A Summer Contest.

Today’s blog is a summer essay contest.  
Calling all kids ages 5-12 who love to day dream or think out of the box. You DO NOT need to be an A+ writer to write this eassay. This blog really does not care about how strong your vocabulary is. The only requirement is stick to the theme and have the correct grammar and spellings. 
Before we go further, I do want to clarify that I am not doing this to encourage my kid to write more. In the world of volunteering, I am often faced with the situation where folks think, the effort is so my kids can benefit. It is quite the contrary. If anything, my kids get the tail end of it all. My younger one is too young to write an essay, she might draw. The older one is doing relatively well in writing and he may not be in the top 2% of his age, but is definitely in the top 10% and we are happy to see him thrive.  So this is not for my kids alone. In fact I am not even sure if they will participate. If they do, I promise their entries will be judged by others and not myself. 
Why I am I doing this? The idea came to me last nite as I was chopping cabbage for the salad. Funny how and when ideas creep in. But I fell in love with the thought, ran it by my trusted partner and here I am posting it online. 
The idea took shape last nite, but I think it has been brewing in my head for 7 years now.. ever since I started volunteering in school.  The more I volunteered, the more I realized of the lack of enriching programs for kids who are not exactly what the academic world calls A+ students. All clubs, all contests are geared towards kids who can read, write and add well.  What about those who have brilliant ideas, but don’t have the best writing skills or can’t add fast enough? Don’t get me wrong, I do understand the need for parents wanting their kids to succeed and do as well as the neighbors child and if possible, do better, but in all this, I see a whole population of kids being left out. 
So, this is my two cents to provide an opportunity to kids of all shapes and talents. If you know of a child who has some amazing ideas, creativity but is shy to express it, then encourage them to send in an entry.   The contest is also open to all A+ students too.

The judging is for creativity and out of the box thinking. There are no points for high vocabulary words 🙂  

CONTEST GUIDELINES: 
1) A child can participate irrespective of how good or not good their writing grades are. 
2) Age limit 5-12.   If he/she is 12+ but not 13 yet.. that’s okay too 🙂 If he/she is just finishing up 6th grade and entering 7th.. they can post in the Category 3. 
3) No high vocabularly words necessary. I don’t think people should be penalized because they didn’t memorize the english dictionary in their schooling years. But yes correct grammar and spelling is needed because in today’s world it is as easy as doing a grammar and spell check. 
4) The essay can be handwritten or typed.  If handwritten, please email a clear legible scanned pdf copy.

No poems. I wish I could.. but unfortunately elementary kids are not trained to read or write poems and there are few who have a natural talent. It would so be unfair to others. 

ESSAY PROMPTS:  Please note these are PROMPTS and NOT TOPICS. The child can title their essay as they please.   Choose ONE prompt. 

Submit all entries to: bloggingtale@gmail.com
When submitting an entry,  In addition to your name, a contact email, please state the grade and essay prompt in the top right corner.  
I) The world through my eyes. 

II) If I could change two things in the elementary school, they would be… 

( Try not to think about technology, books, libraries, PE etc.. think out of the box. If you had the opportunity to re-design the way schools are, the way teaching is done .. what would you do?) 

III) Technology, parents and me. 
JUDGING CRITERIA:   The ideas can be fictional. If they are.. try to lead the reader towards understanding how this day can be a reality soon. 
For instance, if you dream of a world where people live for 200 years, it may not be a reality today, but it is definitely possible.  If you dream of a world where people will go back to being monkey’s.. that is a little too fictional. But a world where a catastrophic element can wipe of out the entire human species, and the earth regenerates itself – that is possible. 
Out of the Box thinking : 80%
Grammar/Spelling : 20%

JUDGES: Total three. They might be HS students or adults. Will post names once I have approval from them. 

PRIZES: 3 prizes $100/- value. One prize each for the three categories below. 

Category 1: K – 1st
Category 2: 2nd – 3rd
Category 3: 4th – 6th. 

DEADLINE for Submission:  July 31st, 2014. 

Results Announced on: Sept 1st, 2014.

Feel free to pass this on to any student you know and would like to participate.  There are no geographic boundaries. So if you have a nephew in India, that is perfectly fine too.  Technology has reduced barriers, and the prizes will be sent across too 🙂 

Looking forward to reading all the amazing ideas the younger generation has. 

25 and counting joys of Motherhood.

As Mother’s day approaches, and I hear the repeated question, any plans for Mother’s day?  I decide to pen down a few myths that were shattered and few realities that were learnt in this journey called “Motherhood.”

1.  The phrase “sleeping like a baby” does not mean sleeping peacefully. It means waking up every few minutes. 

2. When a baby cries, yes by all means look at the check list the doctor gave you; feed, burp, change diaper.

Baby still crying: Rock him, take him for a walk in the stroller.

But baby still crying: Call the doctor and go down the check list.  Baby continues to cry. Doctor says “its okay sometimes they have to release the energy.”  You are thinking, seriously, he’s been crying for a while now. And then the light bulb turns on and you hold the baby close to you and lie down on the bed. Magically the little one stops crying and you both sleep.

For your baby: YOU KNOW BEST.  Listen to the maternal instincts. It is nature’s gift to every new mom.  

I salute this mom who listened to her heart and not the doctor: A mother’s touch defies Science

3. “Colic” is a word that pediatricians do not like. Why? Because they don’t know why it happens, or how to stop it.  Hang in there.. it takes any where from 10-12 weeks, and the colic switch will turn off. Until then .. just hang in there 🙂   Just as an FYI, white noises work like magic for colic babies.

4. Some where around 3 months, your baby will give you that look. The look that only you will understand,  it will be the confirmation that “yes I recognize you Mom.” Cherish that look for it will warm your heart for years to come. 

Think like a baby:
Spilled milk is definitely worth a cry

5. Every time you are on the phone either a bowl of cereal or a cup of milk will fall on the floor. 

6. The baby is a toddler now.. all problems solved for its an independent age. But wait, there’s potty training.  If you have a boy, look before you go for boys cannot aim. So stock up on wipes, cleaners and gloves. You will be cleaning a lot.  If you have a daughter, stock up on scented hand soap and lotion.

7.  Yippee… No more diaper bags.  You go shopping for a pretty purse, only to realize it does not hold the mini first aid kit, the sippy cup, the small snack, your wallet etc. So Instead of finding a purse that works like a bag – Find a bag that works like a purse. 

8. Band aids: yes the jumbo packs are a cost saver.. but they are plain old boring band-aids. Character bandaids make the tears go away faster. Invest in them. 

9. Everytime crayons, Playdoh, bubbles go on sale. Stock up. 

10. Empty boxes make the best toys. Stop waisting money on those fancy electronics 🙂 

Wow, the baby is now in KINDER. YIPPEEE…. 

11.  I am so lucky, my kid loves doing homework and is so excited about school… and this changes to “can I just sleep for 5 more minutes. what’s the big deal about getting tardy, it is just a piece of paper,” in one month. 

The excitement of going to school and being a big kid wears off as soon as the reality of being big hits them 🙂

12. Lamaze: you didn’t remember it when you were delivering, but now you are an expert. Use those techniques during homework time,  every time you are scrambling to get to school on time and basically through out the day 🙂

13: Take selfies with your child. You will be reminded of the down hill trend; but 10 years from now, you will be amazed at how good you looked.

The baby is evolving into an mini adult: 

14. “Mom, I am a big kid now, I can do this now.” And then when they really need to do it on their own, it’s a memory lapse and the skills magically disappear. 

15.  Conversation with a miniature adult is more about listening than talking. I am learning this the hard way. His doctor recently asked me. Does he like sharing with you? I said, well sometimes, when he is that mood.. Brilliant answer right ;). The doctor was brilliant too.. he said, well try to find him in that mood .   Jokes apart.. these little adults need a hearing ear. Just keep listening..

16a.  For moms with sons; sprains and fractures are a moment of pride. They will be big babies in your arms, but outside it is all about “Dude, I heard the bone crack.”

Don’t return the crutches, the sling or the splint. Hold on to them, you will need them again. 

16b. For moms with daughters; yes the world wants the pinks to be replaced by blues and browns, but if your daughter loves pink and Barbie, it is okay.  Take pride in the fact that your daughter is celebrating her femininity. Nurture this trait and soon you will have a daughter who can twirl a skirt and  shoot hoops with equal ease.   

17.  The older they get the lesser they care about going to “tourist” spots with their parents. It’s then about discovering the world. Humans are natural wanderers. Let them satisfy the thirst to discover. Take them to places they haven’t seen. Let them see how the world moves without Wifi or how people live with bare minimum. It is these experiences that will help them thrive as adults. 

18. Pick your battles. You will win very few. Pick only those that you know you are going to win. 

19. When something can go wrong, it will. So even though they are older and almost adults, You are still the MOM, so plan and fill in the gaps when you need to.  Murphys’s Law.. one of the few things I heard in school that actually hold true. 

20.  Yes, your child will think you are over-protective or even embarrassing. It’s hard but try not to care. They will come back.

21. Always, always remember to checkin with your girlfriends. If you have a squabble pick up the phone and say sorry.  

22. There will be blah days and the head-spinning days. There will be days when they will forget to ask if you had dinner or not. No matter what, try hard to not go the self-pity route, you are only hurting yourself. The world will keep moving. 

23. You can listen to your doctor, your mother, your mother-in-law, the other perfect moms, but at the end do what you think is best. You will become a mother only by being one. 

24. There is no such thing as a perfect mother, so stop being so hard on yourself. 


25. On Mother’s day your friends will Face book pictures of the amazing breakfast their kids made for them and pampered them.  Don’t judge your happiness by theirs. 

If your kids woke up and asked you to make breakfast, did not remember till later in the afternoon that it was Mother’s day and then asked you what was for lunch. Smile! It is a luxury to have breakfast in bed, but it is a blessing to be able to get up and make breakfast for these beings that you have nurtured with love and care.  Chances are they like your cooking better than anyone, and so never bothered to learn either 🙂 Soon, they will fly away to find their own nests. Until then pamper them. It is these warm and caring moments that they will come back too. 

Mother’s day is not just one day. It happens every day a mother packs lunch for her kids. It happens every day a mother hugs her child. It happens every day a mother makes the wrong go right.

Mother’s day is 365 days of the year. It just so happens that we choose to celebrate it once a year. 

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! 

The Big Little Man.

His head was round and stature short. His shoulders were broad and he walked with his head held high. His moustache reminded me of Charlie Chaplin and his calm made me happy. I called him Papaji, and the world called him Dr. G.R Sachdev. He was my Nanaji (maternal grandfather.) 

Born 96 years ago, he was illness free and strong as a mule with an unshakeable belief in all things good.  Life threw him quite a few twists and turns and yet he never uttered a foul word. A few weeks ago he moved on to a world where the angels and his wife of 60 years reside.  He was and will always continue to be an inspiration of an honest simple life, well lived.  Most kids are lucky if they can bond with one or two of their grandparents. I have been blessed to have actually lived with all four of my grandparents during childhood. I spent my tweenage with both sets of my paternal and maternal grandparents.  Papaji taught me how to live life in a positive way.  

As an 11 year old I remember waking up to his saintly chants at 5.30am and covering my head with as many pillows as I could. I remember the walks and feeding the ducks. I asked him, “why do you feed them every day?” He said, “some of them are my ancestors,” and I remember looking at him quizzically. 

Papaji was a man of little words. He didn’t say much but what he said was always meaningful. Today as he continues his journey into another world, leaving us behind to think and ponder about all he taught. I realized that most of my life beliefs came from his quotes. He was an ardent admirer of Saint Kabir and his verses.  

Every time I said something wrong as a tween, he would recite: 

“Aisee Vani Boliye, Mun Ka Aapa Khoye

Apna Tan Sheetal Kare, Auran Ko Sukh Hoye”


Translation: Speak such words, sans ego’s ploy

Body remains composed, giving the listener joy


While reciting he didn’t necessarily look at me or talk to me. He would many a times be a totally different room and pretend to be talking to himself. Always staying away from confrontations, he believed in the simple fact, that when one believes in God, it all eventually falls into place. 

Born almost a century ago, he may have been little in stature, but he had a very big heart and was progressive in his thinking. While his generation prayed for sons, he took pride in his three daughters and two sons. He believed in education and gave good quality education to all his five children thus allowing them to thrive as independent adults. 

Age and Father time don’t stop for anyone. We can be as young at heart as we desire, but there comes a time when this machinery starts clucking and clanking. He has been with us for so long, I never thought he would go away. And partially that’s his fault, he always said, I have an agreement with God, “I want to complete my century before I go.” And we would smile and say not only century, beyond that because you need to see your great – grandkids get married too; and he would then throw his hands up, rub his bald head and laugh loudly.  

Sending him off has been very hard. Maybe because he was the last of the grandparents to go. Every time a grandparent goes away, so does a stream of unbiased blessings. Yes, it is selfish, but I miss those blessings. 

For some little girls, it is their dad who tastes the first dish they cook but for me it was my Papaji. I had made bharta and roti. Bharta was not even close to being good and roti was not circular and yet he ate it and gave me a prize too 🙂 I like to think that’s why every time he came over he looked forward to what I was cooking. Any time he came to stay with me, he wanted  Gobi ka Parantha and Diet Coke. Yes, he loved Diet Coke. If we would leave him unsupervised, he would gulp down the 2 liter in minutes 🙂 

He was a stickler for time and schedule and believed: 

 “Waqt bahut balwan hota hain…Pal mein Shehanshah, pal mein rank” 

Translation: Time is very powerful. One minute you are the king, the next a servant.” 

I learnt how to respect time at a very young age from him and to date do not appreciate those who keep others waiting.  

“Funny how we listen when they are gone.” 

With every new memory comes a fresh tear. Today as hard as it is, I am bidding him farewell. He will always be alive to me.

His life and its journey through it re-affirms my belief in the circle of life. He lived his prime years in India, spent his senior years around the globe with his children and in his final phase, life magically whisked him across the seven seas to India. He passed away in the same place where once he bid farewell to his beloved wife. With that his life completed its full circle. 

Papaji, you were and are beyond all of us; continue to be the fiercely independent honest big little man that you are.  

Here’s another one of your favorites: 

“Maati kahe kumhaar se, Tu kyun rondhe moye….

Ik din aisa aayega, Main rondhungi toyeee….


“Translation: “Soil says to potter, why do you crush me. One day will come, when i will crush you ”

This Gobi Parantha is for you Papaji. Have fun and continue to celebrate .. the sounds of Sukhmani and the brilliance of St. Kabir couplets will now liven up the heavens too. And, oh.. say Hi to Naniji for all of us. We love you. 


Picto Blog _ Point Arena Lighthouse, Mendocino County, CA

Once again, we decided to stay away from the crowds and go to a lesser known destination and enjoyed our spring break. 
Mendocino County, CA is not unknown. It is famous for its quaint artsy downtown and fabulous eateries… but we skipped it all to go to the Point Arena Lighthouse, CA
Approximately a 4 hour drive further north from the bay area, the light house marks the end of continental USA.  You can use the GPS blindly only to end up on the treacherous Mountain View Road or read up the maps and take 101 followed by either 1 or 128. 
US 1, is windy but so is 128. The advantage of US 1, its much more travelled and it’s more alive. If you decide to take 128, please do not take the Mountain view road, take 128 and then take US 1 to Point Arena Lighthouse.  Plan so you are at your destination during day light hours. 
You’re probably wondering why not take the route to the hotel first and then the lighthouse, well, because that’s a little known secret of this place. The lighthouse has cabins right next to it.  The cabins are not inexpensive, but they are well worth the price and the experience is unlike any other. 
I hope you enjoy this trip. 
As we wound our way via 128

Once you take US 1 after 128, you will come across this random stop light. Please don’t break the law.
It looks kind of crazy to have a stop light when there is no traffic, but this is a one way road for now. We stood here for 2 minutes 🙂 

The view as we entered the restricted light house area. 

And then we were blown away by this. 

The Point Arena Light House standing tall and proud. 
I stood for a very long time at this intersection, just staring at the ocean. It was mesmerizing and very calming. 
Complimentary Wine 🙂 Happens only in CA. 
I stood here for  a very long time mesmerize and at peace. 
Birds of the same feather flock together. 

They crashed against the rocks only to come back stronger. 

As I stood staring at these ways, I realized the importance of “respect” for the ocean. 

The kids did not miss Wifi, all they had was this one kite, but it was enough. 

The Cypress behind the cabins. 

As the sun sets on day 1

… we realize how much there is to be thankful for.  

.. And the sun rises to give birth to another beautiful day. 
Day 2 starts with a tour of the Lighthouse. Yes, we climbed the 145 steps and spotted a whale.
The excitement was too much to capture on the camera. But we saw the spout and the guide confirmed it for us 🙂
He also mentioned that the light house is located on the Pacific Plate and the St. Andreas fault is only 5 miles away. 
Below that white surf, is an underwater mountain. We were told, until they knew better, ships have crashed into it. 
We then head to Glass Beach, Fort Bragg, CA.
The white is not sand, its tiny pieces of polished sea glass.
If you go, make sure you go to the left side of the beach and climb down into the little cove. 
Humans leaving their sad mark. 

Another breathtaking view _ this the right side of the glass beck, much more kid friendly. 

Wonder what their thoughts are? 

Just enjoy the view. 

One of the many caves and tunnels water winds its way through in Glass Beach. 

After Glass Beach, Next Stop is the Botanical Gardens. Sorry, I don’t remember the names. Just enjoy these beauties. 

As we drove back, there was this rustic grocery store OR you can do what we did, go to Safeway in Fort Bragg, CA 🙂

The Market is open. 

Guiding the lost soul for decades

The wind was really blowing by now. 

The sun sets on another gorgeous day. 
Day 3: We decided to head back on US 1 debating where to stop for lunch. As the passengers continued to argue, the driver turned into this random place on US 1. 
It’s an RV park? But we need lunch… 

And then we see this .. quaint little place.. MoMo’s Galley. 

For a family that is constantly debating between vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, this place was god send and the food was heavenly.  Absolutely fresh food cooked from scratch. Yes, we actually spoke to the chef Mo as he whipped up the most amazing Chicken Satay, Pad Thai and Ginger Chicken. A definite stop next time we travel this road.
Like them on FB at: MOMO’s Galley on 2001 Hwy 1, Bodega Bay, CA

… And so ended a short but amazing vacation.

Hope you enjoyed this trip with me.. until next time. Keep traveling, even if it is virtual 🙂 

Woman, Are you Real?

“I love to read your blog, I don’t always get to, but what I do I am always amazed at your spirit ,and your way of making us all,Feel like Alice looking through the looking glass of life! Keep up the great work!” 

This is one of the sweetest comments a follower posted on my blog. Thank you for visiting and taking the time to write. Looking glass it is! We all including myself have a looking glass that helps brings things into perspective and then we look away to accept the reality as it is. I honestly don’t blame anyone who does so, life is challenging and if all of us can just be, that itself is an achievement to begin with. 

Coming back to today. This blog post has been in the making for decades now. It took this share on FB to bring it to reality. I’ll let u read this first. 


So what do you think? Who are you? 

I don’t think my house is always clean and I never have enough patience, enough smiles or enough kind words on a daily basis for everyone I cross path with; and yet I am a WOMAN in every sense of the word.  

Who is a real woman? Is she the perfectly dressed lady you cross paths with every morning when you drop of your child at school, or is she the amazing multi-tasker who manages her work and home like clock work and still has time for her kids or is she the one who says “I can’t do it all. I need time for myself,” and so she hires help to take care of the routine stuff. 

I think they all are the real woman. If they choose to believe otherwise, that’s their decision, but they are amazing women in my world. 

We are trained to think of beauty and perfection in a certain way. Some blame it on mythology, some on world pageants and I blame it on no one. It’s a perspective, there is no right or wrong about it. 


Today as the world leans in, the pinks move into the shirt aisle and the Lego’s are now pink and purple too, I look through my looking glass and see myself years ago. I maybe an odd one out here, but I love buying dolls for little girls. What’s wrong with that?  I loved dolls as a little girl, I loved flaunting my adolescent beautiful long hair and enjoyed just being a girl, and yet today I can use a drill machine with equal ease. 

Don’t get me wrong here, I am all for girls being taught science and taking leadership roles but like every thing else today the word “feminism” is going through a shift too. Feminism is often considered a synonym to misandrists, today it’s not.

Feminism to me is simply celebrating being a woman, and she can do that as she flies a plane,  builds a deck using power tools or simply by choosing to be pretty.  

When the post above, says that you must be a man because no woman in the real world does all of the above. I disagree. A real woman does not need to do all that. 

A real woman: 
  • Is honest
  • Cries her heart out every so often
  • Screams if she needs to
  • Understands the power of silence 
  • Knows her worth. She will let others get away with only so much 🙂 
  • Is confident in her steps
  • Wears sweat pants, does not wear make up and is comfortable in her own skin
  • Sometimes takes her own sweet time to find her objectives and goals in life
  • May not have all the answers and is not afraid to ask for help
  • Has one AWESOME girl friend
  • Needs to vent out, and hey sometimes even just b**** about life. 
  • And yes, when she meets a real man, she is not afraid to spend her life with him. She will make his dreams her own and push him to achieve them even if it is at the cost of her dreams
  • But if she doesn’t meet one, she is confident to take those steps alone and make her own dreams come true. 

It’s not about the hair, the house or how elegant her dress is. 
It’s about her; and to her it’s about being real and hers.  


Beyond Culture.

One of the biggest challenges in modern times is keeping the family values and traditions moving forward and appreciated. In some ways a sustainable development of its unique culture and heritage. 
As kids get wiser and smarter, we as parents are often faced with the question, what is our culture? While this question is more visible in immigrant families, I believe it holds true for natives too.   
The kid is learning about ancient civilizations now, and India is the last one they will study. Am I looking forward to it. Of course I am, its a legitimate opportunity for me to gloat about all that India has offered to the world from the zero to the science of Ayurveda to the modern Fin. I am however dreading the question, What is Indian culture? Most Indian parents start off by saying its about how the family sticks together and they prove this by restating the fact that Indians pay for the college, marriage, honeymoon, and if they can the first house too. And by doing so, most of us immigrant parents fulfill our moral duty of being Indian and taking care of our kids.   
Is that really what Indian Culture is?  Do any of us really know how to answer that question? I know I don’t. Culture is yet another word that is often defined individually.  
Last Thursday, I missed the blogpost as I was busy being a mom and getting some kids ready for their performance at the school cultural show. It’s an annual event of brilliant performances, good food and friendships. It’s a happy fun evening for all.  On the face it looks simple, get a few kids, make them perform, order food, plan the seating and voila you have a cultural show, but like most beautiful moments in life, there are many small moments that go into making this gala event possible and for the school it was many volunteers and hours that made it happen.  
The International Samosa

For a few moments, I took the time to go outside and have a bite. As I sat eating, I saw the longest line at the Samosa counter, and then I counted, out of the fifteen people standing in line, only 3 were Indian. I kept looking and mumbled to myself; “Samosa is International.” 

This trivial realization was the inspiration behind this blogpost.   
The two hour school cultural show silently brought forward elements beyond the singing and dancing. The school talent show for the kids and by the kids can teach us adults a lesson or two. I saw kids cheering for their class mates. They did not care if their act was selected or not. They were just happy to see their friends perform so well. They are creating a new culture. A culture that will adopt the  best of the world they live in. It is interesting how we as selfless little beings grow up to be adults that snear before cheer.  

Culture to the talent show and students was about the music and dance. For the parents it was  about the variety of food and bringing out their beautiful ethnic clothes.  The community on the other hand saw the sense of belonging. It was about crossing the geographical boundaries to truly adapt and adopt the world we live in. 

The eastern world claims to have a culture deep seated in spirituality and traditions and thus making it more stable and honorable.  The USA just like its counter eastern countries is an amalgamation of different cultures and traditions. Just as India was invaded by many, the natives in the USA did not have it easy either. They were invaded too.

The key difference between the eastern and western world is beyond culture. It is patience and humility that differentiates the cultures and like humans, it is about the age factor 🙂 

As we grow old, we learn to be more patient. We understand the value of humility and empathy. The younger generation is often blamed for being selfish, arrogant and yet brilliant for they have the power to define the future. The same is true for countries. As a country matures, it learns patience. It learns to understand the world and choose its friends wisely.  The youthful nature of USA is reflected in its capability to adapt and accept any culture.  Its continued inventive and creative thinking to improve the world we live in demonstrates its brilliance.

Today, as I wrap up the moments from the cultural show, I hope the “sense of belonging” to the school continues not only for the students but for the parents too.

Culture today is about accepting, being humble and sharing ideas, vision and resources towards the common goal of bringing out the best in our world. 

Holi Everyday.

A box of crayons is a joy for a child. Its the one place where nothing contradicts. It’s always a contrast or complimenting color but never contradictory. 

It’s no secret, I love colors; from the calming blues and passionate reds to the confident black and innocent white, I love them all. As a citizen of the world (I think) born in India, colors and Holi are synonyms to me. 

India or USA, March is the season of spring everywhere. After a freezing winter, as the warmth of the sun emanates the Earth. It’s when every seed frees itself and bursts out to celebrate life. As Robin Williams once said “Spring is nature’s way of saying “Let’s party.” Party is what India does during spring; celebrated on the full moon during the month of Phalgun, usually the month of March, spring creates a beautiful mess like no other fesitval 🙂 

Imagine playing with colors with all your friends and neighbor-hood, what you get is a sky full of colors.  The question is why do Indians celebrate Holi? Well like everything else, there is a mythological angle to this to. So long time ago, there was a king Hrianyakashyap. In return for his unshakeable faith and worship to Lord Brahma, he was granted the boon of immortality. What would happen to a man who was granted immortality? Like they show in the Hollywood fictions, yes he did start thinking of himself as the god and created trouble for all.  Fortunately for the world and mankind, his son Prahlad, was not like him. Prahlad, was a good soul who did not agree with his father’s evil intentions.  Angered at his son’s  opposition and after many failed attempts to kill him, Hrianyakashyap orders his son to be set on fire with his sister Holika, a demon who was thought to have immunity from fire.  The gods came together and saved Prahlad and the evil was burnt in the fire.  So Holi in one part celebrates the victory of good over evil.  

There’s another romantic angle to the story too. Lord Krishna is worshipped my many Hindu’s. Historically, the hindus worshipped Krishna by putting red color on his idol, friends and family. It is believed that Krishna used this opportunity to have a little fun with his beloved Radha and the rest of us mortals just followed 🙂  

This symbolism of devotion today is the fun filled crazy color flinging fun,  we know as Holi. 

Growing up in India, Holi instantly brings back memories of getting up early, wearing that specially selected pure white outfit and teaming up with friends to roam the street aimlessly and fling color at each other and passers by. Yes passers by, that’s the beauty of the festival, one can throw color at anyone and there is never a yell or scream that comes back. The only reaction is a smile.

Today, Holi for me continues to be a favorite festival, but the crazy runs to neighbors and friends afar has been replaced by a family affair in the backyard where in my son loves taking the hose pipe and drenching his mom with it. It’s the one day he can do this and not get yelled at 🙂  This is the play part of Holi. 

In reality as I look at Holi today, I see and realize it is a part of my every day life. Holi symbolizes much more than the mythological victory of gods or the love of Krishna, it’s about embracing the different colors of life.  Life is like a box of crayons. It’s filled with bright vibrant reds to melancholy yet calming blues.   


You don’t need to actually play Holi to celebrate or believe in it. I don’t play every year, but I know I celebrate Holi everyday because I love colors in my wardrobe, I love colors in my cooking and I love colors in my paintings.  There are days when nothing seems to go correct, on those days it’s the vibrant yellows blend effortlessly with the blues to create the life giving greens. 


Colors are beautiful; while the red is passionate and exotic, and green brings life, black is a beautiful color too that stands tall with its distinct personality and yet absorbs all that is thrown at it, White on the other hand teaches us to ignore the minor differences and blend in as one human race.    


Colors silently teach us to compliment and not oppose.  

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Holi. 



Am I the Mean One?

Thank you for the encouragement and responses to last weeks guest blogpost. You made an eleven year old very happy.

Today, I am very excited to have got permission form another budding artist, poet and writer. This is also a guest blogpost by a young twelve year old. She is a voracious reader who takes inspirations from her reads and writes short stories and plots for her future novels. She ‘scribbles’ poetry every now and then and thinks that she is a bad Poet. 🙂 

She compliments her writing with her own illustrations and loves to draw and color/shade. Manga Art is her favorite. Juggling her hobbies and school, she also finds time to practice gymnastics and swimming. Like all tweens, her friends are her life!  At such a young age, her writing and art reflects human emotions. It is special when a twelve year old is sensitive to the feelings of others. Her work has been commended by her seniors and peers. One of her poems won Reflections’ Award in Lawson middle school in 2013. Also, her poem was part of Young American poetry digest.

Her poem “Am I the Mean One” is her perspective on bullying; a growing problem in schools today.


AM I THE MEAN ONE? 

When people pick on me
I cry because I am mad
So I get even with them 
And then I am glad

But then I am sad
because I am not always mean

But they make me feel like a small bean

So does that make me mean?

I am not mean or Am I?

 – By Rujul

Art  By Rujul : Reflecting the feeling in the Poem “Am I the Mean One?”
I think its a brilliant illustration. Love the questioning sad expression in the eyes and how she is cuddling herself.

Her poem was also chosen by Project Cornerstone as an illustration of how kids feel when bullied. Below is a snapshot of their Facebook page. 


Please join me in wishing this budding writer, poet and artist success in all her future endeavors. I look forward to reading her publications.

The Change.

Today’s post is a guest post by a eleven year old. His challenge was to write a persuasive essay on how to spend the ten thousand dollars his school won. For keeping it neutral, I asked him to change the names but the text is his own.  My favorite part was when he recognized that the “coolness” of technology can actually prevent kids from going stray.  Hope you enjoy this.

The Change  

“It’s happened, Wildcat Elementary School has won the jackpot of ten thousand dollars. Now Mrs. Fabulous comes the tough decision; What will you do with all this money? Well, my brain is teeming with satisfactory ideas and I have chosen a stellar one that will change education in our school forever.  This genius idea is to get our school “plugged in” or include electronics in our daily curriculum.  Wildcat Elementary should have electronics because today everything is online. We could use these tools for helping us research stuff, learn from experts and also motivate kids to learn. 

If a teacher gave a student a school project and they needed to research information, what would they do? Laptops and desktops are the answer. These devices are easy to use and give us an immense amount of information in a very small amount of time via the internet.  This helps the students improve their grades and prosper.  The students will be motivated to learn the facts or use high vocabulary words that they made an effort to search for and thus remember them better too. 
Today there are tests, quizzes and learning sites that are solely invented to help kids learn and succeed. If we had electronics, kids could to an educational website to find the solutions to their predicament. One example of an educational website is Khan Academy, a website that has helped millions become more educated than before. There is also online pretest websites that helps kids prepare for exams. One such example is Smarter Balance Testing . This is a website that helps kids get ready for smarter balance testing, a new program in schools that is replacing STAR test. 
Some kids just don’t want to learn. They think that there are much more important things than education. That’s why many kids start taking drugs. They think learning is boring.  If we had electronics in our school that wouldn’t be a problem. These fancy gadgets are alluring to kids, so if we would buy them kids would start to love education. For some kids that are in poverty, this maybe the only time they will get a chance to learn using technology. 
Even if people want to ignore it, technology has become a major part of everyones lives. Some people wouldn’t even be able to live without electronics. This is why electronics should be allowed in our school. It will help kids do their projects by researching information, kids will learn using electronics and kids will want to learn too. So remember I want to get this school “plugged in.” 

Mom, It’s okay.

Thursday afternoon, the bell rang and in came a tiny silent guest. I looked at it with a frown and said to myself; NO! Not this weekend, its the long weekend. Come on it’s the Valentines weekend, so what if its a Hallmark holiday, it’s still an excuse to go out for dinner.  I had so much planned, family dinner, a trip to the Exploratorium and do some gardening as a family. Gardening, yes gardening and  if you haven’t heard;  the truth is a family that weeds together, stays together.  But, now its all going to change, for he is here. 
Fuming at his ill timing, feeling hot as in I think I have a fever coming on hot,  I thank My Little Ponies for graciously baby sitting my girl while I crash on the couch. Siri promises to wake me up in 90 minutes so I can welcome my older one back from school.
It’s 2.50 p.m, Siri true to her word, was punctual and so was the tween. He rings the bell, I tell him; “I need to sleep, please watch your sister.” He agrees, I thank him and crash again.  But wait, I am a Mom, am I allowed to fall sick? Whose going to cover the two hour Tae Kwon Do class in the evening, and what about dinner.  The thoughts don’t stop there, they move forward to Friday, I had promised a 5 year old a trip to the park with her friends, and then we had piano, Taeko again followed by a dance rehearsal.  
I drag myself up and hold my head tightly as it desperately tries to spin off the neck.  The clutter clatter of the pans in the kitchen draws his attention and he asks “Mom, are you feeling better? I thought you wanted to sleep.” I say, “yes I did, but then you have Taeko and its almost dinner time.” He gets up, comes to me and says “It’s okay, you can rest. We can handle it.” LOL is what I want to do, and I think he read my mind. He forces me to lie down and assures me that he will take care of it and besides he says, “daddy will be home in an hour.” I lie down, close my eyes and voices fade away.  I sleep and sleep more for the next three days and play a gracious host to the microscopic secretive guest. Every time he visits, he looks different. He says he likes trying new styles but then who doesn’t for there is fashion galore to choose from for size 0 and below.  
I have to admit,  through the headaches, coughs and fever I could not help but ponder about what they were doing. All the noise surely meant the downstairs must be trashed. I irked at the thought of going downstairs and seeing the mess. For me to not know what the kids were doing, what were they eating, and how were they handling it in general was proving to be very difficult, so I call out to my husband and ask him, he laughingly says, “don’t worry they are having a blast. You get some rest.” 
Having a blast, when I am sick. Don’t they miss their mom, and you can imagine the rest of the emotional emotions that I ran through.  After being “treated” for almost four days now, the out-of-towner decides to leave and I take a deep breath. 
Here’s what I learned this last week: 
1) When sick, do not try to be a mighty mommy. 
2) I need to trust my upbringing more. Every parent teaches their kids to be independent and yet when opportunity comes, we hesitate to trust them with it.  But then no one said parenthood would be easy. 
3) Kids are more resilient than adults.  Kids are amazing, they adapt to situations so much better than adults. This last week, I saw Tom and Jerry take care of each other like never before. Tom fed her, bathed her and even read a story 🙂  
4) Dad’s deserve a lot more credit than we give them. They have their own way of taking care of things. When dad can’t find a glue stick at homework time, he uses super glue.  It’s not what a mom would do, but the job gets done, and that’s all that matters. 
5) It’s okay to let everything just be and take care of itself.  This for me is the hardest, but I am learning. 
Moral of the story; .When mom’s fall sick, the world may not spin as miraculously, but it will continue to spin.  
Mom’s aren’t allowed to fall sick, is so yesterday. 
Today; Mom, it’s okay you can fall sick.