From the pages of a diary

"Hello, Hello, Hulllllooooo... are you there? are you awake?" 

"Uhhh.. Ummm.. Yes yes... I am awake Ramya.. Don't worry.." 

"Ravi, its 2am in the morning and I know you have a had a long day and you also seem sleepy and tired, why don't you sleep now and we can talk later..?" 

"No no.. I got up.. This birthday I am gonna try and spend every minute possible with you.." 

I am Ravi and it is my birthday today. Ramya is the girl I intend to make my life partner and our families have agreed too. Our engagement will happen next week and 2 months later will be our wedding. I have known her for quite a few years now, neighbours during our school days and we both ended up going to the same engineering college. Somehow, Ramya and me have always understood each other and this love and understanding was never formally proposed. We just understood it. We are in different timezones of the world now and thousands of miles apart from each other. But, the ability to be with each other even in the physical absence is possible only in love. She makes me feel her presence every minute and her suggestions and thoughts make a better person out of me with every passing day. While I know this call with her cannot go on all day long, I know that she will still be with me after the call has ended. Love  for me in short in the ability to be in each other's presence even though a physical distance may exist. Me and Ramya have found enough reasons to fall in love with each other again and again every day and with that love, I shall always have everything I will ever need. 

I am what I am

"Brindha, Brindha come here!" "Brindha...." "Coming Ramesh... hold on" "Tell me, is the world falling apart? Why are you going Brindha this Brindha that?" 

Ramesh looked at his wife. "Brindha, why have you packed all of this? I am not taking junk to our new home.... Our new home will be not be filled with stuff and it will be as beautiful as it can possibly be." "Ramesh, dont get started on your love for the new home... These are all your stuff from your school days. You decide whether you want to bring them along or not..."

A common scene in a Tamilian family when they move to a new 'rented' home. The scene gets better if they are finally moving to their 'own' home. Most middle class Tamilian families do not have the ancestral homes, so typically, you find everything they own - from medals won during thier school days to their office BlackBerrys - staying with them in their homes!

Ramesh was suprised on hearing Brindha's statement. "These are mine?" he asked. "Yes!" came the reply from wherever she was packing the rest of the household items. Mr and Mrs Ramesh had recently purchased an apartment in a upcoming residential area in Chennai. Eventhough the house was not big, Ramesh was bent on making it look clean and having only the bare essentials stay in the house. As he sat down to check the carton box, he saw a few of his old T shirts from the school sports team. He used to play basketball for the school team. His medals and few old photographs.... "Photographs.. Yes, let me see them" "Oh these are my sixth standard pictures and I am here and the guy next to me should be Satish... Wonder what happened to him. He used to be my best friend. Ever since we parted ways in college, its been tough staying in touch with him.. I have to see if I still have the gift he gave me in 7th standard..." Ramesh went through the contents of the box one after the other and finally found what he was searching for - an old cricket ball. Satish had saved for quite a few months to gift Ramesh this. Ramesh wanted to be a pace bowler and they had their own team - Raja, Ram, all were a part of this team. Ramesh sat there looking at everything he had pulled out from the box. His memories and his past. He realised these memories were an integral part of him and his life. Brindha walked into the room, " Oh Ramesh, what have you done? Why have you pulled everything out of the box? Anyway, lets just leave them there, if they are  junk, lets not waste time in packing them and carrying them. Lets dump them here." Ramesh softly told, "These are not garbage Brindha. These are what have made me what I am today. They have and will always define me. They cannot be left behind." Ramesh was emotional with memories of his long lost friends - people who he had hurt, let down, to who he owed an apology and those he had held up high, those that he stood by - all of them were missed. Brindha gave him a hug and said, "I know these are far more precious than the house Ramesh. Thats why I had packed them all up for you. Your past is as important to me as it is to you. Lets us pack these up again and treasure these and the moments to come in our new home."

Hold my hand

I see Bangalore's ever changing skyline as I look out of my window on this cold morning. I reach out out for my glasses as I try to get a better view of the people who are taking their morning walks in my apartment. Just trying to see if any of my friends are out there already. I go out to the living room. As expected, the house is empty and people who live here have already left for work. Kumar works for a major IT company as the Manager and always leaves early and returns late. Mrs. Sneha Kumar, his wife, also leaves early as she has to travel quite a distance to reach her office. Rajamma, the cook and servant maid, emerges from the kitchen and tells me, "Good morning Arun dear. Now go brush your teeth while I get your Complan ready." I drag my 11 year old feet towards the bathroom to brush. Yes, I am 11 and my name is Arun. Kumar and Sneha are my parents. 30 minutes later, I am ready and all my books are packed and am ready to meet my classmates in 6th standard C section after the Half Yearly Holidays. My day at school is a lot of fun with friends, sports and enjoyable lunch (Rajamma is a great cook). I return home at 6pm only to find the house empty again. Rajamma took my bags at the gate and she had already cooked something for me to eat. Close to 7pm, as I was oing my homework, I heard Sneha enter the room. She came to my room, greeted me, kissed me on my forehead and went to her room. Kumar came half an hour later but did not come to my room. Bad day at work I guess. 8.15pm, Rajamma called out that the dinner was ready. As I got up from my table, I slipped. I fell and cried out, "Amma" in pain. Rajamma came running to me to see if I was ok while Sneha called out to Rajamma from her room to see if I was ok. Little did Sneha realise that, Rajamma was the 'Amma' I called out to. Sneha was just Sneha not Amma.