Kadhi Chawal

Inayat was barely 4 when she was separated from her parents. For a four-year-old, this was extremely overwhelming, and at her Naanu’s place, she felt abandoned. For days, she could not process what really happened and why suddenly her mother’s warm embrace and her dad’s infinite love and laughter had vanished. The day her mom left her, she had fed her, her favorite kadhi chawal morsel by morsel, hugging her tight after every bite. Innu (as her mom called her) had an unparalleled love for kadhi chawal, it was her soul food and she could have it 365 days a year till that day but since then it had became an alarming bell for her that she was going to lose what was most dear to her or atleast her young mind felt so. 

Thereafter, Innu grew up in a fiercely independent young woman in her maternal grandparents' home,  humble and polite, and ready to kiss the sky.  But she could never forgive her parents and often dreamt of her mother with a bowl of kadhi chawal and her dad teasing her that she would not get them until she gave them both 5 kisses each, a game they often played. 

Her naanu ensured that no one in their household made kadhi chawal, to prevent her granddaughter from bursting into tears, which she always did, as her once soul food today became her worst memory and fear. 

Naanu had hidden a bitter truth from Innu and wanted to prevent it from surfacing for as long as she could. In her heart, Indrani has resolved to dig it out one day, as her soul was devoid of the joy of all her accomplishments, sans the two people she loved the most.

By God’s grace, Innu soon cleared the IAS exam and got a posting in Banaras where she was allotted a residence whose caretakers were Raahat bhaiya, a pot-bellied, middle-aged, dark man who greeted Innu with a brown grin so full of warmth, and his petite and brown eyes wife, Rati. As she freshened up, he went to ready the lunch for her in the kitchen. She had experienced a very strange familiarity with him from the moment she had spotted him and felt a strong connection with him, but as a new officer, she had so much on her plate to look forward to and to plan and execute. She had worked very hard for this moment and had promised herself that she would leave no stone unturned to fulfil her duties. She had decided to move on.

Lost in her thoughts, she sat on the dining table for lunch, and a very familiar,r, intoxicating food smell from the kitchen shook her soul. She was served piping hot and divine-smelling Kadhi Chawal for lunch, and once again, tears welled up in her eyes. They smelled exactly like how her mother used to make them. In that moment, her fear was overpowered by a priceless joy, and she devoured her soul food, morsel by morsel, until the last bit, satiating her heart,  for the first time in the last 22 years. She almost felt her mom was around, feeding her. Raahat told her that the Kadhi Chawal was prepared by his wife Rati in the morning and that they live in the outhouse, taking care of the officers' residence in Benares for the last 20 years. 

Post lunch, Innu immediately started for her office to complete her joining formalities, but destiny had other plans. Heartbreakingly, her car was smashed into the divider by a speeding truck coming wrong side, and she escaped death by a whisker. As she regained consciousness in the hospital after almost a fortnight, all she could remember was eating Kadhi Chawal moments before she was about to lose her life, and her fear came back; she dreaded eating them again in a state of trance. 

When discharged, back at her residence, though still with multiple fractures, Innu was given extreme care by Raahat bhaiya and his wife Rati, who was a very kind lady and had experience working as a nurse. She loved Innu like her own daughter, doing all her personal work, including bathing her and combing her long tresses, and feeding her. Innu sometimes wondered how she had the same peculiar style of rolling rice and daal or gravy into solid balls by throwing them gently in the air before feeding her, exactly like her mother. It soothed Innu’s heart like never before. Naanu inquired about her well-being often, but her old age had made her confined to bed, so she could not come to be on Innu’s side, though Innu’s boss had been kind enough to accept her long leave plea. 

On the long road to recovery as time elapsed, Rati unknowingly started healing all the scars of Innu’s heart created by the loss of her mother and Innu gradually started opening up to her about all the mental agony and pain she has buried in the deepest corners of her heart albeit still containing a lot of it. 

She often wondered about her love and hate relationship with her soul food Kadhi Chawal too, how she still loves it the most, but the fear to eat it is her worst nightmare though now she wonders what else she can lose and most importantly, does it has any connection with her parents never coming back. She always wondered where they went and why Naanu never ever told her this secret. Her soul kept searching for answers and starving for her favorite kadhi chawal. 

Every day, Rati made Innu’s favourite food, but whenever she wished to make Kadhi Chawal, Innu would say one day she would have it from her hand, surely, but not until then. Being in the prime of her youth, Indrani soon felt better and joined the office while Rati remained her constant for a long, long time to come. 

Innu loved her work and completely soaked her in it. She has always had a burning desire to work on uplifting and empowering unprivileged women, and in her job, she got closest to fulfilling these goals of hers, but despite being a workaholic, she always experienced a perennial void. Rati did understand that Innu had lost her parents as a child, which always motivated her to move on.

“Madam, you must get married now!” She would lovingly nudge Innu as she would oil her hair every Sunday without fail, and Innu would giggle back,

“Who do you think will be able to handle me?”

The banter would go on and on with Rati praying and manifesting a prince-like groom for her daughter like madam. So yes, eventually, Innu did find someone. His name was Atharv, and he ran an NGO to reunite the lost ones with their families after his office hours. That’s where their friendship culminated. Atharv was a simple, sweet, lovable young man, and his love filled Innu’s void, and for the first time in her life, she bubbled with joy and smiled with an open heart without any fear. 

With Naanu’s blessings and in the presence of Rati and Raahat, the two love birds tied the knot and were soon blessed with a lovely little princess, Nia, and their world became complete. 

Innu finally felt calm and blissful, but still saw her mom in her dreams with a bowl of her favorite kadhi chawal wanting to feed her, which she dreaded eating now, though she missed it and often felt like feeding it to her daughter exactly like her mother. But her trauma has made her paranoid. She had lost all hope of being able to fathom the truth about her parents. 

However, Innu always felt that the way Rati fed and reared her daughter was similar to what she remembered of her mom, and was happy to have her as an elderly person in the house. Rati became her mom’s silhouette to Innu and her family. 

Atharv, however, understood that his wife’s concealed distress would eventually rub off on their daughter and persuaded her to tell him...to be continued 

Solo Trips in Forties hit different

 

I started my career as a twenty two year old automobile engineer in Tata motors and in the next decade flew solo infinite times all over the world even after switching jobs to Honda Cars and Ikea of Sweden. I always loved my jobs and exploring new destinations to the best of my  abilities, squeezing in something new, in all the time that was left to me after work. 

All the countries that I visited in the ten years of my professional life significantly aided me evolve into a person that I am today. While my earnesty, respecting others and punctuality along with goodness in general was deepened under the Japanese influence, I derive the ease at work and not taking it as a burden but a defining part of my personality from working in Europe. By God’s grace being a banker’s daughter I traveled quite a lot in my country with him and then a number of countries globally through my jobs and I am really grateful for them. Well the dream is still on at least 100 countries is my target.

Anyways let me not digress and come straight to the topic and that’s how solo trips are vital at any age to rekindle the magnetism of your original self. In my twenties I hopped on the flight to a new country very casually for work, devouring the beauty, culture, food etc. and if the place was exceptionally beautiful I always secretly wished that the love of my life was there with me and that would have only multiplied my joy. Through BBM though I shared every tiny bit of detail with him, also buying a lot of gifts for him and this way we both managed our professional and love lives well. My solo trips gave me perspective, newer goals and wings to fly high and dream big. 

Then motherhood knocked at my door and I was at the peak of my career, hopping on those frequent flights leaving my tiny baby behind was no more exciting, it pained me and I stopped enjoying. I tried really hard until my child was two as giving up was not me but with zero support system, I merrily chose motherhood and quietly started my communication skills academy in Pune to remain close to my child and rear him well for the next decade. My solo trip sojourn took a pause and I took family vacations so my void of not being with my loves got filled.  Moving to Delhi took away my super power of grooming kids and women in my academy, though my blogging and author journey continues. Life indeed is a a roller coaster and I know greater things await.

Fast forward to today when both my boys are super busy, I felt a dire need of rediscovering myself and hence after almost 13 years I set out on a solo trip though nervous to plan initially and Dilly dallying for long to plan it but  once I was at the airport all alone I felt magically powerful. The old me came back as if she has never taken a back seat. I enjoyed my company like I always did, spending a good time shopping little stuff and clicking pictures at the airport. Up in the sky, like a kid, I spoke to clouds in the sky, read a book, penned my heart, listened to a couple of songs. and did everything I always loved. It was a short 3 day solo trip and I loved every bit of it, the hustle to the shuttle to getting a taxi, I genuinely liked getting back to the grind. After ages I found a glimpse of the real Roma of her twenties and I loved her but a solo trip at the start of my forties really hit different and I would love to take so many more of them. Do take one if you can when you feel the urge is the most.

Vision 2024: My Three Personal and Three Creative Goals for 2025

It is a chilly winter morning in Delhi today with sunshine playing a peek-a-boo from behind the clouds. While I am busy enjoying Mother Nature caressing all my plants and talking to the huge mango tree in front of my house, I wonder how brilliantly the tree has fulfilled its goals in the last more than 50 years braving all odds and still giving us the yummiest of mangoes every year. It has a purpose in life and it is still fulfilling it and standing tall and strong. Our goals can precisely do this for us, they are magical, and they give us a purpose in life. They give us a reason to get up every day and keep working towards achieving them. 

So yes it’s a wrap for 2024 and here I sit setting my personal and creative goals for 2025. Since I primarily identify as a writer, how about going with the creative goals first. 

1. Bring out the Hard Copy Versions of my 8 published books so far: Out of my 8 books on Amazon KDP, only 3 are available in print and I feel it is high time to bring out the print versions of all the others too though I am still divided if I must integrate them into one or make them into a box set. I started working on this project last year but will ensure the results are visible this year. I would now like to hold all of them in my hand and revisit my works in the last 8 years. I have been guilty of not promoting them, I want to give all of them a fresh chance again. 

2. Launching Brave Inked Emotions Vol2 with a grander deeper purpose: The launch of a very valuable emotional wellness resource, Brave Inked Emotions Vol1 was a very satisfying venture I undertook in 2024 and I will like to bring out a grander every more worthy version of it through putting together BIE Vol2 in 2025. The blueprint is ready and I will make the final, announcements as the dates approach. I wish to let it keep serving both its purposes to perfection, to be an emotional wellness handbook for someone in need and be a Launchpad for budding writers to become authors and see their works in print.

3. Working on the manuscript of my New Novel at length: There is a story which sits in my heart for years, may be its time for me to start working on the first draft this year with a strong discipline and dedicated hours. I now know I am at a point where it is going to be now or never for me because I have some other very significant priorities and  I must get into my best balancing act. 

Personal goals too are going to be very significant for me this year. Life is short and we must make every moment of it worthwhile. I have great hopes from myself in the year 2025 on personal front and may Baba give me the strength to fulfil them to the best of my abilities. 

1. I intend to get disease-free and medicine-free in 2025: For as many years as I can remember I have lived my life between two episodes of acute endometriosis pain which has made me put on pedestal many significant aspirations of my life but this year I wish to break free with the power of prayers and manifestations. I know it is easier said than done but I will try with all my might and I trust I will succeed. 

2. Getting back on my earlier fitness and stamina levels: For my own sake I wish to get back to my weight and stamina levels of the post pandemic days. It is extremely vital for me. I am no more smitten by loosing weight abruptly just to look good and rather want to be perfectly healthy and fit and energetic no matter how much is my weight. 

My Lord, I hope you are listening to me, please help me align my energies to keep moving in the right direction.

3. Keep living my dream of travelling the world and covering all continents: My jobs in Ikea of Sweden and Honda Cars made me travel the world and I get so overjoyed and overwhelmed in a new country that now I wish to cover the remaining countries of the world and absorb the cultures and soak in the beauty of the world. Travel charges my batteries and I become a new me. Travel remains my most exciting personal goal for 2025 too and my bucket list is more than ready.

Have you set your goals for 2025??

Wrote this post as a part of #Blogchatterwraparty and I am thankful for them to planning this wrap in such a worthwhile manner.

2024 Summarised in Six Words For Me: A Gratifying Meaningful Year

It is customary for me to sum up my reflections of the year gone by, every year end but this year I choose to do it a unique way by summing it up in exactly 6 words. These reflections are the cornerstones of analyzing in depth my creative and life pursuits and deciding my future goals which are extremely significant to my very being. So without further ado, here are the six words that kept me grounded and happy in 2024. 

1. Gratitude 

If not six and I was asked to sum up the year skidding past us in just one word, I would still say it will be immense GRATITUDE. 2024 has been a transformative year for me, I commenced it at my Baba’s feet in Shirdi pouring my heart out to him at the 4 a.m. Kakad aarti with tears of joy, I could not control. For it and everything that happened thereafter, I am so grateful and I am very sure Sai is the one who has pulled it through for me. All that I told him, that worried me and in which I needed his guidance, he has held my hand throughout and made me a better bigger person in heart and spirit. 

2. Focus 

Focus because I have had specific aims this year and I have surpassed my own expectations in fulfilling them like the launch of the nonfiction anthology ‘Brave Inked Emotions’ which brought together twenty-seven eminent writers to share important anecdotes from their lives to propagate strong messages of emotional wellness. 

Working with all of them at the same time, giving them a genuine voice, and seamlessly integrating and editing their works which included mine too, was an extremely enriching and therapeutic experience and gave me a set of wonderful friends for a lifetime. The book was very well received too and I was surprised to see more than 300 copies ordered on the first day itself. The joy it gave to the first-time authors in the book is surreal and I was humbled to be a part of their journey. 

I was also focused on enriching myself and hence I completed a very valuable Ayurvedic Diet and Nutrition course from Govt. approved, Arogyam Institute securing more than 80% marks in all their exams and knowing so much more about our health and well-being. I highly recommend this course to everyone. A major responsibility on the personal front was also my primary focus this year and I hope I didn't lose focus on that front too.

3. Intuition 

After battling chronic endometriosis and unbearable pain for about a decade and a half, I have felt a little better with Ayurveda but my situation worsened after I underwent  Vasti Panchkarma in May’24. No medications worked in giving me any relief from the debilitating pain and excessive bleeding. I felt weak and could not stand. My doctor whom I trusted blindly could not figure out the cause, something went wrong in Vasti and I was also addicted to the Cannabis in the painkillers and every time I tried to leave them, I developed a fever. 

Around the same time I went on a trip to Bali and the treks to some of the exquisite beaches though I loved them, made my back give away. I had similar difficulties in Dubai while climbing a sand dune on a desert safari. I realized in my 2 years of 12-15 Ayurvedic tablets a day, I had gained more than 25 kgs of weight and my stamina has gone for a total toss. I saw myself going from my fitness best to worse but I so wanted to get cured of endometriosis. 

My intuition said it had to do with the side effects of my medications so I quietly packed my reports during my annual trip to Allahabad and showed them to Doctor Bhaiya, our family friend and someone I deeply trust. He asked me to stop all medications at once to flush my system of them completely, which even my Ayurvedic gynecologist in Delhi suggested, and doing so gave me so much relief that I never restarted them and instead took homeopathy for support. 

Many times earlier too I have felt that my intuition works fairly well, it is only that, this year I have learned to trust it completely and surrender.

4. Peace 

2024 is a year of self-acceptance for me for whoever I am and this self-acceptance and self-love has given me immense peace. In my early forties now, I like doing things at my own pace and only if I am passionate about them otherwise I politely refuse. I am no longer a people pleaser and stay far away from toxicity. I spend a lot of time with the people I love unapologetically and charge my batteries with their genuine affection but I am equally elated in my own company often enjoying a writing date with myself in extreme peace. My peace is my partner and it has taken me a lot of time to reach here. 

My mind has always wandered and was restless over trifle things and my desire to do more was almost insatiable but now it is quality over quantity for me. Earlier, I also almost always immediately jumped in to take the side of the underdog without even knowing if he needed my help or not but now I have become more of a peaceful observer and take time to offer help to someone genuinely in need whether it be teaching a needy student of my academy without charging a fee or helping people in my support groups, only if I feel my help can me genuinely worthwhile for them.  Also, earlier I absorbed everyone’s pain but now I help them channel it in the right direction peacefully. I still love clicking smiling pictures of myself in nature but am not sure I am as comfortable on social media as I had always been but I preserve them for myself and revisit them in peace. Honestly, I love this new version of me.

5. Prayers 

I pray three times a day and now a major part of my personality is defined by these prayers. My fears, I am so glad, are finally gone and I can channel my energies in the right direction and align them with the healing power of the universe. I am just not saying it for the sake of saying it, but this year has taught this to me in a very beautiful way and I am loving the change in me, I have internalized several manifestation techniques and tried to fathom the deep secrets of how to tap the immense power of our subconscious mind. All my reading this year has mostly been on these subjects and I have extreme belief in the power of my prayers. 

6. Experience 

I absolutely adore experiencing life firsthand so this year I have categorically enhanced my experiences by taking short travel breaks to my favorite cities, in between hectic mundane life. Whether exploring the islands of Bali or the traditional charm of Udaipur, professing and reiterating my love for mountains in Nainital, Dehradoon, and Mussorie, or visiting my home in Pune and Maayka in Shirdi,  I made sure I was weaving memories and amassing experiences. These were all short trips as that is what I could afford as a mother of a tenth grader but they brought with them a breath of fresh air, fresh perspective, and fresh dreams in my life. The dreams about which I will surely talk to you in my next post on my plans for 2025. So stay tuned. 

So this was my 2024 wrapped up in 6 words and I am so grateful to Blogchatter for coming up with the fabulous #blogchatterwrapparty ☺

The Delhi Chapter, second innings: Just Thinking Out Aloud

When I came back to Delhi in 2019 after 9 long years I felt like a fish out of water and 5 years later today, do I still feel so, or has Delhi embraced me, or rather have I adapted to it a little bit…I woke up to this thought after a week-long of a worthwhile Diwali every way. I came to the national capital first as a new bride and now again for the entrepreneurial debut of my spouse and better education prospects for my child. 

Life here is comfortable and good but then why do I find myself always running away from this city at first opportunity whether it is to Baroda, Dehradoon, Pune, or Udaipur. Those are honestly the cities of my taste. I somehow don’t feel creatively and professionally challenged in Delhi and am unknowingly getting caught up in the flashy lifestyles here. I don’t get to spend time with the kind of intellectuals and friends I always had in my life and I vaguely try and fit in the business circle I am now a part of which I wonder I ever can. Don’t get me wrong, my friends here are kind, they all love me dearly and so do I but my soul is not satisfied and I wonder what must I do. 

From a flourishing career in Tata Motors, Honda Cars, and Ikea of Sweden to running my communication skills academy to publishing my 7 books I don’t know where I am headed. I am again feeling the creative void and in the past, it has made me do some worthy things so I just sit and wait today for the eureka moment. Somehow I feel it will not happen in Delhi but I fail to understand why is such an aversion and I wish it proves me wrong. Delhi is kind, and full of love and life yet I am not sure it can be a creative abode to me. 

Maybe these are the years I must go easy on my ambitions and be present for my teen appearing for board exams all 3 coming consecutive years. Maybe these are the years I must invest in planning for my ultimate goals as I love leading a purpose-driven life. Maybe this is God’s way of guiding me to slow down and think for a while.  Maybe..only time will tell what is in store for me. Until then I shall be happy weaving tiny joyful moments into sweet memories and trying to adapt to the culture dear without losing my identity. 

But honestly, the deep urge to settle down now precedes every other desire. Maybe this is a mature thing or has something to do with the advent of the forties. I have become so selective about where I invest my time and energy and stay kilometers away from toxicity. There are a few things I still need to keep working on like some learning aspirations that still remain. So yes I can use my second innings in Delhi to enrich myself with these courses and amass further knowledge which I am sure will be helpful in my growth and fulfilment of my dreams. 

See, so yes, thinking aloud to all of you helps, at least it gives me a momentary solace of getting on the right path and not losing focus midway while trying to reach my ultimate goals 💗

BEYOND PERFECT LOVE ~ Short Story

The author

Arden had lived a loner’s life on a small ship left to him by his parents, sans any communication with the outside world, for the past 17 years. He had an advanced distress tech invented by him aboard his vessel, on which his only pals, the sea creatures, alerted him when someone was in need in the deep sea and he would relentlessly save them at any cost. He was the master of the marine realm who toiled ardently day and night to upgrade his innovative technology and had dedicated his life to this mission because this very sea had once swallowed his world, his mom and dad, during a tempestuous storm when he was barely ten and he could not do anything.

 

He had never experienced the void in his life until one day he met Rose during one of his rescue missions. Surprisingly, even Rose had been on her own, alone on a secluded island, and only remembered being carried away by the strong waves when she was playing on the beachside as a very small girl. The next morning she had woken up on this lonely island’s shore and thereafter devised her survival techniques in the hope that someday she would reach back to her family.

 

Her solitary battle for survival too had been nothing short of extraordinary but after what felt like an era she only saw her hope fading away each day so she decided to swim far and wide until she spotted a carrier that could take her back. For days and nights she swam and swam but the more she did, the more she realized there was no hope until Arden found her clinging to a piece of wreckage and floating on water semiconscious after being alerted on his distress tech. She showed no signs of life as Arden lifted her in his strong arms on that lightning-struck thunderous night but he would not give up this easily.

 

An unknown power compelled him to whisper in her ears, ‘’You are going to be alright dear”, with a heart full of warmth, and the universe listened as she gently opened her eyes.

 

But the very next moment she shivered in pain and perhaps fright as this was her first encounter with a human after so many years. Her panic was evident but her fragile body had no energy to retaliate, she did not realize she was in the safest pair of robust arms in the world.

 

The Sea which snatched Arden’s parents gifted him Rose and they were now even. His anger gradually melted away as he cared for Rose day and night until she fully recovered. The two had a stark similarity in their looks and personalities, both were blue-eyed and ivory-skinned and were kids of mother nature possessing an ocean of deep silence in their hearts bonded together by their shared trauma and solitude. Soon, both Arden and Rose grew a great fondness for each other albeit in a very strange cute way because neither of them had had an encounter with the opposite sex so far.

 

Rose had always felt a strong tingling when Arden tended to her wounds with her heart beating faster, she had never experienced this galore of myriad emotions entering and exiting her heart at a miraculous speed before. She had wanted to caress him back but only smiled. Sparks did ignite though when their eyes met. My sweethearts evidently could not identify that they had fallen in love which is the purest of the pure human feelings, for a very long time but drowned merrily in what was happening between them.

 

From being extremely shy initially, communicating only through actions with an occasional touch making butterflies flutter in their stomachs, they grew inseparable and built their beyond-perfect adorable world full of profound love. Little things like decorating their ship with magnificently prettyshells and corals or Rose dancing to the songs and poems weaved by Arden brought them unparalleled joy. But most of all they liked to talk as they had had no one to share for years and both of them craved family, as a very long period of solitude and battling sickness and near-death incidences at close angles alone, they loved how complete they felt in each other’s company. They were now family, it meant the world to them to be able to share their hearts and souls with someone.

 

Under a star-studded sky, Arden would narrate to Rose how he and his parents were a beautiful family of three, his dad being a veteran ex-merchant navy engineer and his mom his colleague and a gifted poetess. They had home-schooled Arden as they had chosen a life at the sea on their ship in the arms of Mother Nature and their son had inherited the prowess of both his parents. His mother’s compassionate heart and beautiful songs and poems which he often sang had taught him to communicate with the marine species with whom Arden can talk and they alerted him on his distress tech, inventing which was his dad’s dream and he was super thrilled to fulfil it.

 

It was a beautiful sight to behold, every time Arden sang, the mesmerized dolphins, vibrant fishes, and other creatures of the marine realm came to enjoy the show and now they were also treated to Rose dancing to his tunes, in fact, they too joined the merriment of these two pure souls destined to be together forever. Time flew and felt like straight out of a fairy tale as the two made love for the first time under the serene blue skies and above the pristine blue ocean waters. The universe blessed their beyond perfect love. 

 

Arden taught Rose how to communicate with the creatures at sea and she loved his world of which she was now the most integral part. Undoubtedly she was a quick learner and was quick to identify the signals at the distress tech every time, if Arden was elsewhere, as they set sail immediately to help. She too had known the sea world from years of living on the shore and Arden was spellbound whenever she shared her knowledge on what all she had learned, living on the shore all these years. She had developed her one-of-a-kind vocabulary to name and describe sea life and things, which often made them laugh together.

 

Rose also, too often spoke about how her parents might be still looking for her and how badly she had missed her little sister Lily. They had come for a vacation at the beach when her world fell apart. She still would wake up at night listening to her mom shouting out her name aloud with cries for help as the waves had carried her away when her dad had gone to get their car parked away. There is nothing more she remembers other than their blurred faces now.

 

Rose’s unwavering resolve to find them someday added purpose to Arden’s technological ingenuity and together they decided to embark on a quest to locate Rose's long-lost family. Nobody could doubt their strong will and determination and after all what is life, without a goal, rather it united them further, but yes they were looking at a rather impossible goal.

 

It was indeed going to be a herculean task to search for Rose’s family, the only guy Arden knew on the mainland was the hardware shop owner uncle, his dad’s friend, who supplied him with the necessary supplies needed to upgrade and maintain the distress tech and carrier vessel. Navigating the sea in search of someone on the mainland whose names and faces they barely knew needed meticulous planning and technological know-how if at all they had to succeed.

 

Arden’s distress tech was based on frequencies to communicate with marine species but the new invention he needed to work on was to build a tech that could interact with the communication systems of every mainland they sailed to in search of Rose’s parents. Once the groundwork was done and the crude tech was in place they set sail not wanting to lose time, Arden wanted to keep working on it on the way and had already amassed all that could be needed from his old uncle. He had chalked on a detailed map of the probable areas they would hit first based on Rose’s faint description. All this time, Rose always fuelled Arden’s hard work with her inspirational words and unshakable belief in him.

 

He had recorded a message from Rose to his family with every possible detail she remembered and they transmitted it to every mainland they reached about a girl lost at sea searching for her family until they heard back. It took them several years to find Rose’s parents thanks to Arden’s extraordinary efforts and Rose was on cloud nine to see her mom-dad and Lily back. She was right they had not stopped looking for her and had left information about her everywhere they could. It was as if Rose had lost all hope and made peace with the truth but her love did not let her down and she was reunited with her family. Tears of joy knew not how to stop and kept cascading down all eyes in disbelief.

 

Rose’s parents could not thank Arden enough for saving their daughter and were ecstatic to take their daughter home as their family was finally complete. Lily never left her elder sister’s hand for a minute and grinned merrily from cheek to cheek, hugging her only sibling in sheer joy repeatedly. Arden saw Rose leaving, he was very happy that Rose had found her family and could not understand why his heart felt so heavy. Back home Rose’s mom made her delectable drool-worthy food and Lily made her adorn in her favourite dress. Rose was amazed and amused to see a television a refrigerator and several other gadgets at home which were decorated with Rose’s dolls from when she was really small. Dad explained how he heard in the news on TV that transmissions are received from a ship about a girl lost at sea and they immediately knew it was their daughter lost 18 years ago. They could not believe what they just heard and their joy knew no bounds and it was the happiest day of their lives. They were so elated that they swore they would never let Rose be separated from them again.

 

Somehow Rose’s joy felt incomplete. She found the mainland very strange, and difficult to adapt to, and though she loved her family, she missed her life at sea. Of course, she knew she was longing for Arden the most and could not bear to stay away from him even for a moment.

 

In a poignant moment of reckoning, Rose affirmed her feelings for Arden to her parents and they agreed at once to accept him as family to come and live with them forever. But Rose's heart was torn apart, she knew her love was on a mission at sea and he had dedicated his life to it. She had to make a choice and this one was just not possible to make. She could not leave her mom and dad whose hair had greyed waiting for her long lost daughter and her life had no meaning without Arden in it, who had been her only family for the past years and had unconditionally loved her.

 

On the ship, Arden lay lifeless feeling his soul was gone, he could feel Rose’s fragrance and presence everywhere, the emptiness was killing. He was blank. “I miss you, Rosie”, his heart cried a million times. It was heartening that they could communicate sometimes when the frequencies matched, through the mini transmitter Arden had playfully invented for them to communicate which worked fine in a certain range. But he would have to leave in a few days. He was in such a dilemma, he could not ask his love to come and be his forever, leaving everything, nor could he think of a life without her.

 

He wanted to give Rose a fair chance to decide what her heart genuinely desires and not influence it in any way. Who knew better than him, the desperate attempts Rose made to get together with her family. He would wait patiently for her at sea even if meant a wait of a lifetime. He knew she would always find him if the need be.

 

Arden soon let it sink deep that Rose’s parents could not lose their daughter once again. He left a message on the transmitter for Rose to come and see her at the shore at sunset. He had decided to leave that day after seeing his love one last time without telling her but as fate would have it he found no one on the shore for hours. With a broken heart, he returned to his ship to set sail. But guess what, on the ship waited his better half, Rose had chosen their ‘Beyond Perfect’ love.

 

Yes, what the universe witnessed that day was beyond perfect as the two lovers fell into each other’s arms and let their separation agony flow unhindered from their eyes as the two could not stop crying and kissing each other.

 

“I thought you would never come, Rosie!” Arden spoke softly placing his lips on Rose’s right ear and hugged her even tighter. He would not let her go at any cost that day he thought but still waited to hear her decision.

 

“I am sorry, my love, I took longer than usual to convince Mom, Dad, and Lily that you are my world and I feel lifeless without you. I could not leave until I got their permission and today they heard the same pain in your transmitted message and gave me the permission.

 

I am now all yours, Ardie, nothing can separate us now until death sets us apart. I bet I will convince her too.”

 

On the shore waited Rose’s family who blessed them in abundance and bid them goodbye with a promise that they get to hear about their well-being from them regularly.

 

The two happy souls lost in each other’s love, went back to their unique life at sea, to their beyond-perfect world full of love, united in an unwavering bond and a shared mission of compassion and rescue.

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If you like what I write, you can grab copies of my eight published works here: The Fragrance of True Love, Destiny's Favorite Child, Dare to Defy The Destiny, Empowered Women Empower Women, Soulful Letters On COVID, for My Future Grandchild, I Live to Love You, Soft Strings Of My Heart and Brave Inked Emotions. Also, as the founder of the Endometriosis Support and Awareness Group of India and Emotionally Strong Women Of India, I would love for you to join me in my mission or approach me for any women's health-related (physical/mental/emotional) assistance you seek.

Revealing The Ultimate Secret That Fuels My Soul

It is a beautiful morning today and I stole time to write. The way wherein the purest feelings of my heart, the voice of my soul just flow out and I let it be not hindering or judging it but rejoicing in it. 

Last week I had the calmest birthday of my blog baby and as I sat thinking and smiling at all the beautiful years gone by dabbling in my favorite form of expression, I realized writing has been the bottom line of all that I have achieved in the past decade. 

In fact, the roles in which I have evolved gradually and take pride in today as being my identity have all evolved from my love for the written word right from my childhood. Writing helped me channel my emotions since I was four and didn’t let me sink as my parents dropped me at my maternal grandparents for my education. From then whenever I am overwhelmed with any magnitude of emotions, the words automatically help me navigate through them patiently.

They also became my saviors when I stepped down from my dream career at Ikea of Sweden, and I gradually started my blog. Those who read me recommended me to start my communication skills academy in Pune and thus I knew it was God’s way of making what I love become my profession. More than money it was the positive joy or change that I could bring to someone’s life, that mattered to me then, and even today. All this while I also dabbled in the tasks of a legitimate blogger influencer in all earnestness, only picking up campaigns that struck a chord or brought some sort of value addition for my readers and audiences. Your support mattered as I garnered over 1.8 million footsteps on my blog, along with winning Women of the Year Award in 2015, the Planet's Pride Award in 2018 and Sahityakosh Samman in 2021. Awards were rare early on unlike today and they reinforced my belief that I was on the right track. One thing led to another and in 7 years I churned 7 books and self-published them. Well, those who read them loved them. 

I never marketed them enough though, I don’t have that vein, I am all empathetic and compassionate, and selling has never been me. My best friend, a sales mastermind, feels that we had a great opportunity to become a corporate training agency and make big bucks and so does the love of my life who says that I could have had my own marketing agency or more. But to me many years ago when I quit corporate, big money stopped making a difference and my focus has since been on the little joys of life because I identify with them. I have a lot of friends amongst you who may not agree with me and I value their opinions just that I am not wired like them, I aim is to lead a wholesome, spiritual, and full of love, life until I am alive. 

My focus is always on my growth too and I proudly say my constant growth or my earnest attempt to keep growing is the real fuel to my soul and I cherish it about me. This year in March,  I launched 27 Authors through my book Brave Inked Emotions and to say the least, to make their dreams come true was an enriching journey and so was valuing their emotions exactly like mine. I think I did a fair job as a first-time editor. I am humbled that it still has an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon. So yes I have grown a lot from a blogger, author, communication skills coach, and influencer to being an editor recently but it does not stop here. 

For all those of you who want to know where I am, I have recently been certified as an international nutritionist in modern nutrition and Ayurvedic diet. But I will discuss it more in my next blog.

This one is more to thank you all for being there to receive and accept my words, and my writing always, with open arms and kind heart. It means the world to me.

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If you like what I write, you can grab copies of my eight published works here: The Fragrance of True Love, Destiny's Favorite Child, Dare to Defy The Destiny, Empowered Women Empower Women, Soulful Letters On COVID, for My Future Grandchild, I Live to Love You, Soft Strings Of My Heart and Brave Inked Emotions. Also, as the founder of the Endometriosis Support and Awareness Group of India and Emotionally Strong Women Of India, I would love for you to join me in my mission or approach me for any women's health-related (physical/mental/emotional) assistance you seek.