting all alone in the front porch. His three children stay abroad. Wife was at the hospital. He has a male servant who helps him out. Otherwise, it is him, the big house and silence. In the eastern countries, filial responsibility is entrenched in the minds of people. We rarely send our parents to old age homes or put them under the care of someone who is not family. When we come across such a situation, the first thought is ‘The children donot care for their parents. How selfish of them!’ Maybe, we are wrong…
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Think global, act local
The issue of racism abounds in our society. Though we Indians come in all shades “Fair is superior/beautiful, dark is inferior/ugly” mantra has been sung and wrongly believed since ages. I have never encountered racism until the time came for me, to search for a spouse. Then I tasted it’s most vile form. In the concept of arranged marriage/proposals set up by families, one of the initial questions asked is ‘What is her complexion?’ The minute it is known I am dusky/wheatish/dark/tanned (You see, Indians have a colourful vocabulary!), it negates all my achievements, educational qualifications, qualities and goodness of heart (if any!). How much more shallow can we be?…
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Message in a bottle.
While rewinding myself at the beach, after the big fat battle against exams, I was caught up in my daily dose of day dreaming when a glistening glass caught my eye. My Nancy-Drew-honed curious mind went over to investigate only to find a glass bottle with a note inside. Excitement crept over me. I seek adventures or adventures seek me – I cannot fathom which is more appropriate. Opening the tight shut wooden cork, I came across a beautiful message : Laugh at life’s absurdities. Learn from daily oddities. Strengthen inborn abilities. Polish innate capabilities. Engage in useful activities. Nurture selfless qualities. Open to new possibilities. Fulfill family responsibilities. Reminder…
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Generation gap
The generation before me did not grow up using Google for their school projects. The generation after mine would not have used Encyclopaedia Britannica for the same. We used both ! The generation before mine did not know what it was to listen to one’s favourite music over and over again. The generation after mine would probably not know what a Sony Walkman /MP3 is. We know both ! The generation before mine was not familiar with X-box and PSP during their childhood. The generation after mine donot spend their time playing ‘Hide and Seek’ and ‘Tag’. We played it all ! The generation before mine typed on their typewriter.…
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Scotland dreams
After graduating with Bachelor’s of Dental Surgery, the options available for an Indian dentist are : 1) Work in a Private/Government hospital or go into private practice. 2) Clear the Post Graduate Entrance Examinations. 3) Post Graduation abroad. Clear the required Qualifying exams of the country. While searching for option 3, I came across an exciting degree in a reputed college in a beautiful place. I am referring to Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, UK. I was quite thrilled on coming across it since it fulfilled all my criteria. My eventual goal is to get in to the Public Health Sector, hence…
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Remains
We die containing a richness of lovers and tribes, tastes we have swallowed, bodies we have plunged into and swum up as if rivers of wisdom, characters we have climbed into as if trees, fears we have hidden in as if caves. I wish for all this to be marked on my body when I am dead. I believe in such cartography – to be marked by nature, not just to label ourselves on a map like the names of rich men and women on buildings. We are communal histories, communal books. We are not owned or monogamous in our taste or experience. All I desired was to walk upon…
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Award Galore-2
Big smile. A second award on the blogosphere. The Liebster Award nominated by the lovely Livid Frost. Thank you so much ! Just a month on WordPress and I am totally enjoying blogging here. The Liebster Award is given to new bloggers with less than 200 posts and followers. Thank you once again, Livid Frost ! Here are the rules for accepting the award : 1. Thank the person who nominated you and post a link to their blog. 2. You must answer the 10 questions given to you by the nominee before you. (That list is below the nominations.) 3. You must nominate 5-10 of your favorite blogs…
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Colours of Nature
Do we have a name for every shade of colour seen in nature? Glory be to the Creator ! (Linking it to ABC Wednesday and the letter for the week is C)
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In her shoes
I have been having a strained relationship with my mom for a week now. Hence, when I saw the DPChallenge, I thought why not write a post from her shoes, on why I am being a difficult child suddenly! ” I donot understand why. Why is she hurting me so much? I have always looked out for her good. Now she tells, it is because of me her life is messed up. What did I do? I can see the pain and confusion she is going through, yet to take it out all on me is not justifiable. She tells I am no good, I forced her to…
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Weekly Photo Challenge : Juxtaposition
Merging of blue and green. Kerala, South India – commonly known as God’s own country. (Weekly Prompt : Juxtaposition from the Daily Post)
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Award Galore – 1
Nearly 10+ days ago, I got a notification filled-with-chocolate-and-cookies from The Mad Muslimah stating she had nominated me for the Sunshine Award. Wohoo. Alhamdulilah. Thank you so much, The Mad Muslimah for the award, my first one in the blogosphere. Guys, head over to her blog to read of this brave heart’s story in dealing with difficulties. May God bless you, dear! So here I go in stating 11 random facts about me : 1) I am an Indian bought up in the Middle East and a nomad at heart. 2) My faith is one of the most important aspect of my life. 3) They call me a dentist, yet…
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A word of praise.
While at the College food court, the cashier on seeing my ink-splattered hands, gave me paper napkins to wipe with, even before I thought of asking for it. I got excited and ran to my friend, ‘Guess what?! He gave me these without me asking for them !’ (Looking back at it now, it looks like a very silly reason to get excited about!) My friend replied, “Oh dear, I love it how you find joy in the simplest of things!” I was startled by the comment. Finding joy in the simple things – Such a phrase had not entered in my thought process until then. I was…
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Iqra’ – An affair with books.
I do not remember the first book I read. Was it Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series? Or was it a ‘Babysitters club’ shared from my sister? Or RL Stine? But for sure, I remember, my childhood was punctuated with books, comics and children’s magazines. I have often seen my parents and my elder sister often lost in a book. Our house was filled with books ranging from religion to the complete edition of ‘Encyclopaedia Britannica’. In the book ‘Freakonomics’ the author states that a child who grew up in a house filled with books often indulges in the habit of reading irrespective of the fact whether the parents read…
