Forever a F(r)iend

(Wrote this back in 2008 . My first attempt at writing a really short story (apparently it's called flash writing).  This one was supposed to be less than 500 words & the theme was 'journal' or 'blog'.)

"I am not sure what to say and how to say it!" she cried.  Bela put her arm around Diya, "Oh you poor baby. Honestly, I'd have just killed myself if I were you.  But you… you're a lot stronger than that."

"Listen," Bela tried her most optimistic voice, "I have an idea!  You could write a letter.  Confess to everything." Diya's sobs grew uncontrollable.  Her eyes all puffed up, she moved to the bean-bag and leaned back, "no… Bela, you don't understand… confessing… won't solve anything.  The deed is done… and now, I am not even sure… what words to use to describe it!"

They sat in silence in the sunny room; Diya on the bean-bag, and Bela on the Diwan. On any other Sunday, they would have sat around with chilled beer and watched one of the many movies from their collection.

But today was different… Bela took out her laptop and began to type aimlessly; anything to keep her from saying something wrong to Diya. Minutes turned into hours.  Diya continued to stare at the ceiling, not seeing the abstract patterns left by the sun's rays. Bela went tap-tap-tap-TAP… tap-tap-TAP... for a long time.  Rubbing her eyes she went across the room; switched on the light.  It was late evening already and she had difficulty focusing, having stared at the monitor for hours.

Diya sat in the same position but her sobs had stopped.  Bela whispered, "chai?" Diya mumbled a yes.

On her way to the kitchen, Bela peeped over at her screen… frowned, moved closer… the silence continued, the stillness in the air was palpable.  "Wow!" Bela's scream jolted Diya from her reverie.  "What the...??" Diya yelled.

"Oh baby, I have an answer to all your troubles!" she smiled. "Duh! Why didn't I think of it earlier?"

"Will you tell me what the hell's on your mind?"

"Diya, all you need to do is blog this whole incident down, and give it a fictional twist. Ask everyone to comment on it, their reactions if they were in this situation."

"Get people to write different endings to your story… let them get into your shoes. They won't know it's yours!"

"I don't understand how that can help???" Diya shrugged.

"Oh my God, Diya, snap out of it and think girl!"

Silence.

Slowly, very slowly, Diya's face broke out - the inner struggle at one point making her look like a weatherworn monster – and she smiled...

"I think I'll have that chai after all."

She rushed to Bela's laptop and typed out furiously, a surreal glow forming around her face, highlighting a sinister smile. Something was wrong and something was just right.  The noises in the kitchen died out as Diya finished "…is my story and I am truly sorry for everything I have done. Logging out for the last time – Bela Zimmerman"

My Daughter... On Growing Up

V: Mama, you know how everyone says they want to be like this or that person when they grow up.

Me: Yes.

V: Do you know who I want to be like when I grow up?

Me: No. Tell me baby.

V: I want to be just me.

Me: (In my mind - Awww....)

When she was barely 2.5 years old. Now all of 10!

You know, when we were growing up everyone of us said we wanted to be like this or that person when we grow up. Guess what? We all grew up to be just us. Once expectations are set closer to reality, life should be less like a fight and more like a beautiful journey.

No such thing as too much appreciation. It’s never enough really!

Last Sunday, I was being pampered by Tanishq, what with a foot massage, a make-up artist on board, lovely designer jewellery to try, live music, scrumptious food and my very own photo shoot on board Mia On Wheels! With about 16 other fun women bloggers including Priyanka Blah and Alicia Souza (both fun and gorgeous girls who just made the whole day more fun for me!) keeping me company, I felt like a complete celebrity (the photos speak for themselves). Their campaign revolves around how work would be more fun if we were to travel to work like this every single day. I couldn’t agree more.

On board Mia on Wheels

And so the pampering begins...

and continues...

Foot massage and time to pick the jewellery!

Jewellery picked... make up done... foot massage in progress!

That's it for now... no more jewels please. 

Content!

Blah picks out the  jewels. Oh yeah!

Alicia and Blah are all set now... jewellery and make-up all taken care of.

The pampering continues...

Music, food, jewels, happy feet and happy faces!

Mia on Wheels!

Happy Faces! 

`

This got me thinking on the concept of appreciation. Man or woman who doesn’t like to be appreciated every now and then?

I would love to get a note or a little something from my daughter, my family, a friend, a colleague, my boss et al every now and then that says I am appreciated. Thanks to the pampering last week, I have decided that I will make that effort every now and then to show people in my life that they are important and well appreciated. Spreading the joy is bound to create happier people around translating into lesser frowns and more smiles over all! :)

Small little things to make our lives beautiful… on that note, I am off now to make the best of this Sunday… A lovely mother-daughter Sunday it shall be!

Out of Body Experience, you say?

Light-headed and heavy-hearted I sleep
Through the afternoon sun.
Not a care in the world,
So I'd say to some.

Falling into an abyss,
A dream so deep,
I dread to remain asleep.
Wake, I must and peep
into this world and, creep
Around a jungle so deep!

Do I want to?
Do you even care?
Have I missed the light?
My last chance?

Awake at last!
Reminiscing of that chance I had
To sleep and never wake up!
Alas! You've got to live
With me now, I guess!

My life is my inspiration !

I have been that little girl who trusted and lost, who grew up too early for her age, who always had a smile on her face while she wore borrowed & faded clothes to school. I have been that teenage girl who began working when she turned 18, curbing her dreams of going to college. I have been that working professional who did a kick-ass job every time but had to feel apologetic every time she had to take a day off for her daughter’s PTA meeting. I have been that neurotic single mom who has screamed and yelled, who has sometimes felt so exhausted at the end of a day because she just wants to put her feet up & relax. 

I have been that little girl who made friends easily, who played every sport in school, who was forever the tomboy. I have been that teenage girl who bought her first bike with her own money, who wasn’t afraid to ride home at midnight every day after work, who had her first drink when she was 18. I have been that working professional who brought in happiness and cheer to work, who was always there to help out, who made friends out of colleagues. I have been that friend who’s always there, who always called her friends to wish them happy birthday. I have been that single mom who never tires of making her daughter laugh in all the strangest ways, who cooks her heart out because she knows her daughter will wallop a dish, who never tires of telling her daughter she loves her.

I am not you & my life over 37 years has been my inspiration!

Wrote this for the International Women's Day initiative by Tanishq