Magic Moments

When Covid19 had just put its foot in the country with only 3 cases in Kerala, we had our Ooty trip planned. All tickets and bookings were done since the new year. With just three days in hand, four of us travelled from Mumbai, Pune and Bhubaneswar, to Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, to join a few others staying in the city. And the excitement to finally meet one another after 6 months of that trip to Pune, the Lohagard Trek- we were kids excitedly clicking selfies in our face masks, hurriedly putting a quick dab of sanitizer before hugging one another. Next day early morning we were to start for Ooty. Sleepy heads, gulping a bowl each of muesli, we started onward journey to Bandipur National Park. Devouring uttapams, dosas and piping hot cups of coffee for breakfast at a restaurant by the highway, chit chats were full on, as was the music and dance in the 12-seater vehicle. Funny anecdotes had us laughing our hearts out, gossips were such a thrill an...

 Source Life has bestowed upon me so many trustworthy and dependable friends. Almost in every stage of life, I have had a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, and a soul sister to laugh out loud with. I have been lucky and blessed beyond measure. The role of my best friends has been crucial throughout my days of depression. I felt low and down for days, weeks and months. Someone was always there to give a hug and reassure me of my own worth. Someone was always there to scold me and bring me out of the self-deprecating and self-destructive behavior. I owe a lot to them. They are god sent. Nothing less. I treasure and cherish every moment spend with them, even the trivial occasional quarrels. She is my childhood friend. She has been with me through all life’s twists and turns. We did our matriculation from the same school. We dreamt together of making it big in life. We completed our intermediate education in the same city. We talked for hours over the phone in weekends. We...

As I look back, down the memory lane, the last four years of engineering in ITER, I realize how much we have grown up, how much we have evolved- especially mentally, emotionally and psychologically. Life happened, and fate conspired beautifully to make us meet. It gave us lots of fun; innumerable laughters; stressed times with dwindling will and faith- times we supported one another to regain the lost hopes; enough emotional moments to remember; so many pranks, bunks, leg pullings, embarrassing moments and memories to last a lifetime. Words will fall short if I start to tell you what a support system you have been for me. Every little word of encouragement has motivated me, every word of advice and appreciation has meant a lot, and has made my day. Now where do I start. You have cheered me up at times you needed cheering the most. Every sweet scolding helped my self esteem and confidence. You have no idea how many emotional blocks you have helped me through. My present self ...

Every person we meet leaves a mark in our lives, however minute it may be. The people at our home are the family we are born into. Mother’s love and scolding, father’s pampering, sibling’s fights and reconciliations, and grandparent’s adoring shapes us up. Learning begins at home, builds our nature and character. But then, there’s a larger family that we sometimes choose for ourselves and sometimes not- our friends, hostel roommates, chance acquaintances and encounters in the larger circle of friends-of-friends. Some of them add spice to our lives; make memories with us and last lifelong. Some of them are the pretentious lot, add fun at times but mostly take advantage of us. Some of them are the real ‘friend in need is a friend in deed’. They support us, and give a shoulder to lean on when we are down and low, but for some reason drift apart. We hold unto them as much as we can, the real and rare gems in our lives, but circumstances distances them more and more. And all...