1. My Mom - She is insane. No, I am serious. Thanks to her I had to develop a sense of humor to survive. I learned the art of self defense didn't always have to be violent. I learned that cooking is the best and most unconditional thing you can do for someone else. I also learned that a smile can get you places :)
2. My Dad - He wasn't around all that much after I turned 16. But he shows me everyday what unconditional love and faith is. He makes most of my mistakes seem trivial even if they are blunders. He can forgive me for anything. He hates boys who come near me and my sister and has on certain occasions threatened to shoot them. We love him, our BF's not so much. He is a true model of self sacrifice and patience - though he is on pressure meds.
3. Miss Clarence - In first grade I was deaf because of my tonsils. I recovered in the second grade. However I never reached my true potential till 5th grade when MS Clarence first allowed me to speak in public. After that there was no looking back. My confidence grew manifold and I never shivered while speaking in public. Sometimes I prefer speaking to a room full of people rather than one person across the table.
4. My Sister (Pushpi) - She came into my life when I was 6. I remember my Mom being really big and me being embarrassed about her coming to my boarding school to drop me off. I asked her not to. Then this cute, angelic, burping and farting baby came into my life. I used to be a sulky only child. The slightest things would agitate me and I could go for days without speaking to people I was angry with. But once my sister was born all I had to do was run to her crib whenever I was angry. I would wake her up and make her cry but she loved me. I was underweight and she was overweight - a huge problem when I tried carrying her. Sometimes I would hand her a begging bowl and pretend that I was pushing her around asking for alms. It always cracked me up because she was conditioned to this one song (Buddham Sharanah Gachchami) and would automatically start begging when I sang it. Once my Mom caught me and to my great relief joined in the act. Pushpi brought so much happiness into my life and still is the one person who can make me laugh and cry most intensely. My Dad won't admit it to me but my sister has him on a really tight leash :)
4. Neville - He was a couple of years older than me. We met and met again. Each time we met I thought it was for the last time. Then came the day when it really was for the last time. Our time together was a roller-coaster. On the one hand he boosted my self worth and then singlehandedly diminished it again. But I grew up so fast. I learned so many new things. I don't particularly wish the same thing on me again. But he did show me for the first time what people meant when they said - I love you!
5. Farheen, Deenaz and Megan - My besties at work. People I could say anything to and not be judged (well most of the time.) In their defense I could say some pretty shocking things. Farheen - ever sensible showed me what professionalism meant. She was my support system through some really hard times. Deenaz - closer to my personality. We did all the fun things dance, go out, meet new people, drink.. you get the picture. Megan - such a bag of surprises. Made me laugh at some of the most outrageous things. Closet comedienne and flaming socialite (she won't admit to this one.) Has a husband and a dog :)
6. Jayadev - I know, I know you have been waiting for this one! I don't know how to describe him other than to say he is perfect to a fault. His hair is styled with painful attention to detail - it takes him an hour to get dressed. His every word in an email is read over and over again to the point that you think he is writing to the Prime Minister - turns out he is framing a reply for some random mail on the misc-india or misc-hyd mailing list. All of you who have ever read an email from him know what I am talking about. He runs every morning. He has the best posture in the world. Every step of the way he makes me feel inadequate and flawed. Except that (at least I think so) he has eyes for no one else :) His sense of humour though initially hidden is outrageous. For anyone who doesn't believe me ask him to do his Borat impression. Still can't understand what he thinks I am!
7. Devin - Just someone who has a lot of faith in me.. once said I should run a small country.
8. Alice - Showed me how friendship was possible between two very different people. I can't begin to state the differences. Always the hostess with the mostest. A perfectionist in everything and one of the most beautiful people I know. My life in Monterey would have been very different if not for her.
9. Elizabeth - A friend who is now engaged to be married. Someone I will always be grateful to for the first few days in the US. She was the best representative for this country!
10. Vasini and Shivani - Partners in crime :)
11. Dr Gita Sen - Inspiration!
There are people whose name I haven't mentioned here. Mostly because words just don't do them any justice. I am so lucky to have you all in my life. I learn something new from you everyday!
xoxo
2. My Dad - He wasn't around all that much after I turned 16. But he shows me everyday what unconditional love and faith is. He makes most of my mistakes seem trivial even if they are blunders. He can forgive me for anything. He hates boys who come near me and my sister and has on certain occasions threatened to shoot them. We love him, our BF's not so much. He is a true model of self sacrifice and patience - though he is on pressure meds.
3. Miss Clarence - In first grade I was deaf because of my tonsils. I recovered in the second grade. However I never reached my true potential till 5th grade when MS Clarence first allowed me to speak in public. After that there was no looking back. My confidence grew manifold and I never shivered while speaking in public. Sometimes I prefer speaking to a room full of people rather than one person across the table.
4. My Sister (Pushpi) - She came into my life when I was 6. I remember my Mom being really big and me being embarrassed about her coming to my boarding school to drop me off. I asked her not to. Then this cute, angelic, burping and farting baby came into my life. I used to be a sulky only child. The slightest things would agitate me and I could go for days without speaking to people I was angry with. But once my sister was born all I had to do was run to her crib whenever I was angry. I would wake her up and make her cry but she loved me. I was underweight and she was overweight - a huge problem when I tried carrying her. Sometimes I would hand her a begging bowl and pretend that I was pushing her around asking for alms. It always cracked me up because she was conditioned to this one song (Buddham Sharanah Gachchami) and would automatically start begging when I sang it. Once my Mom caught me and to my great relief joined in the act. Pushpi brought so much happiness into my life and still is the one person who can make me laugh and cry most intensely. My Dad won't admit it to me but my sister has him on a really tight leash :)
4. Neville - He was a couple of years older than me. We met and met again. Each time we met I thought it was for the last time. Then came the day when it really was for the last time. Our time together was a roller-coaster. On the one hand he boosted my self worth and then singlehandedly diminished it again. But I grew up so fast. I learned so many new things. I don't particularly wish the same thing on me again. But he did show me for the first time what people meant when they said - I love you!
5. Farheen, Deenaz and Megan - My besties at work. People I could say anything to and not be judged (well most of the time.) In their defense I could say some pretty shocking things. Farheen - ever sensible showed me what professionalism meant. She was my support system through some really hard times. Deenaz - closer to my personality. We did all the fun things dance, go out, meet new people, drink.. you get the picture. Megan - such a bag of surprises. Made me laugh at some of the most outrageous things. Closet comedienne and flaming socialite (she won't admit to this one.) Has a husband and a dog :)
6. Jayadev - I know, I know you have been waiting for this one! I don't know how to describe him other than to say he is perfect to a fault. His hair is styled with painful attention to detail - it takes him an hour to get dressed. His every word in an email is read over and over again to the point that you think he is writing to the Prime Minister - turns out he is framing a reply for some random mail on the misc-india or misc-hyd mailing list. All of you who have ever read an email from him know what I am talking about. He runs every morning. He has the best posture in the world. Every step of the way he makes me feel inadequate and flawed. Except that (at least I think so) he has eyes for no one else :) His sense of humour though initially hidden is outrageous. For anyone who doesn't believe me ask him to do his Borat impression. Still can't understand what he thinks I am!
7. Devin - Just someone who has a lot of faith in me.. once said I should run a small country.
8. Alice - Showed me how friendship was possible between two very different people. I can't begin to state the differences. Always the hostess with the mostest. A perfectionist in everything and one of the most beautiful people I know. My life in Monterey would have been very different if not for her.
9. Elizabeth - A friend who is now engaged to be married. Someone I will always be grateful to for the first few days in the US. She was the best representative for this country!
10. Vasini and Shivani - Partners in crime :)
11. Dr Gita Sen - Inspiration!
There are people whose name I haven't mentioned here. Mostly because words just don't do them any justice. I am so lucky to have you all in my life. I learn something new from you everyday!
xoxo
