"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans!! "

 

We are quite an interesting family. My father is a retired bank employee. He is a voracious reader. His good narration skills virtually take me to the land of his books. I have traveled with him to the fictional land of “ Vishnupuram” penned by the renowned author Jeyamohan, and also learnt about the ‘Last Mughal’ written by William Dalrymple. The book ‘Yamam’-  about scents by S.Ramkrishnan and David Davidar  biography “The House of Blue Mangoes” are some of the narratives that I have been exposed to.

He always has different viewpoints and often projects them all at the same time which makes it difficult for others to comprehend. I suppose the versatility of the books like ‘Absolute Tao’ by Osho which talks about religion along with other random things in the world and Pervez Musharraf’s  ‘ Line of Fire’ does that to you! May be that’s why mom often mentions this about dad...“He is a bundle of contradictions!” as she is experiencing this quality of his to the fullest.

 My mother, the happy housewife is not the usual type who watches TV, but the one who is up to date with what’s happening around her! She would tell you what MODI JI actually meant when he said India should become self-reliant, or what exactly the maid was planning-- when the maid  sketched out a  master plan to quit working in our house and start working for the new tenant who had arrived just a few days back! She is assertive and a highly empathetic person. But, this side of her remains  hidden from others except for those who know her well.

My dad, mom and their never ending conversations have always inspired my thoughts. They are two influencing characters who rarely accept each other’s opinions, yet strive their best to make the other person acknowledge his or her view. I am proud to have such wonderful parents from whom I have inherited the best of qualities.

  My sister is the most celebrated and the brain box of our home! She is one of those strong personality types who plans every move and most importantly sticks to the plan even in the most difficult of situations. Practically, all of us depend on her for taking crucial decisions in times of crisis.  I admire her quality of reading. I often compare her reading capabilities to that of the ‘Chitti’ robot who can finish off things with just a flip and a flap! She is also the tech savvy millennial who enlightens the family regarding the latest techno aspects and then there’s me, the one who enjoys life by every minute with some skill for writing.

My husband and son, the anchors of my life - allow me to remain the way I am with my creativity and flaws. It is hard not to mention the caring  nature of my husband who encourages  my passion for writing and tolerate the long writing hours. It is not fair if I don’t mention my father-in –law and mother-in-law at this juncture. They are the enigmatic souls who are responsible for the salient nature of the family....peace and calm!! They neither have encouraged anything in specific nor discouraged me from my pursuit of living life to the fullest doing the ‘ME’ things!   I would rather say it’s surprising to find such progressive in-laws when most people are traditional and stuck to regular stereotypes. My son is a strong critic and also the voice of my inner conscience. He reflects on my doings and helps me to see the right and the wrong! He is also the one who spices up my life by adding some drama and fun to it.

  When I decided to pen my thoughts , my family became the favourite subject to ponder on. The everyday incidents of life and the assorted characters at home remained to be the forever muse to my articles. This collection of happenings is dedicated to my family and the others who travel with me as they have been the source of inspiration for my writing.