I often tell people these days that I have lowered my expectations from those in my life to a great extent. So much so, that even from people close to me, I feel I shouldn’t expect much. In most cases, the return I get is – ‘“Has something happened to you? You are being spiritual/philosophical.”I laugh.  That obviously makes me think that expectations from others is so much a part of our lives. Our psyche. Our existence. Over the years,

Do yourself a favour – Keep that child in you alive I am writing this piece, in the muggy Singapore weather, waiting in a serpentine queue at the Universal Studios. Why? Because my daughter and I just have to be on that roller coaster. By the time our turn comes, we’re just grateful to sit. But once it begins, and we can feel the wind in our hair, we hold on tight to the bars and shriek. As in really

During our time, we didn’t have the concept of playgroup and nursery especially in smaller towns.  So, my siblings and I started our education directly from KG 1.  We lived in a very small town where there were no fancy schools and only 2-3 schools and all the kids from all walks of life went only to those schools. Kindergarten school was run by an affable Malayali couple, Mr. and Mrs. Koshy.  It’s been so, so many years still I

Declutter, as less is the new more ! The idea to declutter took a different meaning at different stages of my life, because what was important at that point in time decided what I needed and didn’t. The need to get rid of things arises because all that we hold close to our hearts may lose importance later and are simply there to add to the ever increasing  pile up. As we grow and evolve, letting go of things and

“Mumma, dada has won so many trophies, and I haven’t won even one. Now, everyone will love and praise him. No one will care about me.”These are the exact words of my daughter, as she says and we sit and wait for my son to finish his game at the ongoing chess tournament. Now, what do I possibly reply to this? She is smart. Sweet words won’t work. And neither sympathising. That’s horrendous. My husband and I look at each other.

I remember the first time my little girl, then probably three or four, came running to me in tears because another child in the park she was playing in, had been rude to her. She was clueless because she had never encountered anything like this. Running back to mommy was the only thing she knew. Of course, mommy had to oblige, wipe her tears and go pull up the bully. Right? Wrong…. At that moment it seemed a tangible solution

I have made more than just memories with youBlack, white and greySummer evenings or winter mornings Days spent in backbreaking toil over papers and presentations Nights drowned in a flood of 3 AM thoughts It’s you who’s kept me going…  I wonder what’s so magical about your aroma The faintly bitter but nauseating smell of freshly ground beansI love the way you make swirling designs in the milk and creamYou’re extraordinary in the everyday, the unique amidst the usual… That queer ability to

April is celebrated as the International Caesarean awareness month. Do we have a normal delivery awareness month being celebrated? No. Why? Because it is considered to be normal and an accepted way of birthing. Why do we have to create awareness about Caesarean section? I will tell you why. It is not considered to be “normal”. It is, as some people call it “the easy way out” and a painless option for lazy moms who do not want to go

No matter what we seek in life, our mind chases happiness at the end of it all. Happiness is the key to human existence even though it remains elusive most of the time. It sneaks through the doors of our heart and mind without knocking and leaves without notice most of the time. As with everything else – it is impermanent and momentary unless we learn to hold it longer. Sometimes just soaking in the beautiful sunshine,watching sunsets / sunrises,

All this girl friend and boy friend business is total bogus. How many of us have grown up hearing this? Rings a bell? Familiar? Even if not overtly, but there was always an undertone of such a warning in my home when I grew up. It was never seen in a healthy way that a love affair can do any good to anyone. It was something that needs to be stopped and admonished. Kill at the onset. Warn. Rebuke. Blackmail.