Christmas Season - Santa time

Each one of us has received gifts at some point of time in our life. Most often, we receive gifts from people we know. The joy that one feels is for everyone around to see when one opens the gift-wrappings.

As a kid, I used to eagerly wait for Christmas Eve. I used to hope that Santa would come and gift me something I desired for during that age. Most elders and family members always stated that Santa would only gift you something if you were a good kid throughout the year. After that, they used to remind me of the bad things I might have done and why Santa would not gift me anything in that case.

However, my parents would try to figure out what I really wanted before Christmas. Alternatively, they would buy something that would make me happy.  Under the disguise of Santa, my parents would keep a gift under the Christmas tree that I would find the next morning when I would wake up.

This continued for a few years until I grew up and my parents updated me that Santa would stop visiting me, as I was no longer a kid. Around the same time, I realized that Santa was just an imaginary character in the life of us kids. This hurt me more than the fact that I would not receive gifts from Santa any more. It took me some time to overcome the lie with which I had grown up.

However, at quite a later stage in my life when I looked back over those years, I realized that gifts were just one way of expressing love and care by those people who were close to us. Gifts could be in form of material objects, people, a feeling, or even kind words that make the other person happier or less sad.

Each one of us is a Santa to our loved ones. My parents made me happy when I was a kid during the Christmas season by taking the form of Santa.

Now, I am 30 years old and am still waiting for Santa during the Christmas season. Yes, you read it right.

The reason being for the last 2 years at my workplace, we have been playing Secret Santa. For people who are not aware, Secret Santa is a Christmas tradition in which a person in a group is randomly assigned another person in the group to whom they anonymously give a gift.

So are you planning to be a Santa for your loved ones?

Wishing you and your families a very Happy Christmas.

Thank you...

I had been for a funeral of a neighbor today who was in his 60s. This uncle was very sick since the last 2 months and had health issues from the start of this year. My mom did update me about him being serious since the last 3 weeks. He finally passed away a couple of days back.

He was a very jolly person from what I knew about him. The priest and his wife only confirmed the same at his funeral ceremony. However, what touched me about his final days is the following incident.

Just a few days before his death, he asked his wife for a piece of paper and a pen. He started making a note of people involved in his life that he wanted to thank. I understand that his family members have already passed and would pass on the message to others on behalf of him.

Here is a person writhing in pain in hospital for the last 2 months. For some reason, he felt he would not make it. What does he do? Thanked all the people who played an important role in his life. I never heard something like this before. What an amazing thought from his side at his deathbed.

Life does not give such an opportunity to all of us. Some of us will pass away all of a sudden. I know there might be a big list of people in our life with whom we might have not been happy. However, there might be many others, who might feel the same about us too. Is it worth holding these ill feelings inside us?

We might not get an opportunity as this uncle got, or maybe we might not be in a good frame of mind during our sickness to have such a positive thought. Just imagine how nice would it be if we could continuously appreciate the role of people that have played a positive influence in our life. A small thank you would really go a long way in making someone’s day.

I do not want to regret later on missing saying, “Thank you…” Thanks uncle for the wonderful lesson that you taught many others and me through your death. Cheers Uncle!

Ladder 49: Value your life

I was watching a movie titled Ladder 49 today. This movie released in 2004 is about the heroics of a firefighter Jack Morrison trapped inside a warehouse fire. He recollects all the events during his lifetime in this period. The movie is a celebration of the firefighting career and the life that comes with it.

In today’s world, we see so many youth amongst us taking their lives. For this reason, I just felt like writing when i finished watching this movie.

When everything around me was in flames,

Moreover, the fire reduced all my possessions to ashes.

When the only thing I wished was to survive,

You were there.

You were there when I needed you most.

When everyone else tried to run out,

You had the courage to step in.

The only thing that mattered to you,

Was to save a life,

Save a life at any cost.

You did not think twice about your own life,

Or what would your family go through,

if you lost your life.

You were bold while performing your duty,

Wish we all were bold enough like you.

There are so many among us,

Who cannot cope with life’s struggles,

They seek the easier way out,

And try to end their own life.

Have we lost faith in the almighty?

Don’t we trust him to take care of us?

Do we think he will burden us with so much?

Without knowing how much each one of us can handle.

Life is precious.

If not for yourself, live for others to whom you mean a lot.

All alone...

You were around…

• When I came into this world
• When I shed my first tears
• When I laughed for the first time
• When I said my first words
• When I started to walk
• When I went to school on the first day
• When I received my results at school
• When I went to college
• When I got married

You were around…

• When we as a family had our difficulties
• When we needed an eager ear to listen to us
• When our family extended
• When dad was unwell

Now, you have grown old and look who is around you…

• No One

We your children have all settled down in life, some far and some close…

Why is life so tough that we have to let you live you all alone?

Wish you could spend more time with us your children. However, for now, we respect your decision to live life the way you want to, as you have lived your entire life for us. We know you have your own daily routine there. We would not like you to feel that we have locked you in a cell, in a different city, all by yourself when we go to work. Moreover, as long as you take care of your health, we are fine with the current situation.

It is just the thought that you have no one around you, for whom you have always been around, which does not make us feel nice.

Good News?

Well I went to Church for the Sunday Service yesterday. However, this article has nothing to do with the good news or the word of god.

I have been married for about 16 months now and people who I know frequently ask me a question. Yes, this question is about the Good News. I was not so prepared to answer this question the first few times. Frankly, I did not expect so many relatives to ask me this question. However, now it has got to a point where I felt I should write about my experience so far.

Well for all people who yet do not know what good news means? This means people around you are actually interested in knowing when you intend to become a parent.

I cannot understand why everyone around is so interested in knowing about this. What pleasure do they get in knowing about this? I feel relatives must leave this decision to the married couple alone, as in a way this is invading in their married life. I wonder if this is one way of finding out whether the couple is sexually active. I know that no one would have the guts to ask that question straightforward. Hence, probably they ask this question.

For the start, I did not even know what my uncles, aunties, cousins, and colleagues were trying to ask me:

•          So when is the family expanding?
•          Are you hiding anything?
•          How is your wife’s health doing?

Yes, all of these questions meant only one thing. When do you intend to become a parent? Worst part was recently I was asked a question by a relative who happened to be a bachelor. He asked, “When are you giving the good news?” This question came unexpectedly. His parents did not bother to ask me that. This person is yet to get married. Wondering, what pleasure it would give him in hearing about the good news.

My wife’s and my first family have never asked this question and I respect them for that.  Infact, as I understand, my parents never asked this question to anyone else in the family. Still everyone around considers this as their moral right and ask this question without any shame.

I have replied to this question in my anger a couple of times. Six months into my marriage, one elderly uncle asked me this question. I told him uncle, your son took 5 years to become a parent, give me some consideration atleast. That made him quiet. I guess my response stunned him. I wonder if this happens only in Indian culture, or relatives in all countries subject married couples to this question.

Well, I would not like to share private details with everyone around on when I plan to raise a family. When the time comes and with god’s blessings, everyone will get the good news. I wonder what is there to hide when the times does come.

Well, I have always been a planner. For all who do not know, I jokingly told my friends about 3-4 years back that I would get married on May 7, 2011. Yes, I did that. Well this is the day my parents got married in 1971. I always thought that I would get married when I was 29-30, which I again did. I know you might ask me whether I am serious when I tell you that my wife’s parents also got married on that same date many years back. Well, this was a real co-incidence. That was not in my list J

I wonder if the next time people around me do ask me about the good news, I should just state, 05/10/15. This date is not in my list either. J However, that should make a few people quiet for the time being atleast.

If you are married, did you face this question? How did you handle this situation? 

Yes, it is that old...

How old am I?
30 years

How old is this shirt since I first started wearing it?
15 years

Yes, it has been 15 years since I started wearing this Levi Strauss shirt and I last wore it about a month back. My brother gifted me this shirt then. I myself cannot believe that I have worn this shirt for so long. It is difficult to part with something that has been in one’s wardrobe for so long. However, I have finally decided to give it away. This is not because the shirt has worn out, but because I cannot fit into the shirt anymore. Hope, someone can still reuse the shirt for some time. J

Happy Wedding Anniversary Wilma

It is only a year since we started this journey as a married couple together,
However, it feels like it has been long since we have known each other.
Like most married couples for the start, we too had our share of difficulties,
Nevertheless, what matters now is how strongly we have overcome our initial anxieties.

It is good that we were similar in some aspects,
As else, the going could have been tougher is what I suspect.
All I can say is for every single one of the arguments I initiated,
You surely played the role of the calming influence and were unaffected.

I really like you for what you are,
Hence, I do not want you to change even one bit just for me.
If there is something that really needs to change completely,
It is my temper, which I now finally display only occasionally.

For the start, you really played the role of a homemaker perfectly,
Now that you are working, you continue to balance the house responsibilities so diligently.
The only thing I wish for you my dear, loving wife,
Is that I continuously improve on my efforts at being a good spouse in this life.

Republic Day – January 26

Colors saffron, white, and green,
With a navy blue Ashoka Chakra in between,
This is the pattern of the national flag of India.
A result of the sacrifice of countless great souls,
The tricolor represents the struggle in achieving India's greatest goals.


Saffron symbolizes courage and sacrifice,
White indicating truth, unity, and peace,
Green standing for faith and fertility,
All in one flag reflecting India's ethnicity.