Remember that thing about Apples and Tree?

We had a round aluminium electric oven in our house which, even today, Mom would lovingly reminisce that her sister gave it. Mom and Dad always baked together. And that involved a lot of sieving and mixing, as they always baked 2-3 cakes together with some cookies. Never was a lone cake standing on the table 😄

Today I baked a Marble cake with my daughter. She enjoys the whole process of sieving and mixing and she is deep in love with the smell of a nicely mixed cake batter. Like most people, I have a lot of my memories connected to food. And today, that first bite of marble cake took me back to my teenage days. 

I remember that Mom and Dad did a lot of things together. They enjoyed gardening, baking and interior decor. They shared same interests, but their strengths in each of these areas were completely different. I guess that's why I dont remember them having a conflict when they were planting and plucking or trying out a new layout for our furniture. They somehow ended up complementing each other naturally. In today's day and age we'll have to empty our wallets going for therapy to get a hang on this. For the other part though, like any marriage, they had their own demons to ward off. 

I always wondered how I never inherited any of these better traits from them. Plants never saw light of the day in my hands! Cooking was another chore to be done with! And I gave away interiors to my other half. He and my Mom synced at that level.

It took an extended work from home and a missed annual leave flight to know better. Over the last few days, I have had some extra stress free time on my hand. I have enjoyed baking and cooking some treats for my daughter. And there is a Lemon sapling proudly growing in my balcony. What can I say... it brings much relief, more than joy, to my heart to know that the (Drum Roll, Pls...)

"Lemon did not fall that far away from the tree".

The Generation Z

Come to think of it, we are the crossroad generation. Our parents are dependent on us the same way as our children. Our kids, once they grow up will go on to live their life. Expecting them to provide and support our old age is over rated. I feel we are that generation, who has three hearts to fill - the past, present and the future. And we are that generation, who can make a difference for the future ones. 

The other day I was talking with my colleagues about how as children me and my brother saved up all the small coins from our Dad. We would exchange those small coins for big notes at a nearby grocery store. Dad used to borrow money from us during month ends, to get through with those last expense bit and once he receives his salary, he would return it to us with a small interest. 

Today when I think back, there is so much of learning in that small gesture. He made us feel responsible and big enough to take decisions. He treated us as an equal at that moment. He was humble enough to ask a helping hand from us kids. Now, I am not sure if that was a reality check for him or a learning window for us. He taught us No matter what, Ego and Selfishness doesn't have a role in family.

I wonder how my daughter will learn these values in this generation of Screen time and Kidzania currencies.

Its difficult, but we still need to practice "Counting our Blessings".

In the course of last 5 years of schooling, I have come to the conclusion that my daughter is an average student who is much more inclined towards art, music and dance. I panicked when I realized that Math is not her favourite subject. Me being a Finance professional, though not by choice, but events just turned out that way. I have always loved Maths, the addition and subtraction and the simple logical conclusions it can help you arrive at. So now you can imagine why I panicked at the realization that this genre did not pass down to my offspring. She has inherited her father’s love for music (of all kinds… really!) and she is ‘Jack of all but Master of none’, just like her parents.

It’s the assessments that cause major commotion at home, me trying my best to explain so she can reproduce her answers logically. She being my obedient, understanding girl, puts all her effort, only for them to fly above that teeny head, up into the clouds. And then we are back at it again.. “How are clouds formed Ammulu??” By this time, she can actually make her own sentence for the word glaring (from English lessons) – My mother was glaring at me, as I couldn’t solve the answer’.

There is a lot of discussion going on about the bad influence of social media and how real life is so much different from the virtual one. But there are times, when I feel thankful for social media. If not for Facebook, we would not have known what is happening with our bygone school/college mates. And there are some life lessons to learn too. A friend of mine has twin girls and one of them is Autistic. Am sure her otherwise perfect life must have jolted at this face of truth (a mother’s heart always does!). But instead of hiding, she picked up the helm and decided to walk along with her little girl, head held high and eyes always watching her every step. The courage of a Woman! When I see them, I realise ‘Life gives you only those challenges that you can handle, nothing more and nothing less, ofcourse”

And then I look at my girl and I thank God. I thank God for making her an average girl living in the clouds. And, I let her dream, float with Elsa and Shimmer and Shine in the magical world. Imagination is the key! Even the Creator himself couldn’t have done it without Imagination. Let your children dream, there are no big or small dreams – just dreams! Academics should be able to help us create empathy, knowledge and social responsibility. But its not just Academics that impart those lessons.

Any medium is good enough, as long as a Human is formed and not a Monster!

Wrong turn

Today my taxi guy turned right instead of left. I knew it was a busy road, but my habit of keeping silent costed both time and money today. Guess many situations in life is also like today's instance.

Our instincts always let us get the feeling if situations are going the right or wrong way. But many times we choose to ignore it and go ahead. In order to avoid a slight inconvenience of turning back or warning ahead of the turns, we at times choose to stay silent.

But isn' t it always better to be safe than sorry. I have surely decided that the next time, I am surely going to take charge of my way.  How about you?

Have a great day!!

Beautiful.

I have always loved the shadow from a setting sun than the morning glory. The shadows that reminds me of the beauty of darkness around, the beauty of the twinkling stars on a dark sky. May be not a positive thought for many. But darkness brings peace to me. It's like how they say ' I love the rains as no one can see my tears'.

It's a reminder that however difficult the time is, life is still beautiful in its own way.