Highest High

What do you fear? Overcome It.

Says everyone, untill it's time to do it.

I laughed it off and said I fear heights,

He too giggled and googled 'tandem skydive'.

Really? Are you joking? - I said.

I don't wish to be dead on my first European Holiday!

YOLO he said-You live only once,

If you jump, I jump I said for we vowed -till death do us part.

We booked our tickets of adventure, decided to sky dive.

More than the jump itself, it was the decision to tell your parents, lest they should skin us alive!

Skydiving in Prague is once in a lifetime's opportunity ,

We convinced our folks of the highest of standards and lowest accident probability.

There we were sitting in a cab we wished hadn't arrived ,

It was to pick up us for the sky dive site!

Once we reached, we were strapped up and instructions were passed on,

No simulation, No practice, just our instructor to hang on.

As we took flight and it went up higher,

Our heart beats soared,

I wondered what would happen if the harness tore!!

Lo and behold! It was my turn!

My instructor was behind me, pushing me out the door!

For a moment or two ,I felt I'd back out.

No chance, YOLO, Mom dad,God save me, here I go!

Then the jump happened I went in first,

I felt like cotton ball or a bubble ready to burst.

My head moved with the wind,

So did my arms.

What a tiny spec is a human life, in that moment,so lost.

I could feel the pit in my stomach, diving into void,

Praying to almighty to keep my husband's jump as safe as was mine.

With the free fall ending with the parachute whooshing open!

What a relief from the endless fall , finally my eyes were open!

My eyes lit up seeing the beauty of the city of Prague 

I looked up and saw my husband's parachute 20feet above 

As we neared touchdown, relief! I sighed.

Upon touchdown, Oh what a high! 

A high inexplicable, Adrenaline rush one of a kind.

Sky diving in Prague remains the highest high of my life!

Dusty Daisies

Steam and Gargle is what you need,

Said my Dad over phone as we did speak..

Yes Baba, I will,

Said I ,with all healthy motivation instilled..

Lemon Water with honey 'warm' everyday,

Said my Mom, Oh Honey!

As I sneezed and wheezed at the drop of a hat,

As clouds cowered and covered dark at that.

One day it was a hundred sneezes at once,

The other there were none.

How could it magically vanish

And  yet not be forever gone!

Let me spare the meds for once

Figure it all out!

The needle's prick and blood that drew

Was a puzzle of information anew...

A few days of waiting and  it was there,

My silent report of my loud sneezes lay bare!

Dust and Daisies apparently?

Guffawed my beloved-That's your allergy!!

Now I took it on my stride,

Fresh as a daisy is not my type,

Covid or omicron or none, 

masking up to keep my Dusty Daisies allergies at bay! 

Covirgin

 And the title for Miss Covirgin International for the year 2040 goes to.....Miss India-Mugdha Mangalam!! 

Its an amazing feat, this coveted title which the contestants from 195 countries have competed relentlessly for! Beauty with brains is passe`, Beauty with brains with the boost of immunity is the 'new norm-al'! Generation Alpha contestants are proving their mettle by surviving the Pandemic and acing it with immunity stronger that the seven variants that the world has seen in the past two decades! Miss Mugdha aged 20, is a student of medicine, a model and a solo traveller(with her hazmat mask and go to-oxygen Supplement jar)ofcourse and has proven to be stronger than the newest kid on the block -Omega virus! She has travelled to 18 countries without contracting the virus and by staying an epitome of fitness and beauty!

"So Miss Mugdha, what is your vision as the winning beauty of this coveted crown?"

Well, I'm overjoyed and proud today as I wear this crown and represent my country in the world. I hope to spread the message of love, peace,good health and longevity! I shall take on my solo trip to the Omega affected countries to volunteer for the poor affected by the virus and battling against it with meagre means.

"That's a noble cause, Miss Covirgin International! Here's wishing you all the best for your journey ahead, Congratulations!!"

*6 months later*

Mugdha is gasping for breath even with her oxygen mask.The new mutant virus has targetted the Covirgins and taken over 1/3rd of the world population. Alas! It was probably best not to be a Covirgin in the times of Corona, for the antibodies could have saved them from the deadly mutant Omega -2!

As her eyes sunk in deeper and her lips turned blue, she pointed her frail finger to the cupboard next to her bed. Her last wish is what she spells out in a feeble voice.. I want to wear the crown one last time and soak in the moment that seems a long time ago when I 'was' Miss Covirgin International!

They placed the crown on her disheveled hair and she took a deep breath as of heaving a sigh of relief ,only to gasp further for breath and pass away peacefully, five days before her 21st Birthday.

 They then took away the crown for sanitization before returning it to the International Committee for Miss Covirgin International Pageant 2041.

Miss Mudha shall remain in our hearts as a champion against the virus and shall be known as the  covirgin queen of the decade in the years to come...

Street

 

Under the sun, forever undone, I lay for you.

Hawkers and cars, cats and dogs, made way for you.

 

The old lady peering through the window, you see, I saw her as a dainty lass.

I saw the street kid of the yore, drive in today, his Mercedes E-Class.

 

The rains and storms, I withstood, I stood for you bare.

The potholes I nurtured for the birds that flocked, until a scorching day to spare.

 

The fancy store that has it all, I saw it in shambles galore,

At the crack of dawn , I stayed quiet when the clock struck four.

 

They screamed their slogans fervently, and torched the place down,

I lay powerless, motionless, incapable of a single frown.

 

It all is the same and yet so different today,

“What’s in a name” they said back in the day.

 

A street with a name so strong, it vitiates peace,

A street which knew no boundaries of cast and creed.

 

Under the sun, forever undone, I lay for you.

Hawkers and cars, cats and dogs, made way for you.

#Vacaymodeon

Eyes open, curtains too.. the phone gets checked somewhere between the two.. 
Check the time, squint at the clock.. recheck the time!! Gosh! 'Netflix and chill' a tad too much..
No matter how late it is, can't miss out on the morning tea, 'cut down on those carbs' speaks out the biscuit staring at me!
Baby chores come next and off to work..the day is set..  Work,Meetings,Coffee breaks , a phone call here and there... 
Evening is here and so is home..ah! long day ! Wonder what I need a break from..
My 20year old says - Oh! I so need a vacation! So do my 25 and 30year old selves! At the other side of 30 and on a whole new side of mommydom, I wonder what I need a break from...

Fancy hashtags here and there, #vacaymodeon #solotrip and #Wanderlust , I think of these and I think lets go to some kid - friendly restaurant first!

When you're not a light Traveller and voila! Now have a toddler...God bless you with your #wanderlust! 
Vacation with just the Hubby brings in some #mommyguilt , A pinch of it exists even as you head for that movie date!
A day off from work or just getting back home early,feels like a tiny holiday in it's on right surely!
Motherhood brings in so much anew, Pure Bliss-just watching your little one play and grow...
Wonder what you need a break from... is just to break the monotony.. it could be that hobby you trace back to or that challenge you left undone.. 

It could be traveling with the Diaper bags or the tantrums , fussy eater or just the usual humdrum.. 

It could be that long overdue call to a friend to make amends..

#vacaymodeon would be your personal chill auto-mode! Set your mind free as it chooses it's own vacation... 

To our bundle of joy- Rihan

Two lines on a stick,

made my heart skip a beat,

Is this true, is this real?

I'm gonna be a mom? A thought so surreal

I tiptoed to your Dad,

We hugged at the best news we ever had!

I wondered how tiny you must be,

Pondered on how the coming months would be...

On the screen we saw the little you,
Heard the best heartbeat ever, true!

Days became weeks and weeks became months,
You grew everyday and so did my baby bump,

At first it felt like a fluttering butterfly,
Then came the kicks and jabs, Oh my!

From just the tiny speck on the screen,
To a see your cute fingers and toes, that little nose was like a dream!

From morning sickness to Midnight cravings
Your Daddy dearest was at my service

You coming to us meant my rounder belly,
A reason to shop for new clothes and make merry

I thought I was at the happiest ever
In my life,
Until I saw your bonny face, oh I have a little boy! Surprise!

No amount of words can express how much I love you my little one,
Days are turning to months and soon the years will follow on

Your beautiful smile warms up my heart,
Your laughter is the sound with which I could never part

 I look back on how I thought my mom was crazy for me,
Believe me Rihan, It's the same with me for thee

Your Daddy and I wish you a world of happiness,
We will be a team ; buddy, let's bring on the craziness!

Love you to the moon and back,
It's just an expression,
Coz I really can't fathom how much more than that!

Music : The time machine

A usual day at work, then at home ..lazy evening ,with instant noodles and some TV.. Bored.. switch to some music!

Unlike my guy who would be lazy all the time but not when it comes to explore new music..he would search out street sounds and new kids on the block..He ain't around so I play on..the most played..listen to a couple of songs which have stuck on to my soul since eternity...

The playlist moves from Carpenters to Eagles..to Nirvana.. and then a song by The Scorpions plays -Still Loving You...and I'm no more in my room..no more in this home we set up

together. . I rush back 11 years ...to a moment when he gifted me something.. an audio cassette -The Scorpions Gold. It was the first gift he gave me.. no occasion. .just a meeting as well as a parting gift..for we met for a record three hours not knowing when the next few hours will be. Until then, listen to songs he loved and perhaps thought I would too. As he gifted me the casette which belonged to him, I said I was touched he shared his favorite music with me (parting with an audio casette was still a big thing then).
And there he was at his best...replying with a wink.."Oh no, I plan to buy a CD of the same album,hence passing the casette on to you!" We laughed.. fell a little more in love..

The song ended.. I'm back to my room in 2016..smiling..then writing this post..

OK or De(Kay)

One big wide grin and you term it  "batteesie" in Hindi, meaning a set of 32teeth! Well not everyone possesses all 32 and those who do,probably won't have them captured in one kodak moment smile!

18th year ushered in new stuff..the usual..'I'm an adult now' situations. What it also brought with that was wisdom.. Loads of it!! Yeah, 4 vestigial not so important and painful wisdom teeth!!

10years have passed and I lived with the full pack of 32. Numerous cheek bites as the top ones dug while I slept..turned worse then healed.. The lower two 'impacted' as per the Docs ... Not in agreement with the other teeth in the jawline.. My Mom saw these two and exclaimed.."looks like two disobedient kids decided not to stand in queue!!!

So much tongue in cheek about the peek a boo wisdom you must think..

Well, I just got one of my four pearls (sic) of wisdom dropped/extracted.

Excruciatingly painful,decayed tooth,unfathomable to the best of toothbrushes..had no option but to bid it goodbye..

So here I was fearing the unknown and it took under 15minutes for half of my face to go numb and my tooth to get uprooted like an old dead tree hit by lightening!

I don't think I can forget the sound of 'uprooting' which has got into my head! 

The procedure happened and I saw the severed tooth..decayed and dead at the top, strong and unscathed at the root... Like a freak got it home but the doc told me not to preserve it as it was decayed..so flushed it off..

Had a sense of loss.. A vestigial organ as it may be..still was a part of me and my 'bateesie'... 

For - Rohit Mathews

I never met you, can't say we were friends,

Yet, I saw you, in her eyes and his laughter,

'You' I could sense..

I do sing, I never heard you sing,

Yet, I saw the singer on their mind,in her  eyes and his dimpled smile

when I sang...

I never met you, can't say we were friends,

While our mothers shopped for the both of us

 A day of shopaholics',we shared...

I never met you, can't say we were friends,

Yet I feel the pain of loss, of you my friend..

For I yearn to see her bright eyes twinkle,

I yearn to hear his laughter and jokes,

I want them to be my beloved aunty and uncle,

but for the loss of you, my friend , I'm at a loss of words...

Just another day...

The day to shed inhibitions,
The day of proposal decisions,
The day of flowers all pink and red,
The day of love, someone said..

The day which ends with dinners ,candlelight
The day when coffee shops are bustling quite
The day when soft toys cheese you away,
The day when hearts and souls are blown the balloon way!

That day happens to be just another day,
coz you're not here and I'm not there,
and everyday with you all throughout the year is Valentine's Day!