Beautiful Journey Of Life...

During my early days of carrier, i used to travel by second class train. I always like to observe people & always feel like life is like a journey on a train...
with its stations...
with changes of routes...
and with accidents !

We board this train when we all are born and our parents are the ones who get our tickets.

We believe they will always travel on this train with us.

However, at some station our parents will get off the train, leaving us alone on this journey like how my mother left for heaven abode when I was merely 12 years old.

As time goes by, other passengers will board the train,  many of whom will be significant - our siblings, friends, children, and even the love of our life, Shilpa.....

My sweetest Amrutbapu, lovely mom left & likewise many of sweet relations will get off during the journey and leave a permanent vacuum in our lives.

Many will go so unnoticed that we won't even know when they vacated their seats and got off the train !!!

This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, good-byes, and farewells.

A good journey is helping, loving, having a good relationship with all co-passengers...
and making sure that we give our best to make their journey comfortable.

The mystery of this fabulous journey is ;
We do not know at which station we ourselves are going to get off.

So, we must live in the best way - adjust, forget, forgive, and offer the best of what we have.

It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to leave our seat... we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life.

Dearest all, thank you for being one of the passengers on my train !

Have a very pleasant journey of life.........!

School Days - Then & Now....

After long summer vacations, Schools Re-Opens in June.

Being into 7th std., there is a tremendous load on Dhyeya & some times even he complaints of headache. Yesterday Dhyeya's bagpack broke due to fully loaded books/Project materials & while I pickup his bag, I felt like my laptop bag is 10x lighter then his bag....

I went to school for paying yearly term/tution fees & attend PTM. I saw few boards indicating activities of school. Some calculation I made which is as below,

Parents pay school fees for 365 days
Parents pay bus fees for 365 days
Parents pay tiffinwala fees for 365 days + diwali bonus
Parents keep drivers/conductor and pay them for 365 days + diwali bonus

But

In return the school is working for almost 164 days as....
1. Sundays 52 days
2. Saturdays 52 days
3. Summer vacation 45 days
4. Christmas vacation 10 days
5. Diwali vacation 20 days
6. Ganapati vacation 2 days
7. Misc holidays 20 days

So, our kids are off school for 201 days holidays out of 365 days, which is not even half of the year.

And the teachers try to finish the portion/curriculum rushingly in these few days.

So kids with average IQ having tought time & is hardly understands anything in school whereas the speed is extremely high from the teaching staff who are also under tremendous pressure.

I saw couple of parents complaining that their child is not studying properly as they have to pay thousands of money for tutions and classes where the playing time of the children is sacrificed and the child cannot enjoy his childhood. If the child does not understand in school how can he give good results?

Suddenly, I de javu unto flashback & started distinguishing my current life versus my student life.....today mummy didn't woke me up to Get Ready instead even though I wanted to Snooze the Alarm but finally woke up.
I was not sleepy while brushing my teeth but was doing it speedily bcoz I might get late to office.
I didn't felt warmth or cold nature of water but i just quickly took bath.
Instead of checking if my Compass Box is Ready, I was checking whether my Phablet is charged or Not.
Today, I will be wearing a Tie but of course for different Reasons.
Today, Value Education is Replaced by learning ways on how to Value money Generation.
Today, New Design Cartoon bag is Replaced by my Laptop bag.
Yesterday Night, I was not busy Polishing my shoes but i was busy Checking emails.
Instead of discussing with friends how Vacation went, I will be discussing monthly targets with colleagues.
New Lessons from Muktaben/Deviben teachers are Replaced by PowerPoint Presentations.
Today, Maths calculations are replaced by Excel Sheets.
Today, Will not be sharing Lunch in Recess but might have brunches Clients/Vendors.
Today, that Bhupatsir's PT period is now some long Lost Dream.
Instead of fighting for Batting/Bowling. I'm Racing to ahead in racing in heavy traffic on Mumbai roads.
There Monitor was busy watching who is talking in class, here Boss is eager to catch 1 mistake.
Once I was crazy to Open my Mouth in Rains n' try to catch water droplets. Now just thinking how will Rain effect on Road traffic by checking WhatsApp photos shared by friends. .

Date is Same but Years have Passed, so are my feelings towards this date. Might be that time it was bit scary but Today its Sweet Memory.
Today is 23rd June School Re-Opens & I will Love to Go to School n' Share that Small Bench with my Friends of my S.V.Mehta & Radia classes. I miss those Vadapav treat at "Vishwas" where everyday we used to munching 6 Vadapav but pay for only 3.
I met good friends like Jatin(tobu), Urvish, Lalan, Shilpa, Jaini, Mona, Jitu, Brijesh so many ...

Dear School Love You, Miss You....

 — feeling excited With Dhyeya Padhya

My Girlfriend.....

I am in relationship with her from quiet sometime now as I know her from 1991. She is my girl, who is as much educated as I am, Who was earning almost double than me when we tie a knot....

She had millions of dreams and aspirations just as I have because she is as human as I am.

Right from childhood she was in kitchen in her life just like my Sisters were, even though she was busy in studies and competing in a system that gives no special concession to her for their culinary achievements.

One, who has lived and loved her parents & brother, almost as much as I do for 20-25 years of her life.

One, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people who love her, to adopt my small home, my family, my ways and even my family name.

One, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while I sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances, environment and that kitchen

One, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning and cook food at the end of the day, even if she is as tired as I am, maybe more, and yet never ever expected to complain;
to be a servant, a cook, a mother, a wife, even if she doesn't want to; and is learning just like i am as to what I want from her; and is clumsy and sloppy at times and knows that I won't like it if she is too demanding, or if she learns faster than me.

On other hand, she has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even men at her workplace too, those, who she knows from school days and I never had my irrational jealousy, unnecessary competition and my inherent insecurities as we were, together school mate.

Yes, she can drink and dance just as well as I can.
But she never liked it, neither she tried any of it, even I insisted.

One, who can be late from work once in a while when deadlines, just like mine, are to be met.

One, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most important, relationship in her entire life a grand success, if I just help her little and trust her.

One, who just wants one thing from me, as I am the only one she knows in my entire house - my generous support, my sensitivities and most importantly - my understanding, or love, if you may call it.

I thank & appreciate "HER"....

 — feeling loved with Shilpa Padhya