Life is a mixed bag...

 Steal the moments from time...

Today was an unusual day. How could I sleep without documenting it.

Yesterday I had left the power chord of my laptop at a different office a friend collected it for me. She called me up this morning and asked to pick it up. It was a wake up call for me. It was 6.30 am and I was still fast asleep (I am a early riser remember). I jumped out of bed and assured her I would reach in time.It was a lovely cool Blr morning. A nice drive later I was the first to reach there. So instead of waiting in the claustrophobic office I decided to go to the terrace. This was the terrace where I loved to have my morning tea when I first came to Blr. It once upon a time had amazing views. You just had to look down and enjoy the city's green cover. It is vanishing. Before I loose it I took the first picture. Here is what the demanding needs of a growing population has done to good old Bangalore, that boasted of a lone good road named after the Mahatma who resides on the 500 rupee note. 

On my way back I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at Adiga's next door to my office. As I was just about to start working on something important my friend called up. 

After a cursory "Kashi aahes?" She started cribbing about a choice she had made. She was trying to break the mould she herself had set. In an otherwise perfectly happy life personal aspirations were pushing up their head. If I was in her situation I would not have made life difficult for myself. I was affected because I am so involved in my loved ones. I have decided to recieve phone calls of a certain pattern post office hours.

Another call shocked me informing me of a family friend's critical illness. She and the family had drawn into a shell. We are pretty close and we were not part of this major event in their life! I was shocked. Only to know later today why we were in the dark.

Then I got busy and all of a sudden I realized it was lunch time. Some of my team members were deciding on a venue for an eat out. My friend Seema told the gang she would not go without me! Some one told me about it and I felt special! 

After the two phone calls I was quite pensive and reflecting on life while working at my desk quitely. So when I got to know about the lunch out I decided to take back home my lunch box. I definitely needed a change.

We had a gregarious time together at Little Italy near Forum. Each one of us ordered what we wanted and then all of us wanted to dig into each other's plate. Amidst a lot of laughter and teasing we ate our fill of garlic herb bread, various pastas, pizzas and finally concluded with a dessert which we found unusual on the menu. It is called something like chocolate cake with vanilla icecream and sizzling chocolate sauce !!! We dug into it all of us!!! Plus this is an all vegetarian place, so it gets a big thumbs up from us!!!

Can you smell the caramelizing chocolate sauce?? :P

I attended all the scheduled and unscheduled calls and meetings the rest of the afternoon and then made up my mind to visit the friends mentioned above.On the way at a signal a helpless person knocked on the car window. I was busy on the phone but quickly managed to hand out the packed lunch which I had left untouched in the afternoon and would have gone back home. Dad had cooked for me in the morning and taking it back would have upset him. I muttered to myself, "Dane dane pe likha hai khanewale ka naam!"

As I rang the bell, Aunty opened the door, she looked pale and was wearing a skull cap. I almost hugged her and was desperately holding back my tears. Instead she assured me that she was getting better and stronger. I refused to talk to Uncle for not telling us about this. Then he disclosed something. I felt so ashamed of myself. The last time he had visited my home, it was to tell us about Aunty's illness! However since Dad and me were quarreling about some petty issue. He did not tell us about it and returned home dejected. I appologized for it.

However see the spirit of this Aunty, she served me Bisibele bhaat as is her tradition not to let anyone leave her home without eating something. I was touched and as I usually do I bowed my head in front of the Lord before saying goodbye but this time prayed for her speedy recovery and strength. I touched their feet as I always do and finally I could not stop myself, I hugged and gave her a kiss.

In a single day I understood that Life is a mixed bag. I however would like to steal my moments with all the people who mean a lot in my life.

to be with your loved ones...

(In this pic the monkeys are huddling together, that is obvious. Look closely there is a baby in the middle they are trying to protect from us. This pic was taken at Nandi hills. This behaviour clearly indicates they have experienced loss.)