Friday, February 9, 2018

To Hubby, With Love!



I am thrilled to be participating in a five day “LOL-a-thon” organized by “The Momsteins”. Join us to read some wonderful letters written by 25 cool bloggers. Stay around to read some amazing letters coming up. Today’s prompt is writing a letter to the beloved! 



Dear Hubby, 

Born on the same day just a year apart, it wasn’t easy for two hot-headed Taurians like us to make peace during the initial times. But I believe, every relationship goes through a similar trajectory. Like a rocket launcher, it takes a hell lot of energy and agitation to launch a successful married life devoid of misunderstandings, miscommunications and mistrusts. I am sure we fought so much in the formative months of our marriage that if we wish, we could stay peacefully for the rest of our lives now.

We had been madly in love when we got married, but there were a myriad emotions that eventually took birth as we spent more together. With time I have realised how much you have influenced the course of my life. I admire you so much. You are not just my partner in crime, but my 4AM friend, confidante, co-conspirer, punching bag and worst critic. 


I love you for the way you guide and encourage me to move ahead in life. You are the backbone of my professional accomplishments. Had it not been for you and support, I wouldn’t have been able to make a mark and establish myself as one of the most successful ELT experts in this part of the country. You are the wind beneath my wings. You made a simple girl like me into an entrepreneur and now a happy mompreneur. Striking a balance between work life and home wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for your support, motivation and encouragement. There have been times when you have supported me, stood up for me even against the wishes of our near and dear ones. You’ve been a braveheart and weathered all the storms directed towards me. Your charisma and poise still spell a charm on me!


Of course, I feel proud to be your wife but more than that, I feel happy, content and blessed in the mini universe that we’ve created for ourselves. Thank you, for being the son, that my parents never had. Also, thank you for pampering me and taking care of my little needs.


You weren’t particularly sentsitive towards my ideas or innovations when we got married but the way you have warmed up towards my needs and aspirations is commendable! There may be many things that I love but you may not be interested in. Believe it or not,it doesn’t even matter now because the things that we enjoy doing together are the only one that seem significant now.


You’ve been the best decision of my life and I am not going to let you go, for the rest of my life. You’ve been captured and imprisoned for life now.


Thank you for coming in my life and making me realise that after all, fairy-tales do come true. Ours has been a roller-ride replete with bumps, speed-breakers and road tickets but in the end, it was worth the destination that we’ve finally arrived at.


Love,
Wifey

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Letter to Older Self

I am thrilled to be participating in a five day “LOL-a-thon” organized by “The Momsteins”. Join us to read some wonderful letters written by 25 cool bloggers. Stay around to read some amazing letters coming up.

Today’s prompt is “letters of love- to your older or younger self”.



Dear Older Self,


It feels extremely bizzare yet gratifying as I pen down this letter. Listening to one's inner calling and retrospecting from time to time are indispensible ingredients for an enriching and satiated life. I have often taken time out to reflect, retrospect and replenish life with new zeal and enthusiasm, learn from  lessons and prepare for future. This letter is another step forward towards the same - a process of self evaluation.

I hope that you are proud of the life that you've lead so far - a lifetime replete with professional, emotional, familial and spiritual roller coaster, bumpy at times but truly memorable to the core. I hope you've lived a life sans any regrets. There must have been times when you would've felt hurt, betrayed and weak but I am sure you would have bounced back with double vigour and vivacity.

I hope you thank Almighty every day for bestowing a life, so grand and blissful on you. You should know that you have always been God's favorite child and would continue to remain so for the best of your life. With Kunal and Kabir by your side, I am sure you have lived the best life that you could have asked for! Also, don't forget to thank your stars for having such loving and doting parents around who have always been the guiding force behind all that you have achieved or aspire to do so.

I believe you would have accomplished most of your travel goals by now. If not, continue to embark on the journey. The world has countless spaces that demand to be explored and documented. I hope the writer in you has quenched at least some of its thirst after being a best-seller for very many years. Now its time to pass on the baton to perhaps, Kabir. I believe he's already given you enough reasons to be proud of. Isn't he the best child that one could have asked for?

Your house looks as charming as a vintage art gallery. Let it breathe in some much needed respite. What about your dream of building a cottage up the hills? Have you been venturing out for more conceptual photography walks? Don't leave any of your desired unfulfilled! Do you still take some time out for star-gazing or talking to the moon? Has Kunal stopped taking you out on secret dates or does he still like to venture out at night with you by his side? I hope that he's finally started enjoying the Italian cuisine. Do you still find yourself on a bistro hunting spree in your city or have you settled for some permanent favorites?

I am sure you are still as energetic and chirpy as ever without a trace of age or fatigue catching up on you! Just keep yourself ready for all the adventures that life brings along. Don't let anything bog you down - sunshine or rain - keep shining on like a crazy diamond and continue spreading love, laughet and cheer around!


May the Force be with you! Amen!



I would like to thank Sripriti Somasundaram for introducing me. You can read her post here https://sriprithi.wordpress.com
I would also like to introduce my fellow blogger Aritra. You can read her wonderful post on the prompt here http://thelattemom.com/




Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Letter to My Bestie

Dear Anshita,

Words cannot suffice the joy and relief that is rushing through my veins at this juncture. Finally after a hiatus of many moons, I am fufilling a promise long overdue. An important part of our childhood was spent in exchanging letters - letters of longing, affection, nostalgia, anger, excitement and fun. Today when I look back at the sands of time, I realize that our friendship that blossomed way back while we were in Grade 4 is one of the most priceless blessings of my life.

You've not just been a bestie but a soul-sister, mentor, confidante, guide and trouble-shooter. I have had the privilege of counting on you through my childhood, teens and even now. I can't even begin to tell you how much I value you. I know I have hardly ever reciprocated the warmth, affection and love that you've been showering on me so effortlessly all these years. I've been a slipshod, for most part. While you always stood by me through thick and thin, I always remained elusive and yet I always found you embracing me, my rants and ruminations with open arms. 

I remember how you were over the moon while I was getting married. Your incessant calls, messages, images and suggestions din't make it seem that we were continents apart. You were always around. I wish you were there in person but even in your absence, you were always around seeking minute to minute updates from others bridesmaids. Kunal was equally worried about making sure that you were being provided with the latest updates because even he could sense the special & unfathomable bond that we share. He was zapped witnessing all the affection we shared despite staying apart for close to two decades. Distances might have separated us physically, but the wonderful bond that we shared since we bacame childhood transcended all barriers and stimulated us to stay in touch through letters, emails, phone calls, chats, skype, social media accounts and many other ways. You were that one friend whom I could count on, even at the dead of night when I had no one else to share my dilemma or excitement with.

The last meeting that we had was perhaps, in the year 2000, a day before I moved to another city. I can recall those moments so clearly as if they happened just yesterday. You had come to bid us goodbye with aunty and Maasi. Mumma had served ice-creams. We were looking around my house one last time together. While the elders were busy discussing their things, we had been feeling nostalgic and thinking of ways to stay connected. That's when my mom popped the idea of writing letters. Honestly, I had thought that we would write to each other once or twice and then get over it. Back then, I din't know that this was a relation that was bound to stand the testimony of time. Your first letter reached me barely weeks after we settled into our new life in Patna. I wrote back describing my new life extensively. You reciprocated my new found fears with great warmth and encouragement. Perhaps, this was the time we realized what we meant to each other.The distance made us realize the value of our timeless friendship.

There are countless memories that keep flashing through my mind when I think of us. But some of the most special ones include the quiet lunch that both of us used to enjoy sitting on the windows (yes, you got that right!) of the assembly hall, stealthy visits to the senior wing's garden area, plucking tamarinds from a tree near our school stop, sitting together hand-in-hand in the tiny tempo that used to ferry us to school, paying visits to each other's house for collecting notes, playing with  kitchen set and barbie houses in my beautiful room upstairs, buying things from Mangal bhaiya during lunch hours, exchanging friendship bands and relishing the lovely times in our trio - Aesha, you and me. Back then, I always thought that Aesha was a friend who was meant to be retained and that, you & I, would forget each other too soon and easily. But fate had other plans. I din't know that the girl from Sinker House was meant to befriend a girl from Darling House for all times to come.

I wish I could meet you soon and engulf you into a tight bear hug. I have imagined a scene so many times in my mind wherein we are meeting crazily like two long lost soul sisters at the Heathrow Airport and leaving the onlookers stunned with the hullabullo. I am sure there shall soon be a day when either you would be soaking the Chandigarh sun or I would be enjoying the Birmingham rains. 

I hope I shall receive a reply to this letter like the countless others that preceeded it. From inland letters to postcards, couriers to greeting cards, orkut, yahoo messenger, skype, viber, facebook, whatsapp, email to blogs - we've definitely come a long way!

May the force be with you!

Loads of love, 
Aena




I’m thrilled to be participating in a five day ‘LOL-a-thon’ aka Letters of Love Blogathon organised by ‘The Momsteins’. Join us to read some wonderful letters written by 26 cool bloggers. Stay around to read some amazing letters coming up. 

Hop on to read an exciting letter penned down by versatile bloggers, Aritra and Aparna J Raj, and show them some love.

This post is based on the second prompt which was to write a letter to an inanimate object.




Monday, February 5, 2018

Letter to a Feeding Bottle

Dear Feeding Bottle,

In a world full of stay-at-home breast-feeding mothers, I consider you as a bosom friend. While these mothers have the privilege of nurturing their little ones with their feed throughout the day, working mothers like me have to resort to you for ensuring that our babies get nursed and remain well fed as and when required. 

It is an open truth that you serve as a surrogate mother and look after our babies in our absence, tending to their dietary demands like a natural mother. I remember how envious I used to be when I would see Baby K longing for you during times when he should have ideally been exclusively breast-fed. But I was equally thankful to you for filling in for my absence and providing him with the much needed relief during times when he suffered from severe hunger pangs during my absence.



I vividly remember how you were my only ray of hope during times when Baby K's weight was a matter of concern. The memory of my pediatrician recommending me to increase Baby K's bottle feeds still remains etched in my mind. She had clearly suggested me to keep my motherly aspirations and ego aside, and introduce bottle-feeds as a remedial option for curbing my little one's weight loss during his initial months. However, she had also forewarned me about the perils of bottle feeding. Baby K easily took to bottle-feeding and thankfully, reached his body weight milestones. However, the comfort and ease that the bottle feeding brought along clearly declined his inclination for being breast-fed. It almost shattered my heart to pieces but I somehow kept my calm and allowed my grief to bottle-up. But as fate would have it, I came across many other moms who had similar stories of not being able to bring up their babies as exclusively breast-fed and with time, I decided to let go - the grief, guilt and dilemma. 

Today, Baby is a happy and healthy baby who loves to eat practically everything edible under the sun. From fruits and pureed veggies to cereals and sweets, he loves to gulp it all. I shall eternally remain indebted to you, for having taken care of my baby during his crucial formative months. I may have failed as a mother to cater to his growing needs but you stepped in as a god-mother and nurtured him in more ways than one.

Even today you remain his closest confidante in times of excruciating hunger and sleepless pangs. Thank you, for filling for my shortcomings and letting me bring up a charming boy that he is. I am sure you have left no stone unturned in helping him become the finest version of what he could have been. 

Forever indebted,
Baby K's Momma


I’m thrilled to be participating in a five day ‘LOL-a-thon’ aka Letters of Love Blogathon organised by ‘The Momsteins’. Join us to read some wonderful letters written by 26 cool bloggers. Stay around to read some amazing letters coming up. 


Hop on to read an exciting letter penned down by a versatile blogger, Pavneet, who has written a wonderful letter to a mirror. 

This post is based on the second prompt which was to write a letter to an inanimate object.






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A Letter to Late Mom & Dad In Law

A Letter to Late Mom & Dad In-Law

I’m thrilled to be participating in a five day ‘LOL-a-thon’ aka Letters of Love Blogathon organised by ‘The Momsteins’. Join us to read some wonderful letters written by 26 cool bloggers. Stay around to read some amazing letters coming up.

This post is based on the first prompt which was to write a letter to parents/in-laws/kids. Hop on to read the letters of love being penned down by fellow-bloggers, Dr. Pooja Kapoor and Pavneet and show them some love! :)

Dear Mom & Dad,

I wish I could see you, if only for once. Destiny has joined us through an umbilical cord that transcends generations as well as sands of time. As bizzare as it may seem, but we are all now a part of common history. I am connected to you not just by way of a biological family tree but through a countless memories, objects and emotions that lie strewn all over your house which I now call 'home'.

You left this place for your heavenly abode many many years ago, perhaps around the time I was in my teens unaware about the loss of two precious people who were to going to be such important pillars of my life. As fate willed, we never met. I never had the honour of being blessed by you but I have imagined how good life would have been and how lively our home would have been had you two been around. 

I am reminded of your painful absence every single day when I look at your picture that adorns and blesses our living room, a silent testimony to all the joys and sorrows that dwell in the house. The masters of wisdom have perhaps, rightly suggested, that a picture speaks a thousand words. Yours speaks out much more. I have looked at this picture ever since the day I entered your home decked up as a bride. I remember looking at it during all the highs & lows of life - during my first moments in your house as a bahu, on my first Karwachauth longing for an affectionate sargi (from mom), on our first wedding anniversary, on your birthdays & death anniversaries and most importantly, on the day we discovered that we were going to be parents. I wish you were around to see the love, joy and companionship that Baby Kabir has brought in our lives now.

How do I write to you about the vacuum that we feel in our lives? I wish you knew how much we miss having you around. Every morning before Kunal steps out of home, he looks at your picture, nods down and then leaves. Every night when I turn the lights off, I bid a silent goodnight to you, contemplating almost every day how life would have been with you.

Ever since a child, I remember telling my friends that I would be my mother-in-law's favorite once I got married. I wish this dream could come true. Mom, I have often missed having your around dearly. Your jewelry, utensils and other material remanents often speak volumes about your enthusiasm towards life in general. I wish we could go for a shopping spree together some day.
Dad, I wish I could cajole you into siding with me and making fun of Kunal over trivial things. 

Words cannot portray the loss and emptiness that I feel without both of you. This house would have been a home had life not taken this ugly turn. I am sure Kabir would have had a much more blessed and playful childhood had you been around to mentor him and lead him ahead.

Time is a healer. The family and your son, have moved on with your loss but your memories are still as fresh. They come oozing out in the form of tears of longing and inexplicable silences. I have always felt my stomach churn at the very mention of the word 'in-laws'. To me, you both shall always be the parents that I so long for. 

I hope that you know how much we love, respect and value you both. You are my pole star in times of happiness and sorrow, silently blessing me and showing the way around. Miss you!

Love & Regards,
Bahu


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