I am Meera and this is my Christmas story. I was in the fourth standard – a quiet, shy, delicate girl. ‘Delicate’ not physically, but emotionally. Apart from my parents and elder brother, my grandmother stayed with us too. I lovingly called her granny. Granny must have been around fifty-five then. She had developed high sensitivity in one of her teeth. So anything that was too cold or too hot would agitate her. Everyone thought my brother was very smart. He had named me ‘Granny’s

Christmas to me is a table full of goodies and a house full of guests. Preparation for Christmas at my place starts at least two months in advance. We soak all the dry fruits in rum to make plum cakes and the entire house smells of freshly baked goodies. Whenever guests visit our home during this season the table is filled with chocolates, sweets, mulled wine and the famous plum cake!  Carol singers from church visit us in the middle of the night to sing,

Staying ahead in the rat race is one tough nut to crack, especially so for women. However, some never-say-die spirits like me try to keep up a good run, falling at times on the track, sometimes moving out of the track limit and sometimes just jogging past others to keep pace. We are in the 21st Century, but still only 4 out of 10 women are working full time, running a business or trying hands at entrepreneurship. We are just

After graduating from Lady Shri Ram College in New Delhi I got married and moved to Bangalore in 1975. Two years later I took up International Montessori Training. In 1980, I joined Sophia High School in the kindergarten section. Since then it has been like a fairy tale…so the apt opening to my story would read, “Once upon a time Mrs. Poonam joined Sophia High School and worked there happily ever after…” Love and passion for teaching little ones has

  Remember how I looked at you from the other side and scolded you everyday, “Let it get figured out. No, don’t hide it anymore, not this time. You must have forgotten the girl in the photograph, but I haven’t. She was a free bird who didn’t have to wear a smile, she beamed one! Maybe, she really got trapped inside the photo frame, but she has to help herself out!” You often sighed at this, but what for? Apply

Grief is a normal part of coping with loss. It could be the loss of a job, a pet, a loved one or even a romantic relationship. All of these bring about a sense of loss which needs to be dealt with. It is completely normal to feel bitter, numb, detached and distant from people and places. But when do we know it is too much? If you or someone you know starts having suicidal thoughts, prolonged depression or loss

I often question myself, “When women are victims of constant gender based violence, why have we as a society not equipped them with the essential skills needed to safeguard their physical/mental wellbeing?”, Is it a natural disposition or societal conditioning that makes the female sorority bear all the atrocities committed on them. In India, we address women as Durga, Kali and Shakti which are the embodiments of strength and valour.  This clearly implies that women have the inner strength that

PCOS, PCOD or P-COS, whatever you may call it, affects about 20% girls and is one of the most common hormone disorders in teenage and adult women. More and more girls now suffer from erratic periods, acne and unwanted facial hair etc., compounded by weight issues. Whether it is a trend towards cosmetic awareness or genuine menstrual problems that make them seek help, the truth is they are more aware of it as being a problem that needs to be tackled.

Following is my interpretation of my bond with Michael Jackson as an artist. Though it’s a fairly inexplicable perception, I’ve tried to put it into words. He was a man who stood out in a crowd; he was different – to me he was different because of his simplicity, and powerful thoughts and their strong expression He was soft spoken; he was shy – to me he was one with the loudest voice with the strongest reach as his songs

It’s been two years since I started out as a nurse and if I had to describe it in one word or even one sentence, I really couldn’t. One day you’re so confident that you’ve picked the right career and the next, you’ve had a day from hell and you’re not sure if you want to come back the next day. But that’s the fun of it! It has taught me a lot. Like going home on time really does