On My Way!

(www.mywedding.com)

After dreaming about my prince for long, it was literally a dream come true when I first met him. Now that I look back upon that time, it all seems magical & so wonderful!

Friends say it's a very dreamy, cute story. I believe so too. How else would you think two long lost friends came together only to become partners for life? After years of not being in touch, we came together via the internet. No, it's not a strange internet love story. Both of us found out through chats that we love writing letters, yes handwritten ones. 

When I started writing to him, it was as if I had found a friend I was looking for. The conversations we had in letters, the anticipation of when the next letter will arrive, the beauty & charm of it! Sigh! Both of us were (and still are) more than happy to realise that we're old school. During those 6 months of writing to each other, we made it a point to not call or text, not chat as well. Emails were allowed. Those 6 months of letter writing was where we came to know each other. Our letters spoke so well about ourselves. There wasn't a missing link, ever. We poured our hearts out, and aren't we glad that we did!

Though we knew each other since long, letters made us break our prejudices about each other. He revealed himself so honestly in the letters. I loved the qualities that kept adding on to the person I knew.

It wasn't a surprise when we started discussing relationships and our ideas about love, marriage & partners. Like any other conversation, it drifted off to a lot of discussions. Probably typical when he said he wasn't looking forward to marriage or a relationship for that matter. I, on the other hand, have always been in love with love! Being the typical me, I tried to tell him where he was thinking wrong about the whole idea. I just wanted to change his perception about love & marriage.

And when it came to judging ourselves, while convincing him, I told him upfront that I wouldn't mind dating him at all. That was the fire that let the fireworks out! Before we knew it, we just wanted to meet each other. It was one of the wisest decisions we took I'd say. All I wanted to know was whether he was the same person as he is in his letters - honest, simple, charming. No marks for guessing that he did turn out to be exactly that....

It'll be a year since our first date happened last year and here we are, exactly a month away from getting married :) Everyday since that day I have found new reasons to love him, and now these 30 days seem to bring an inexplicable joy. The countdown has begun! Bound to start this chapter on a love-filled & fun-filled note!

Run Lola Run!!

Another blog post marks the end of the weekend! A weekend well-spent in the true sense I'd say then. This might be a self-dabba post but well, I don't care! :D It might be a regular, for all you know. 

I have finally started jogging/walking since last week. The goal of getting up early has been achieved after months! And I agree that one was the toughest step, to get out of bed. It is easier to do it now because of the driving force - being fitter and losing weight. I am glad to boast about it because I have taken breaks only thrice since Monday till today! Yay!

It's a good feeling to go for a run/walk early in the morning. It feels like that's the only me time I get out of the 24 hours. It's that time of the day when I feel fresh about starting every day on a new note, without having to analyse anything - be it my personal life or professional life. Thoughts just flow, and I let them be. Because they are positive ones. Any signs of worrying thoughts approaching, and I don't know how, but I am able to brush them away very easily at that time in the morning. And I love that. This regime brings an amount of certainty that I've been craving for since past few weeks. It brings mental peace that is necessary for me right now.

That said, I am also following a healthy diet. Doesn't mean that I've given up my love for food. Just cut down on unwanted things easily :) Lovin' every bit of this! I am certain about losing flab and more importantly, being fit.

One life to live, love and be fit I'd say! I love this ad by Nike below:

(www.pinterest.com)

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - For The Elderly & The Beautiful

(www.hotterinhollywood.com)

This weekend has been a relaxing one in some ways, I'd say. My longest wish of watching movies & sitcoms back to back has been fulfilled. And I'm left with thoughts, like anybody else.

On one hand, I saw the movie Man From Earth and on the other, I saw The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Two different phases of human life, blended so beautifully. I especially liked the latter. 

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is about this bunch of old people, who have their own reasons of visiting India and land up at the same hotel. Mostly because of the fake pictures being put on the internet and also may be because the tag line of the hotel says, "For the elderly and the beautiful". You know how there is always this one character in a movie which is charming and sane? Mrs. Evelyn Greenslade is one of those in the movie, she keeps the story going really well. 

The movie projects each story in a way that you would like, there are secrets that each one is hiding but you find out (or may be it's an overdose of watching 'Lie To Me'!). It made me realise how probably in the last few years of their lives, they found where they truly belonged - in themselves.

Probably you realise in the last few years of your life that there are so many things you've wanted to do, wanted to share, the desire of living, loving increases when you find a charming place that you are slowly adapting to.


Finally, it's all about following your heart in the end. A lesson, I'm grateful, I've learnt at this age :-)

That Hollow Space

(www.crystalinks.com)

'Life is simple, we make it complicated.', goes the line. Somewhere I have realised this might not be true in every case. When you try to keep things simple, they tend to deviate.

When I thought things would be simpler, we'd make it simpler, they got offended! When I wanted things to be smooth & happy, they took offence. And after all the mess, I am left feeling stupid like an immature child. I am left feeling guilty for what I've done. It's amazing how they can bring you into pieces within seconds. 

When you think you'd give them importance, they don't think the same way. Neither for themselves, nor for their kids. Giving examples is what they can do. Telling me how wrong I am is what they can do. Letting me know that there is that hollow space inside of you since 7 years, is what they've done in the end. When you are happy about telling them the new developments in life, they call it shamelessness. You are judged left, right and centre. They are the biggest hypocrites I've ever seen. 

Things would've been different. So different. Why does life bring you at turns from where you just don't want to go anywhere? You feel shattered, broken, breached, mistaken. You want to crash on that very turn, waiting for the one to pick you up, wipe your tears and let you know that everything is going to be fine. 

I would like to thank those who have made me realise what missing a man, who is nowhere around you and can never be seen, means. You've made me realise it in such a harsh way that I am scarred for life. I thought they would stand up during the tough times, instead they've shown me the tough times. And made me realise that they can never be happy at the first go. Their happiness comes only after making you feel bad.

Thank you for these realisations. I will never be able to see you the same way ever again. I will also never be able to live up to your expectations.

Soul Kadhi

I like catching up with friends. It’s just that sometimes the laziness tends to get on to me. But when it comes to old friends and people that are special to me, I never refuse their offer.

I was pretty happy to meet this friend of mine over the weekend, although I did meet her about a month ago. It’s always good to see her. Our conversations tend to touch so many topics that at the end of the meeting when I get home, I am always happy to look back upon it.

We went to this place called ‘Under The Mango Tree’. When I suggested this place to her she was up for it in the first go. I really liked her reply, she said, “Let’s finalise this place. I like the name; we can discuss life under the mango tree.” And I smiled... So true!

The catching up turned out to be like a summer afternoon under the mango tree, where you have nothing else on your mind and go by the flow of the conversations. We discussed everything from work, to people, to life, to how it is taking a turn in various aspects. Sharing experiences to giving advices, having great food by the side – lovely conversations under the tree indeed.

This was one of the best ‘soul kadhi’ I came across, garnished with heart to heart conversations... Garnished with honesty and love...

(Also, the restaurant next to 'Under The Mango Tree' was called 'Soul Kadhi' and my sister mentioned it is a good name for a blog. Suits me!)

Father, Teacher And A Guardian Angel

(www.larissaphotography.com)

It was my father's birthday on Teacher's Day and he proved in more ways than one that he really is my guardian angel. I remember I had my doubts about him being around me, almost a year ago. I would never get signs from him about his presence, which was very disappointing frankly. But I kept my faith in him, and ever since December last year, I've been getting signs more often :)

As I thought about celebrating his birthday by doing some charity and was unable to, I was a bit upset. Nevertheless, I decided to listen to his favourite songs that day in office and a rush of memories came back to me. Well yes, it doesn't take a minute for them to come...

Then there was a point where I got so involved in his memories that I was actually confused about his absence. I couldn't believe for a fraction of a second that he is not with us physically. And I started to wonder how would things be if he was here. Would we move to Bangalore? Would he be proud of the fact that I am a writer, following his footsteps?

I started imagining how he would react to important decisions like marriage. And I couldn't take that thought further, which made me feel guilty. How could I not know how my father would react to this? Is this all I've known about my father? I paused for a few seconds and thought really hard over it, only to be left with a smile on my face. How would he react? He would be as normal as he was during all his years! :) I'd love to know how he thought about getting his daughters married. It's easy for me to imagine him smiling at the whole idea, the whole ceremony. That smile which reaches his eyes so easily that you're lost in his sparkling eyes...

May be that's what gets us going, his smile, his attitude, his faith in life. In us. That is what makes his birthday all the more special - a father, a teacher who has taught us so many things in life subtly. And that's why, me and my sister are daddy's girls in every way :)

A World Which Was Never Unreal

A song grabs sudden attention while working and I don't realise when it suddenly brings a strange respite during the work day.

It's a Saturday and I am still stuck to this song. It is a melody that speaks about a calm night, time together, where the togetherness wouldn't want you to speak at all....

And I am taken to a world I am looking forward to step into, a world I've kept so close to my heart that it has become a part of my soul. I have believed in love and romance ever since I left my tomboy phase. As if the world was never unreal, it takes minutes for me to slip into that world secretly and I am happy with what I see in my future.

A world full of calm songs playing in the background, while me and my better half do our usual chores. A world where we don't need to steal moments from someone, as we'd believe in the song "All you need is love!" A world where we take care of each other like it's the most obvious thing to do and not something that we have to oblige to. A world where we go on walks around the town everyday, without fail, a sort of ritual, even if it means going to the nearest coffee shop. A place where I snuggle into my prince's arms and he likes to take me in his arms, without thinking I am too mushy. A world where all my smiles, laughter, angst, tears don't go into a void but are welcomed by a person who accepts me at par. A world full of mugs of coffee and chai by the window or in the balcony where we have the most normal of conversations and  discussions. A world where I look forward to sleeping next to my prince and waking up to him, which ensures that my day ended well and begins on the most adorable of notes :)

A world where all my dreams come true. Of living in peace, harmony, happiness with each other. A world called 'love'.