Here I am, after spending 15-16 years in the IT Industry, taking a break from work. Why and how I have decided to take this step, would require another post. I have no idea when I will get back to the usual grind of working at an IT company, keeping myself engaged, learning new stuff on the job, and making some money. Surprisingly, this uncertainty doesn’t bother me anymore. I wanted this break, and hence I am taking it!
There are a few reasons for this pause from work. It did require sometime to ponder and arrive at this decision. In today’s fast-paced world, taking pauses is as simple or complicated as one makes it. I’d like to keep it simple. One important reason for the pause is that I have realized that I need to prioritize certain critical things on my personal front which are of utmost importance at this stage in my life. I don’t want to regret later for parking those priorities for too long. I am unable to open up more than this at this point, but that’s okay too. I know someday in the future, I will open up. So friends, hope you are having a good day. Take care!
Today, on the occasion of World Tuberculosis day, I’d like to share an experience with you. More than a decade ago, I was diagnosed with Cervical Tuberculosis. The day S and I got the news, we were devastated, to say the least. From that day to the day of recovery is a phase we will never forget. We are extremely grateful to everyone – our doctor, family, friends, colleagues and The Divine for being with us during that phase and helping me recover.
Today, we pray for all those who are recovering from this illness. May God shower his blessings on you, and give you the strength to endure the pain and recover soon. May you receive immense support from all around you & may you heal from this illness soon. Amen!
The plants in our balcony are growing wonderfully and it is a delightful experience seeing them grow. I’d like to share a few words about them today.
The Pink Adenium plants are resilient and the oldest amongst the lot. Earlier this year, we pruned some of their branches, and they have grown fresh new branches. On account of this, they have blessed us with more pretty pink flowers than last year.
The Periwinkle plant, which was given to us by the gardener in our apartment, is growing tall and it blooms all the year round. It reminds me of my childhood days in Pune, when we saw these plants on roads and in most of the houses, and enjoyed their presence.
The Red Firecracker plant is S’s darling. He loves the bright red color of it’s flowers.
The Jasmine plants have started flowering this summer, and the fragrance of their white flowers is divine. It transports you to another world in no time. When these flowers are kept in a closed room for sometime, the entire room is filled with their sweet fragrance.
The Pudina plant is doing well too, and giving out fragrant leaves which can be cut and used in multiple food dishes. I used them while preparing Biranji rice a couple of months ago. I have been thinking of preparing this dish since a long time, and I am glad I was able to do it this year. The dish turned out to be delicious.
The Tulsi plant is growing tall, and it has been a pleasure watching it grow from a sapling to a plant. We used the seeds from our neighbour’s plant to grow this one. Thanks to our neighbour!
The Night blooming Jasmine plants are growing nice and tall, and I love their lush green leaves. We are waiting eagerly for their flowering season when the fragrance of their white flowers transforms our living area to paradise. I love to see S enjoying their fragrance and getting lost in it.
There is a new member in our balcony, which arrived a few days ago, the Button Rose plant. I am hoping it will also enjoy the space in our balcony and bless us with lovely pink flowers 🙂
Every morning when I visit our balcony, I love to watch the plants. I talk to them for sometime before I start my daily activities :D. If folks in the neighborhood see me talking to plants, they might find it amusing :D. But, that wouldn’t stop me from talking to our plants, as I love to talk to them. These plants have become an inseparable part of our life, and they keep us motivated and happy whenever we interact with them. May the Almighty bless them!! 🙂
I’m sharing a few pictures below –
Night blooming JasminePeriwinkleAdeniumJasmine flowers
S and I go for walks in our apartment common areas/walking spaces every day. We meet a lot of kids while we walk. These kids have gotten connected to us in ways that are purer than one can imagine. I would like to share a few of our experiences with these angelic beings.
A co-resident couple would visit the swimming pool in the evenings during summer. S & I went for a quick swim around the same time. The guy would swim, and the lady would relax next to the pool as she was expecting a baby. On some days, the lady gave a warm smile and I reciprocated with a smile too. After a few months, their little one was born. It is interesting how the kid got connected with us. After Covid hit the world, and we started working from home full-time, S and I would go for a walk around noon every day. The kid, who must’ve have turned 2 years old by then, started keeping a track of our walking schedule. She came out to the balcony of her house to look at us, and waved when we happened to see her. One fine day, her mom told us that she refers to us as her friends and that she is aware of our walking schedule. It was really nice of her mom to share this with us.
Another co-resident’s twin daughters, who must be around 3 years old visit the common area with their grandfather around the same time I go for a walk. One day, one of the twins, looked at me and innocently asked if I could visit their home. This was my first conversation with the twins and their grandfather. When the little one asked me the question, her grandfather was taken aback and didn’t know how to react :D. So, we just looked at one another, laughed and continued our walk. After this incident, we met multiple times whenever I went down for a walk and I’d wave at them every time. One fine day, the same little one spotted me from the Elder’s park where they had halted to rest. She exclaimed to her grandfather, “See, my aunty is here!”. I was delighted throughout the day after her grandfather shared this with me.
Another co-resident’s son plays in the Play area during the afternoon when I go for a walk. He waves at me and likes to draw my attention. I wave back too. One fine day, he called me a couple of times, so I went to the Play area to initiate a conversation. He stepped out of the Play area and started walking with me. One of his family members walked along with us. He was super-excited as though he met a lost friend. When we reached the adjacent block of the apartment, his family member tried to take him to the escalator but he wouldn’t budge until I accompanied them. So, I followed them to the escalator. Now, he wasn’t ready to get into the escalator without me. I was perplexed and totally unsure what to do :D. I assured him that we’ll meet again, but he wanted me to accompany him to their apartment. He started to cry with utter innocence. Had it not been Covid times, I might have accompanied him. With great difficulty, his family members were able to console him and take him along. My heart broke seeing him cry 😦
These little angelic beings make our walks even more beautiful. May God bless them!
Snow's Noddy World 