Sunset

I love watching sunsets. As I open my doors each evening to savour a few minutes of the setting sun, i enjoy watching the world pass by.

It is the time when many are out for their evening strolls. Young moms gang up and chatter away wheeling the prams, a little older moms jog by energetically, A few men run or walk alone and a few walk with their mobiles glued to their ears.
Young kids criss cross on bikes shouting at each other.

But what makes my heart turn, is the older couples who walk slowly, side by side and always in sync with each other. No cell phones or i pods to distract them, they revel in each others company. They may speak a few words or may just share silences but what i find incredibly romantic is the wrinkled hand on the wrinkled elbow gently guiding when a car or bike comes by.
Walking into the sunset..........

The Artist

I came rushing back from the market to find the AC service fellow waiting for me at my doorstep. 
Scruffy shoes, dirty shirt and dusty faced, he followed me inside to clean up the ACs. He went about cleaning and dusting away and became more and more dirty in the process.
Job done, he sat down to write out the bill and job card.
I could not believe my eyes as I saw his writing. Each letter was a sculpture carved in ink, each word a masterpiece worth framing. The letter formation was worthy of Victorian era scribes. 
On appreciation, he shrugged and said he had copied the style of writing from a maths teacher that he had.
He packed his stuff and left. An unknown artist of an unappreciated art.....

The Mommy Club

Driving to school daily with my kids makes my mornings the typical fast paced city mornings, with the cliche-ed running out with a toast in my hand kind of scenario. I love my job but, I hate the 7 am out of the house routine.
For the past two days I am stuck at home because of the lil one running a temperature. As a result I got the opportunity to drop my elder one to the bus stop in the mornings.

Ah! I love the school bus stop. Younger kids stealing every possible minute to play. The elder ones, with noses glued to their books,,cramming in whatever they can in the last few minutes. Moms rushing to deliver forgotten tiffin boxes and water bottles. Dads discussing either cars or sports ( limited range of topics). And the occasional grandparent fixing up satsang meetings.

The Mom's Club which functions at the school bus stop is the one stop solution for all life's problems, from which cough syrup to use, to how to find the perfect maid. It is also a great discussion forum for all moms' physical, emotional, work related, home related, beauty, shopping, TV serials, daily menu, kids study issues.

How I wish I could join this club and take a walk around the campus after sending off the kids. But then, grass is always greener on the other side of the fence right ?

Alone

As life has been, I have never had a chance to be completely on my own. Student life at home, with parents melted into married life with hubby and in laws. Kids followed, and my desire to have the house only to myself just faded away....
The past few days unexpectedly left me alone at home, with the kids vacationing at their grandparents' place. The little desires of opening the main door to a empty home suddenly became a reality. Endless hours of noiseless rest stretched out in the mind's eye.
Sitting down for a meal alone, I realised i was just that, alone. No bags and shoes dumped in the drawing room, no fighting for extra time in the bath tub, no sneaky eyes peeping to check if I had fallen asleep....My afternoons are empty and long.
I envy those who enjoy their own company because I thrive in the cacophony of my kids and miss them desperately when they are not there.
But this has to remain a secret from them 

Secret

I was sipping my ice tea in peace when my elder one came and sat next to me quietly. My mommy instincts picked up immediately and I asked " you want to say something?"
Now, my elder one is the anti thesis of the younger one. Reticent and thoughtful, he rarely professes much information about himself. But today he was bubbling with excitement and the funny smile which comes with concealed truth.
He whispered ," Mumma, today in the afternoon, while you were sleeping, I discovered a bad word in my dictionary!"
My heart skipped a beat, I tried to dig up courage to broach the taboo topics with my 8 yr old son. As I braced myself, he continued with ," it begins with a P and it is on page no 256"
Truly in trouble, i asked quiveringly, " what is it?"
He blushed hard, came very close to my ears and said, "potty"

I still have a few more years of peace...... :))))

A lil sunshine

I am sitting on a high table dangling my legs ( doesnt happen often). All around me are variously coloured belted karate students , waiting to perform and graduate to the next belt colour.
A lil girl in blue shorts and a yellow top is flitting around waiting for her elder sis to get free.
Her mom is sitting on a parapet nearby. The little one is running a few steps away from her mom, always keeping her in sight and again rushing back into her outstreched arms for a cuddle and a kiss.
Neither she nor her mom are tiring of this repetative routine. Oblivious to the world they are happy and content in each other's love.......pure and simple.

A Shoulder to lean on

The pink flowers which caught my attention everyday as I drove to school are gone. Now dry twiggy plants wave me by. 
Every other day I used to comment on the fluttering pink blooms and my elder one joined me in their appreciation.
When I was missing them today, he profoundly said, " Mumma, they will be back next year"
More than his comment, I loved the fact that he wanted to console me in my sadness. He felt the dip in my mood and wanted to alleviate my pain.
All of a sudden I realised, I now have a support , a bud which is fast blossoming into the branch I can twine around 
Love you Rio....

The Pink Sky

In the evening as I was strolling by,
I chanced a glance upon the sky ,
In awe my eyes opened wide
As I was hit by the fuchsia tide
Burnt oranges melting into pinks,
Deepening, darkening as the sun sinks.
A dog barks, a car goes by
As I stand staring at the sky.
A silent shout escapes my mind
Where in the world would I find ?
A treasure so pretty, colours so bright.
Just around the corner, such a splendid sight.
If only today the time stood still ,
And my world shrunk to my window sill,
With my eyes, I would internalise
The slowly darkening, pink skies…….

Cold Cream

Growing up has seen my elder one shirking away from physical touch. The turned up nose on hugging , the swift brush of the hand on a kiss, the awkward one handed hug .....I have got used to it now.
Winter has brought in dry and chapped skin and nothing can cure it better than sticky cold cream rubbed in with lots of tender loving care.
The hands linger just a little bit longer, framing the face which once used to fit in my palms. Eyes stare a moment longer , drinking in the flinched up face. How I wish I could prolong these winter moments ........

The Teacher in me

If ever ocassionally on a difficult day,
Muddled with overwork,my mind does say,
Why on earth have I landed here,
When I could have been else anywhere...
The heart replies with utmost care
'Do not forget that everywhere,
The little seeds of love you have sown,
Have blossomed into flowers unknown.
Those hands you have held, minds you fired
Have all grown in strengths you always desired.
On special days or in routine life
Whether in happiness or in strife,
Remember that you are forever near
To these kids who always hold you dear'

Me Queen

I was in full flow in the evening, preparing the kids for dictations and assignments when my frustrated lil one commented , " Mumma, you are a teacher. Do you rule your class ?" 
I said , yes.
He followed with ," you rule the home too ?"
Yes again. 
So what are you , a queen ?

I am dreading when two years later he would no longer politely hide the word 'dictator' anymore !!!

Clothing

I had this huge pile of clothing to fold and stack in front of me. My mind screamed , " a hectic week gone by, a bleak work filled week streching out, one blink and you miss it Sunday.....and this huge clothing pile to add to the misery !"
I paused with a two small mismatched socks in my hand and suddenly realised that in a few years I would no longer be sorting these socks, no longer worrying about incomplete homework or tummy aches or scraped knees......so I might as well enjoy it while it lasts. 
So I put on some super mushy music and tackled the clothing pile with love