Monday, March 28, 2005

Preparation for travel.

I need to start to prepare for travelling. I have made the list and have got a few things done. But I have to start the packing. I haven't even taken the suitcases out. My dresses that I have given for stitching are yet to arrive. I got two of them stitched earlier but they need some alteration. So I had to give them back for that. I am supposed to get them tomorrow.

Today we went to get the books that Sasha got as a prize in school. The school gives a coupon for a book shop. We got her 2 books. I added some amount for her attending school without missing a single day. I am proud of her because she decided to do it on her own. I don't think I attended school with 100% attendence in any year. This year she got two prizes.one for handwriting and another one for Gita chanting. She bought a story book and a writing practice book for hindi. After that we went to get my shoes exchanged(which I had bought yesterday) . I got a larger size.

Later Sasha wanted to eat out so we went to eat out. But I did not have anything. I had already eaten some snack at home before leaving and was not hungry at all . We also brought some chocolate icecream home. She also got a box of butter toffees for herself.

Monday, March 21, 2005

The holidays

The summer vacation has started and Sasha is enjoying it. Today she spent about 7 hours at the neighbour's house playing . They have some two boys as guests and there is also their daughter. So Sasha has company there. she only came home to take her lunch with her. She wanted to eat that in their house.

Sunday, March 20, 2005

ABOUT REBIRTH


I mentioned rebirth in a comment to someone. That got me thinking about how we Indians think of rebirth as a part of life. I am not sure others accept rebirth as such. But for us, death is only an end of a chapter. Rebirth follows inevitably until your soul gets a release from all your karma. both good and bad.
We take rebirth for granted for every one and that reflects in our conversations, customs, traditions, festivals. We have a lot of stories in our epics and mythology based on rebirth. Our life continues from the last life to this one even though we do not remember it.
Whenever a particularly tiresome person annoys us, we say ' That person was my enemy in the last birth. That is why he/she is born as my son/daughter/boss/brother etc. to take revenge in this birth.'
A loving relation is appreciated with ' I hope I will be born as your son/daughter/ mother (as the case may be) again in the next birth too.'
In some of our festivals, women are supposed to pray that they get the same husband in the many births to come. Men do not seem to have that choice.
Our film makers exploit this idea of rebirth to the full. There are films where the hero and the heroine keep meeting in every birth after a lots of twists and turns in the story. There are stories where the murder/crime committed in the previous birth is brought to light in the next birth and the culprit brought to book.
Even in my life, I was feeling bad that I haven't done much in this life. There are so many thing that I want to do with my life. But I realise my time is getting short. I am getting older. But then I started to think about rebirth. Why be in a hurry and try to do many things without taking the time to savour them. It is better to go slow and enjoy them. There is no hurry to finish things somehow. I will do what ever I can without feeling overwhelmed about how much I want to do as I know I will get one more chance to do things if I really want to do them . That thought is such a comfort.

Saturday, March 19, 2005

Back home.

I went for a walk and to pick up Sasha on my way back. I had planned to come back by autorickshaw. I just returned with Sasha. After a whole day of play and excitement, she is very tired and a little cranky too. She also was very hungry after all that jumping around. But when I went to pick her up she asked why I had come so early, as she wanted to stay there till ten in the night. She still doesn't seem to have any idea of time as they never get tired or bored with playing . Her friend didn't want to let us come home, she wanted to continue playing. Then She wanted to come and play at our place.

At this age they are so energetic. They don't want to stop playing at all. Her mother and I are friends so I sat there for sometime chatting with her and then She also came with us as she wanted me to show her a shop that we had been talking about. San also came with her mother . She is coming to our house for a play date on Tuesday. I am sure it is going to be a replay of today, that is they will not be satisfied however long they play. San's mother also wants me to take her to a homeopathic doctor. We are planning to go on tuesday.

After the exam

Sasha has finished her exam but is yet to return home. The last time her friend visited our home to play, they had planned for Sasha to go to the friend's house on the last day of the exam. So today she has gone there directly from school. Both ride the same bus. Now I have to go and pick her up.

From tomorrow I don't have to wake her up early. I can also get on with my exercises and yoga and pranayama as I will not be in a hurry to finish that and prepare breakfast and wake her up and get her ready for school. For the next two months, till May 30th actually, she has holiday. We are planning to go to visit my parents on April 1st. We will come back in the first week of May. Hubby will be here alone. Sasha is just waiting to go to meet her grandparents, aunts(my two sisters) and her four cousins.

I still cannot believe that she is already eight year old. It seems just yesterday that she came into our life as a three month old adopted baby girl. Our life has seemed more worthwhile since then. I have just forgotton how we lived without her. Sure my house was neater and I had more time for myself. Actually too much time for myself. Her arrrival changed everything. As somebody said to me after she came. now your house looks better with all the baby things scattered around. Previously it looked too neat.

Friday, March 18, 2005

Relief

Sasha's exam is getting over today. In fact, at this moment, she is writing at school. After the school she going to her friend's house. They are also planning to celebrate in the school bus on the way back. She has been looking forward to it for the last two weeks. They (the older students) have collected some money and she has also taken a big packet of spicy potato chips. They are planning to get some cakes and colas etc. I hope Sasha and all others enjoy it.

I feel the relief that now I don't have to make her sit in the evenings to study. She can go and play with her friends to her heart's content. I am also happy that I can get on with the work that I had planned to do as I don't have to sit with her to make her study. She does her everyday homework on her own but otherwise I have sit with her at the regular tests and exams time. I now have some extra time and I hope I will be able to use it well.

My daughter's exam

My daughter(2nd grade) has her final exams going on. Tomorrow she has maths. The last exam. She is good at maths. But still needs supervision. After the exam she will have a holiday for two and a half months, that is till May 30. I am planning to go to my mother's place. I do that every year. in summer I go and stay with my parents for a month. At other times, I am not able to go.

Here the examination system is mainly learning everything -almost by heart. Then go and write whatever you remember during those 3 hours. That decides your fate. We also learnt with this system and it still continues. People keep saying that it is not a good system but that's all.

First day

Today I start a new blog. I already have one elsewhere. I want to find out which is more convenient to me. I may use this for everyday happenings. Even though I write posts there regularly, most of them, I keep private.