Best Friends Forever!

I have to admit that each time I watch a re-run of Sex and the City, I'm reminded of my three angels Hims, Soni and Mans, back in Mumbai and start wondering that if my life had to be this sitcom.... who would be who?  I'm so bloody jealous of Carrie Bradshaw's friendships. The foxy quartet seem to have infinite time and opportunity to sit, talk, and laugh. I often wonder... why not us?

Why does carving out time to meet my best friends for a leisurely lunch feel like a guilty indulgence even before I look at the menu? To tell the truth, I'm so pressured by the unfinished tasks on my to-do list that I even hesitate to take the time to catch up with them on phone. Its not the case of taking the friend ship for granted, in fact i sooooo value the kinda unconditional bond that we share.  Feelings like this are eerily reminiscent of the days when I was a junior college student weighed down by now-so-simple  assignments. Now, I'm still driven by deadlines and responsibility. 

Certainly, the friendship pattern of the current generation of women are infinitely more complex and dynamic than the ones that preceded them. Our lives are filled with more possibilities. Women repeatedly echo the sentiment that having one best friend isn't enough---particularly if that best friend moves away, gets married, changes careers,  has children,or her life circumstances change significantly. The dynamic lives of two close friends rarely follow parallel path, spare those childhood swear nights of being together come what may! The dreadful divergence is obvious and eventual.

There is abundant research that suggests that close friendships are essential to a woman's health and emotional well-being; these vital ties enable them to become better wives, mothers, daughters, and workers. To maintain these relationships, though, we need to create and maintain face-to-face rituals with our female friends. This can take the form of a naughty girls night out or planning periodic girlfriend getaways (that is if you can coordinate the holidays). 

The choices we make depend on our personalities, interests and life situations. But to make life-affirming and joyful friendships that stick, there's no substitute for putting in the time, so what if it happens to be once in six months. We all need to develop routines to incorporate friendship into the ordinary fabric of our lives and promise to make them a priority - right my sexy angels??? Dare you disagree... being the only Psycho married case amongst the lot, i have the right to certify it.

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them and i am blessed with not one but three super willed, stubborn and self indulgent beautiful individuals! Today when i look back at the wonderful journey that life has traced... the amazing times spent with my  BFF's  flash in a row. 

 I can never get tired of the Enlightenment sessions of the evergreen HimBaba(you give me the boost to live life to the fullest!), the Daydreaming of pseudoambitioned Sonia (you give me the assurance that even when i'm in the deepest shit, you will be there for the rescue) and the forthrightness of the super-critically opinionated Manasi (you keep me grounded with the immense trust you show in me!)! You gals are like dope... i can never have enough of you! I really do believe that destiny had the strongest role to play in getting us together on the fateful afternoon of 21st may 2006. Missing you guys like never before.

Carrie Bradshaw..... You Jealous????

Oh... i must share this one thing.... i was officiting as an operations adjutant in my work place which involved coordinating of all flying tasks of the entire station... a very pre occupied kinda job... my extn no was 2035 and there was this hosp in agra whose extn no was also the same(or so.... i assume).
everyday starting around 10am i used to get calls enquiring about various doctors n surgeries n their relatives from restless people. Like this person called up..."haan main bol raha hoon.. hamri biwi ka pet ma darad hove hai... dactar saab kab aayenge?" initiallly i politely declined the wrong no.... 2 mins later..."haan... jee main munnu ki maa... apreson ka kharach kitna bola tha?" .... to which i again tried to explain to the very concerned munnu's mom.... but to utter dismal....
the hosp staff wud`ve never realised until i called them one day after the... now irritating innumerable calls... started takin a toll on my actual flying co ordination.
one day i had an idea....trrring..... triing... the phone rang..."hellloooo madamji..... oo yadavji ko bol dena ki jo paint hai... ooo ham saniwar shyam ku karva denge.. par uska kharcha double hoga ab. maane ab 6000rs hoga"
ohkkkkkk... enuf.... i thot..." accha jee... waise saniwar se agle saniwar ku aspataal bandh hoga... to aap agle raviwar ayega aur yadav saab bol rahe the ki ooo 10000rs denge.... magar kaam hona chaahiye... dhanyawaad..."
heeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaa... now this was fun... and a good 2 min break from the usually hectic schedule.
days passed by and i kept on playing similar pranks.... and for ur info... the calls had reduced......
then another wiery afternoon the voice at the other end says..." aah madamjee... hum kanhaiya...."
i say.."haanji boliye... kaisan ho???'
"ooo madamjee... oo paint ka.... yadav jee hai..."
paint???? yadav jee???? i took some time to recollect..."oh accha.... i sobbed... woh... woh toh bhagwaan ko pyaare ho gaye.... kitne dayaalu the woh..."
"ye kaisan ho gaya... thoda der pehle baat hua tha unse hamra..."
"accha.... woh abhi abhi chal base....(sob...)"
and i hung up....

heeeehahahaheheh... i know i sounded wicked... but sometimes thats the only alternative i had to tackle such unwanted... already warned calls....
now when i luk back... i have a naughty grin on my face.... and a story to tell u all... and hence i hereby officially write..... my.... kinda... first blog!!!!
and if ur wondering if the calls have stopped........ u bet they had to!!!!
HAPPY CHATTING!!!

In Search Of Happiness...

Wikipedia states Happiness to be a state of mind or feeling characterized by contentment, love, satisfaction, pleasure, or joy...

Research has identified a number of attributes that correlate with happiness:..
Relationships and social interaction, marital status, employment, health, democratic freedom, optimism, endorphins released through physical exercise and eating chocolate, religious involvement, income and proximity to other happy people.

I personally feel that happiness is the undying quest of life, the unquenchable thirst and the insatiable hunger of all human kind. It is what we all seek for, what we long for. But can such bliss be nothing but an elusive state of mind, which is here one moment and gone the next, or is such a positive outlook attainable for a lifetime?
Perhaps it is, it just is.

As in... Remember the last time when you felt an immense sense of wellbeing, lightness in your body and spirit.

The energy of that life force might have made you shine at work, deeply connect with people, unleash creativity at work, smile at the raging traffic, hum a tune while you waited for the jam to clear, and return home to envelope your family in a cosy blanket of love and caring.

Sometimes we're too busy dealing with our daily chores that we forget about the simple happiness in life, like being healthy, or having family members around.

Happiness is a continuous journey. As a child you would find happiness in your toys. As a teenager you would find happiness in your laurels. As a man you would find happiness in a good financial position. As a parent you would find happiness in your own children. As a husband in your wife and as a wife in your husband. As a friend in your kindness. As an enemy in your ruthlessness. When you're alone you would find happiness from within but this inner happiness is applicable to all.

Happiness, i feel, is more of a choice and attitude than a set of circumstances.

A young friend of mine once spent a long time trying to work out what happiness was, particularly happiness for women. When she first thought about happiness she saw it as a matter of becoming financially secure or getting married. But looking at friends who were married, she realized that marriage didn't necessarily guarantee happiness.


She saw couples who had been passionately in love suffering from discord soon after their wedding. She saw women who had married men with money or status but who fought constantly with their husbands.


Gradually, she realized that the secret of happiness lay in building a strong inner self that no trial or hardship could ruin. She saw that happiness for anyone - man or woman - does not come simply from having a formal education, from wealth or from marriage. It begins with having the strength to confront and conquer one's own weaknesses. Only then does it become possible to lead a truly happy life.


She finally told me, "Now I can say with confidence that happiness doesn't exist in the past or in the future. It only exists within our state of life right now, here in the present, as we face the challenges of daily life."


I agree entirely. You yourself know best whether you are feeling joy or struggling with suffering. These things are not known to other people. Even a man who has great wealth, social recognition and many awards may still be shadowed by indescribable suffering deep in his heart. On the other hand, an elderly woman who is not fortunate financially, leading a simple life alone, may feel the sun of joy and happiness rising in her heart each day.

Another friend of mine asked me... "If your happiness is to see your partner happy but his happiness is with someone else, then are u willing to let go?"

oh i so wish not to answer this... anyways different people ... different versions...

anyways... i feel truly happy n content when my i am wid my best friend...now my hubby... i feel
truly blessed when i am wid my 3 bestest friends... whom i fondly call my "3 idiots..." and i feel eternal bliss, when i cozy onto my mom's lap and she fondly caresses my hair.... oh!!! i sooooo miss it...

So to sum it up in a few words.. i recollect what my colleague`s daughter puts it up to be.."happiness is when mom n dad come home in the evening and we play cards!"

ciao n be happy... always!!