The Last Cheesecake

Alright, I tried to bring about the dramatic effect “The Last Samurai” and “The Last Mimzy” created ages ago! But this edible chunk of matter brought along a lesson one day for me.

It was a nice, cozy Sunday afternoon. The kind of afternoons that usually demand a cup of hot coffee with your favourite read or the ones that just let you stare at the open blue skies.

I was in my dream mode when I received the call from an old friend to meet up. I was rather flattered on learning that someone would actually sabotage their “little-me-time” over a comrade like me! Poof!

As a gesture to her kind thoughts, I head straight to my favourite “food house” to get some freshly baked cheesecake for her. The aroma of the cheese, the cream-iness in its flavor and the meltdown of the bright red strawberries in its own syrup, would anytime top my list of the best “hello” gift ever!

Everything was perfect. Nothing could go wrong. I trotted in happily and with a confidence of a five yr old, I asked for the most awaited cheesecake. The “Employee of the Month” walked past the counter and in a very cranky voice delivered the news to me. “Sorry! We’ve run short of it for the day!” Taken aback with this comment, I pointed out to the only slice that was tightly secured in a glass case, behind her. I asked in innocence, “What about that one?” The answer to this came to me as a 10 sec long head-to-toe verification! I followed her eyes on me only to capture a familiar realization. I actually walked into that place with my pair of bedroom slippers and my treasured pink and white pyjamas. I was a replica of the lose-jean kid with “out of bed” hair from a tacky old rock band or something! But, for argument sake, when did everyone start dressing up for cheesecakes??! Guess the “cold air” in the atmosphere of that lil’ store hit another rep. He was much younger in age and wasn’t infected with the virus of grumpiness unlike the “other”. He enquired of me and I placed my concern upfront. He handed over the last piece of that once chunkful cake to me. The lady watched the whole scene in slow motion with eyes of disgust and pity. Probably, I shattered her cherished dream of letting a princess in white walk away with that cake!

I was really shocked in amazement, with the whole ordeal of a quiet fight over a cake!? Not atleast from her. I mean she was like me. A stranger in a strange land with rules that suppress both her cause and mine! Discrimination should now have a new tag – One size fits all! Somewhere in our tiny heads, we strongly believe that the whole universe abide by our laws and those who don’t comply by it, don’t make that world with us or rather don’t deserve to be a part of it at all! The suffered then brings up the suffering on someone to suffer elsewhere! And the story of grief, of perilment and of war continues! All, to start off with something as simple yet deliciously sinful as a cake! However funny it sounds, I was glad to win the battle of race, of class, of gender and of the deserving! I was so overjoyed that at the end of the day, my friend was forgotten! I believed I had to relish each bite of my sweet victory. I savored each moment of it like the Israelites who ate “Manna-from-heaven” in the desert!

It felt good. To have. To have the “ Last Cheesecake”.

 

Dad, You're Grounded!

The great God must have definitely thought, many times, of ways to ease up the high ranked species called parents and to hand over the reign of power, to the much milder species called children.Probably, that's when He decided to make our parents OLD.
But even ageing doesn't come easy for children to handle!

Do our parents feel insignificant as they grow old?Does their insecurities and assumptions widen the already existing gap?How can we help them cope up with these insecurities that arise with ageing?Most of the parents fear their future, with the gradual lose of sight.They start feeling that they're going to be soon incapable of doing the regular things they used to do for ages,be it reading magazines,watching cricket scores,running around with their children,etc.And as time passes,they start getting frustrated when restrictions come into being.Maybe its food,exercise or limited activities.

Lets see some of the ways we can help our parents cope up with this changing behaviour.

Never say never! - The parents despise that,the same way we all do.Its human!We just can't take "No" for an answer.So what if they started showing rising counts of sugar and cholestrol.Dont get behind their backs always shooing them away from all their favourite delicacies.Remember someday even you would go through the same thing if you dont end up in the lucky 5% with no health issues.I remember once,when we were at a friend's place and tea was being served.I specifically told my aunt that my dad has diabetics and so he wouldn't prefer sugar.But I wasn't suprised when she came telling that my dad insisted on having some sugar and said he was perfect.He likes to be known as a Big Boy and not an Old man who has his grandchildren on their way!hehe..Face it,its difficult to let go of all that you like and mostly "embarrasing" to tell the others that you're the lucky one with insulin deficiency! :)
Help them get through this with a healthy lifestyle and treat them with their goodies for their hardwork.Their worser than the 3 yr olds!So lets not forget the times our parents put up with us when we were of that age.


Patience - The key ingredient for any happy relationship.And trust me, parents can be more fussy than the kids.I was shocked when my mom disclosed all her feelings out to my best friend.She had nothing but complains about me and I thought I did a pretty good job with handling my parents!They keep all the little things at heart and make a mountain out of it.They are so specialised in that field right?But guess what,it just gets worser as time passes by!So friends,even if its a stupid tale of your neighbour's daughter running away with a milkman,give ears to your parents! ;)


Fight distance - We all know the "Generation Gap".But as our parents grow weak and we get stronger,it ends up in "complexity".The Inferior one, from our parents side, fearing we have the capability of dumping them up in old age homes and Superior one, from the young adults, boasting in their success and far-fledged knowledge.We kids have always thought of our parents like super heroes.Never once would they need us.But that's not true.They may need us but they would also like to be felt that they still our heroes.Wouldn't we all like that from our children too? I surely do think so.


Time - An interesting commodity of life! Unavailable in todays era.But managing it well and giving enough to those who deserves it, is certainly worth the try.God could have made a day comprising of 48 hrs or 72 hrs.But He knew that 24 hrs is sufficient for all of us to live well and happily.So who's wiser than the Supreme being to say we don't have enough time for some love?

Expectations - True, sometimes we feel we put in a lot of effort and do not get the expected gratitude or acknowledgments.Its just all complaints and demands!That's when frustration forms an army and fires words which could kill a soul.Your parents could have been tensed about something or just venting out their frustration on you.You didn't choose this situation to occur but what you say or how you react to it,is fully your choice. Be the smarter one and back out.

They cared,they loved and they nourished you with all that they had. Some gave up their favourite toffees for their children and others worked extra on their day-off so you could spend that money with friends and watch a movie on your birthday!

You were once their responsibility, now their Yours.
Don't run away or walk out on them when they really need you.

The Land Of Dreams by William Blake.

Awake, awake, my little boy!
Thou wast thy mother's only joy;
Why dost thou weep in thy gentle sleep?

Awake! thy father does thee keep.

"O, what land is the Land of Dreams?
What are its mountains, and what are its streams?
O father! I saw my mother there,
Among the lilies by waters fair."

Among the lambs, cloth'd in white,
She walk'd with her Thomas in sweet delight.
I wept for joy, like a dove I mourn;
O! when shall I again return?"

Dear child, I also by pleasant streams
Have wander'd all night in the Land of Dreams;
But tho' calm and warm the waters wide,
I could not get to the other side.

"Father, O father! what do we here
In this land of unbelief and fear?
The Land of Dreams is better far
Above the light of the morning star."

The Bag that made Me Cinderella.

Does owning a pair of branded sunglasses or shoes take u really high?

The answer for me, atleast, is YES!

I was totally laid back with my mood swings and checking out the local magazine showcasing the hip bag collection for 2007 and some fashion accessories, when I realized it was time to do the dishes piled up in my kitchen! hmm..What an interesting pastime!

As I was doing the dishes, I was calculating the amount of money to be saved to own a nice Zara or a Gucci bag and a classy black watch. Im a total sucker for bags and watches!

It was 5 pm when my mom returned home from work. As always, she was updating me with the details at work,When she announced that a patient of hers gifted her a bag. She's a nurse and I was in the kitchen when i was hoping against all hopes that it would be a cool,hip bag,preferably in black or white like I've always wanted.Mom went and showed Dad the bag first,don't ask
me why!I was the next one in line to have a look of it.There goes the last plate and my last prayer hoping not to see a dandy old bag.She then took off the cover and it was a
Givenchy!!!

Aaagh!!!
I could faint.

It was a beautiful white and black bag. Talk about having two birds in hand! I was freaking out,but that wasn't just it. There was a purse in the bag with all these little goodies from Givenchy.The latest matte foundation, the day cream,night cream, the PERFUME,a nail polish,make up remover,two lipsticks..aagh!I couldn't breathe!I was way too excited and my mom was startled with my reaction. She was pleased she made my day!

What a blessed day it was indeed!

If only you guys could taste the yummy lipstick.mm..and the perfume!How mesmerizing!Im sure the men might have started calling the stores to find out if more of the lipstick and the perfumes were in stock.Try it on girls,its truly a fascinating experience.

I feel good that I can experience happiness from life's little unexpected moments.

It's just a bag.

But something that could bring that precious smile and the feeling like you're someone "wow", is simply priceless! I mean how cool would I look walking down a street with a Givenchy bag than a regular carry bag? Eventhough heads don't turn, it would definitely make me confident and make me look an inch tall with my nose high up in air!

Girls, save some time and money to make you feel good.
A day to pamper just yourself. You are a princess.
Stop and have a look in the mirror. Love yourself.
If you can't take care of yourself,you can't take care of any one else!

We all are Cinderellas in our own ways, spending most of our time cooking, cleaning, washing, scrubbing the floors, changing the dirty baby diapers, feeding the whole family and not to mention the slogging at work. We all deserve a Cinderella moment in our busy scheduled life.

Im glad I found mine.
I hope its yours next! :)

Why are Indian parents so demanding?

Is it me or does this question arise in all your minds too? Why are Indian parents so overprotective with their children when the American parents think that their children will not be developed if they are not allowed to do things on their own? Blame it on the culture, the safety issues or even one's own insecurity of not being a good parent that leads to horrendous mix of
feelings amongst the children.The confusion that parents have ,first of all, must be clearly analyzed and corrected.


Fear.

One of the key disaster creating factors.The fear that their children would be led astray or remain indisciplined if they do not take the rod.The children would remain silent which the parents take it as their success but infact, they just staying numb deep within making a boundary or a wall keeping their now called enemies away from their space.They would be confused and irritated since many decisions, though small, would be left for them to take as they're not ready to share it with their rod handling parents.To discipline and to scare your kids are two different things. Why did Jesus say, inorder to enter the kingdom of heaven, be like the little children?? Innocence, my dear parents, is something to be handled with care.Its priceless and it wont last long. So as long as your children are blessed with a gift that would soon be taken away from them,why not let them enjoy it and prepare their way into the big world with a hug, kiss and maybe a pinch!


Safety First!

True, some of the parents are really freaked out when it comes to the safety of their children.In the world of paedophiles, molesters, kidnappers,etc..which parent wouldn't be concerned?Do you think American parents aren't worried about it? But instead of locking them up in their rooms or restricting their activities to indoor,accompany them to parks where they get to enjoy the fresh air and have some fun in the sand! Even you could strengthen the bond between your children by sharing a few laughs on the see-saw or on the swings.Go camping with your kids once in a month or go sight seeing,teaching and showing them the different cultures striving around their little world.Involve your children in activities like cooking,cleaning the house,gardening or even doing the laundry.I understand there's no time for anyone to spare these days. But time's something that doesnt wait for anybody, it just passes by, like your little ones' childhood.What they would look back in their future and say depends on their today. So think twice!


"Im the parent!"

When it comes to the point when you order your children not to do this and that,and when they ask,"Why can't I do that?" Grow up.Dont give reasons like,"Im your mother and you have to listen to me".Give them the right reason for your action. Inspite of the soft talk, if things aren't going well, then look eye to eye with your child and tell him the consequence of his behaviour.I bet most of the parents would be saying, "Yea right!Be a parent and then comment!" I agree I aint a parent but I was once a child. Even parents are mere human beings who are bound to make mistakes.They're not perfect. Accept it. Experience teaches all, how to deal with various tackles of life.You're the parent. Show your kids who really is the grown up here!


The Raaga of the Ancestors.

Many folks have told me that they do the eye rolling and constant yelling because that's how their parents behaved when they were little.Maybe you calmed down because you didn't want to hear your mom go on and on. However,some kids enjoy having fun tormenting their parents and showing them who the real boss is! So stop for a while and think what could possibly make your child actually hear you.Dont mistake me with "bribary system" like, "If you score well in Maths, you'll get a new ipod!!". Some children listen and instantly obey-God bless them, some hates to be sent to their rooms to think about their actions, some become goodies when their father comes in the picture,etc. Find out what invokes your child. Dont go for your
parents', grandparents', aunts' or neighbours' child-handling mantra.They're your children and your experiment! ;)


So relax. Have fun being a parent, even if that means to handle three wailing kids at a time!!Someday they'll understand what you've gone through when they'll become parents.That'll be your payback time!Many crave for this "headache" that you're facing today.

Stop, take a deep breath and smile. Have a blessed day with your children!

What You Want and What You Need..

Many of us get really mixed up with these two four lettered words : Want and Need. Some even mistake it for the same.Be it shoes,clothes,house,job or even a partner!I believe all of us are traumatised with this question at one point of our life or the other.Many gyan gurus say that its really what we need that we have to go after, than what we really really want.But who's going to explain the carnal mind! ;)

Read through some of the tips that would really help you fight this dilemma.

1. My soul saver has always been my best friend. Whenever I had an "in pin safety pin" moment in my life, I relied on her and vice versa. Did you know that even a research at Harvard in the US has shown that two heads are really better than one at problem-solving? Well,now you know. Talk it through a friend with whatever decision in life you're struggling with and see the difference!

2. Honestly speaking, this method has never lasted with me. However,many others have really made a drastic change in their financial,spiritual and professional areas of life, adapting this mantra. It's the "pen on paper" method.Write down what you want at the groceries so you wouldn't over spend, jot down the things you've dreamnt of doing always and how you want your life to be and work towards making your dream a reality. Trust me, patience is the key word. Since I'm a true gemini, I lack it! But you must never give up because I believe in, "To have a future you've always wanted, you have to work on your present and forget your past".

3. A very good friend of mine had once told me that "Destiny" will reveal itself to you when you're in a fix.You're inner self will help you recognize between the two and the blurry vision of doubt of what you're craving for and what you're really looking out for,will no longer exist.Its like seeing your future laid out like a red carpet and waiting for you to walk on it. It indeed is a beautiful feeling. I hope you'll feel it someday too.

4. Lastly,I believe the core reason for a confusion to live within you is because you lack happiness. I know, its something you can find but not easy to own. But maintain that peace within you. Dont ask for more. The laws of the universe reveals that there is no scarcity at all.Everything we want is here on earth. Its provided for us to enjoy. However,when man gives birth to greed,strife is caused,a fight is put up and then arises a winner and a loser. A winner would keep having and wanting more because his greed is never satisfied and a loser would always remain in lack of his resources which causes deprivation. The energy released from this cycle of fight changes our inner self,our internal peace and indirectly affects all of us as an
individual,a family,community,country and our little world.

So be at peace dear friends, for we all have come into this world with nothing and will return to dust with nothing more. Own happiness and truly make an effort to distinguish between your short-term wants and your long-term needs.

God bless!

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening - Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know,
His house is in the village though.
He will not see me stopping here,
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer,
To stop without a farmhouse near,
Between the woods and frozen lake,
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake,
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep,
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.