My morning cuppa time is sacrosanct. It’s my time to really wake from slumber and catch up on all the missed conversations on social media from the day before and respond to them. It’s my time to reflect on the day and mentally plan out my day. Morning Chai time has also been my time to have conversations with myself, alone about life, the universe and far beyond if you get my drift. If you had to look at the journey of my life in the last decade or so, I think I could explain it all over my relationship with my morning cuppa time. Continue reading
Tag: blogging challenges (Page 3 of 3)
Their eyes met. She smiled like she did every day, “Tea for me Ajay.”
Ajay handed her the cup of warm masala tea. More ginger, less sugar. Just the way she liked it. He knew how to get it just right. His heart fluttered as their hands touched, her slender fingers so warm on this cold winter morning. Continue reading
November 19th is observed as Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (WED.) On this day the work of Women Entrepreneurs is observed, discussed and celebrated. Women’s Entrepreneurship Day was started by a private organization Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO), a philanthropic organization with a mission and movement to empower women and girls globally and impact poverty worldwide. The inaugural event for WED was held in 2014 at the United Nations in New York City and was also replicated in several countries across the world. Since then the WEDO has come a long way and this year launched a unique digital campaign called #ChooseWomen Reading about these efforts and events prompted me to think about my favourite women entrepreneurs and how they have arisen, grown and doing so much for the community and environment they live in.
It should come as no surprise then that some of my favourite products and the brands featured in this list. It is also so inspiring to think that it is a woman who primarily conceived and set up these businesses. Without further ado, let me introduce you to Meghna Norean from Shomota, Chinmayie Bhat from Soul, Pallavi Utagi from Superbottoms and Anjali Gulati from PeopleKonnect.
Shantu woke with a start. He had kicked her again. This time she screamed. “Stop this pain now,” she yelled at sister Mary. “Just a few more hours,” Mary said.
Shantu must have passed out because when she woke up she had an unbearable pain in her stomach and was back in her hospital bed. “Looks like it’s out” she mumbled.
Shalini walked into her room, handing over a blue envelope, “Here’s the balance payment. We had to do a c-section to get the baby out. You can go home tomorrow.”
Shantu took the envelope, “It was a boy wasn’t it?”
“Yes,” said Shalini “Your hunch was right as always.”
“Just simple probability actually – 2 girls and 2 boys. Nature knows its balance.” retorted Shantu as Shalini waved goodbye.
“Dr Prasad, I have the 50 lakhs now” Shantu spoke into her phone “When can we plan my mother’s kidney transplant?”
#FridayFotoFiction
Word Count: 150
This piece is part of #FridayFotoFiction with Tina & Mayuri. Every Friday Tina & Mayuri share a photo prompt and we write a 150-word short story based on how we interpret the prompt. This week’s prompt was a crib (pictured above.)
Surrogacy is a Godsend for couples who can’t have children due to fertility or health issues. For the couple, receiving a child is a blessing indeed. But for the surrogate mother, surrogacy is much-needed income, most often to meet severe financial crises. It is not easy giving up a child you’ve harboured and nurtured for 9 months. But the good wishes & blessings that you receive in return go a long way in valuing the efforts the surrogate mother puts in.
“Fixed, auntyji” he shouted, “Now this one will not trouble you again.”
Aparna was glad that Subhash had come over at such short notice or by now her house would be flooded. “Thanks, Subhash, I don’t know what I would do if not for you.”
HE was coming for her. He had left all the telltale signs behind.
Simran shuddered. She felt like she heard his heavy breathing. But it was only the AC. She ran her fingers through the fur-lined coats on the rack and wondered if it was cold in Switzerland this year.
Navratri or the holy nights where Goddess Durga is worshipped in all her 9 avatars, is a festival that is celebrated with much fervour in the family that I am married into. These 9 days and nights are considered to be highly auspicious. An eternal flame is lit on day 1 which is only allowed to subdue after the 9 days have passed. Aartis or prayers are sung with much enthusiasm and by gathering as many members as possible. The prayer that is sung speaks of the virtues of the Goddess in her 9 avatars and how she won over evil to bring peace and content to her followers. It’s been 8 years that I have been married into this family, but it is only after having babyT and thus becoming a mother myself did I start finding new meaning to the words and lines that make up this prayer.
BabyT is fast approaching two. I have seriously no idea how the time flew and now it is almost time for us to get him prepared for big people stuff like not peeing in diapers and going to a place outside of home i.e school. However the prompt for today’s blog post on the first year of baby for the 9 Days of Womanhood writing challenge took me back to those days where he had just arrived in our lives and we were still learning the basic roles of nurturing a baby. I thank Harneet Khurana for setting the stage for me. I loved her blog Sublime Messages on the prompt for today. And don’t forget to visit PrettyMumma Says to see Surbhi Mahobia’s perspective on her first year with baby.
What would you say if you were offered the following menu? Where would you think you were dining? Have a look at the feasts on offer:
- Cream of asparagus soup
- Multi grain roti
- Coloured veggies sabji
- Mixed dal
- Vegetable pulao
- Italian salad
- Fresh citrus fruits juice
Sounds healthy but delicious right? I remember this menu so clearly and I can almost taste them all so vividly. You better sit down when you read this, because it will surprise you. Here goes, this was on the menu when I was in the hospital recovering from childbirth. I had heard that hospital food was yummy but I got to experience this first hand during my stay there.
Ask any new mother and she will tell you how nothing prepared her for motherhood and how it totally turned her life upside down. I am one of these too. Motherhood has completely overhauled my life, my skill sets, my belief systems & values. It has changed me as a person – the way I view myself more than anything else. Hey, I made a baby, and I can do anything if I put my mind to it. Motherhood changed something big in me and here I tell you what it is.
Photo Fridge Magnets
Motherhood changed me at the very core and essence of my being. Sometimes when I sit back and look at the newness back and look at the newness of my life (not just in terms of a new baby and all that) I am astonished to realised that such a big change happened and that I did not even realise when it took place.
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