Generation X to Generation Z

Homeworks, Projects, Report cards, Field trips, Assessments, Extra-curricular activities……Phew! All I hear is STRESS, STRESS, and more STRESS. I belong to the 70’s; even though we did all of the above, we always had time to play out in the street – cricket, hide-and-seek, hopscotch, badminton, tag and many more, when our favorite food was from road-side push carts, our favorite candy was Parle Poppins, our “only” TV channel was Doordarshan which we watched diligently, when friendship was pure and unadulterated. Yes, this how we grew up. Sweet memories!

Times have changed, kids are of a different breed now. They sit, stand, eat, laugh Iphone, IPad, Ipod, while dad is IPaid and Mom is IMaid. Sad but very true. Is technology to be blamed or the lack of parenting skills? I am not sure, however, I would agree that it is our responsibility to steer kids in the right direction. Let me reiterate IMaid- Cooking, cleaning, laundry-ing, disciplining all doing while Blogging, Facebooking and Whatsapping.  <Wink> We are in fact more spoiled by technology than our children.

It has been a conscious effort from my end to turn off all electronic devices until my kids go to bed. Kids learn from parents, they emulate and want to occupy their lack of attention from us on some device.  Such a wasted and unrequited love it is, isn’t it?

I don’t say I am a perfect parent, but I am doing the best I can. As I kneel in prayer, I ask God for His guidance, I pray he teaches me patience, persistence and perseverance. Can we encourage ourselves to be present for our children and ourselves! 

A mother's precious gift...

The joy of cooking for your family is priceless!!! For everything else, there is a Master/Visa card.

I am an individual, who hasn't been too passionate about cooking from a very young age. It has been more a chore, the-duty-of-a-good-wife, rather than a passion. Perhaps the aversion to cooking came from watching my mother – a working woman then (she is now 75 years), spend all her spare time in the kitchen without any help, motivation, or acknowledgement day after day, which only triggered more frustration and intense moodiness.

As I blossomed into a young woman, she started to prep me with the culinary skills that she had developed over the years by watching numerous Sanjeev Kapoor's Khana Khazana cooking shows and recipes shared from family and friends all compiled into that one book she wrote for me as part of my wedding present. I took utmost pleasure in trying out all her recipes as a new bride; Oh how I treasure that book even now! It is filled with some very unique recipes, tons of advice and a heart full of blessings. 

After almost 11 years of blissful marriage and two kids, I think I can say, I have made my mother proud by being a good cook. How do I know? I rarely take a peek at the recipe book now for ingredients and I cook some fantastic meals-Ask my hubby dear. I must confess, the book did go through some serious brutality of cooking catastrophes during this phase. It has sat on hot stove-rack leaving its imprint on the page, but it is still very close to my heart; after all, my mother wrote it for me -A gift, a legacy that she passed on to me.

She is the epitome of strength and determination. It is her ‘My way or the highway’ mantra that has shaped me to be a strong woman today. Like the scriptures says in  Proverbs 1:8-9 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching.  They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.

 

Dear Friends – Do we give our due respect to our mothers? Do we realize her sacrifices in our lives? Shall we, on this day, give our mother a hug and thank her for her unconditional love.  

Vegeatarian Vs. Non- Vegeatarian

Recently, a very heated debate about vegetarianism gave me an opportunity to look into the lens of a vegetarian- making me wonder why one gives up eating meat and calls it the right thing to do ethically. I also wondered what happened to the concept of 'circle of life' and the 'food chain'- arent we all dependent on each other to live amicably?

I, for one cannot see myself be a 100% vegetarian, but the point is, does that make me an irresponsible and a inconsiderate human being? No Sir!!!! not in my opinion. Dating back all the way to the biblical days, God made man superior to all his creation, the ruler of all things around him. Ever wondered what Man did then - farming? nope! he was a hunter by nature- he hunted animals for food and used it's skin to protect his body and with evolution and self- realization came an understanding that he can grow his own crop as well and that is where the concept of  vegetarian came.

In conclusion, I would like to add, I love animals as much as I would any living thing but a man's got eat when he's got to eat. ;)

Blues!!!!!

Is it the weather that contributes to our “blues” or is it the people around us. So today, I am feeling a little down, whinny and ranting non-stop to my friends about how mundane life has become and I suddenly wondered why, and it occurred to me that it is raining outside like cats and dogs, it is gloomy and dull and seems like it is contributing to my mood, or SO I think.

Why is it that we humans are insatiable? Why can’t we be happy with what we have and count our blessings? Why don’t we realize there are people who are out there deprived of a lot more than us?

May be tomorrow will be a beautiful day, until then KUDOS!! to my friends who have been tolerating my unstoppable ramble.

The long winding road.....

A long drive to no where made me realize there is so much more to us that we are not aware of because we are consumed in ourselves. Call us, the frog in the well who thought that was his ENTIRE world.

Our drive down the Clopper Mill road toward old town Boyds took us through a scenic route with expansive corns fields, beautiful rustic homes with a swing on the front porch (something I have always loved) horses grazing, large beautiful homes- so serene so peaceful. All this serenity fed my brain and made me think - how do i get rich quickly!? To which my sweet and smart husband quickly agreed saying, I quote -'if you have money, you can have luxury in your backyard'

On our way back to our home-sweet-home, I realized my life is not just work, home and chores, therebis much more beautiful things out there I can see, feel and enjoy with my family and count my blessings every single moment.

Thank you Lord for helping me see it today through your eyes!

Friends

In the last couple of months, I have got myself thinking to what is the true meaning of a 'friend'. As a child, we are so naive we take others at face value without making any judgement calls. We are quick to forgive and forget and our friendships last for a life time. I have made some precious friends who I have known from my kindergarten days and with whom I am still in touch. Even though life has changed us and we have drifted to follow our dreams and passion but that hasnt stopped us from connecting with each other.

However, my perception has changed so much in the last couple months. Individuals who I considered good friends hurt me. It will take a lifetime for these wounds to heal but it is a lesson learnt. I will move on but with a bitter taste.