My best Christmas Ever!

I wanted to write this from the day it happened... It was truly the best Christmas of my life.

I always believed in Santa Claus, from the very first day I learnt about Christmas...

You may say, I was born and brought up in a set-up, where, as a kid.... all we had was a perfect family, not so perfect situations, a small TV,  and ample time to play and weave dreams...

I still remember how eagerly I used to wait for Christmas eve, watch all Christmas cartoons on Doordarshan before Disney took over and wait for Santaclaus with a list... in a hope... I was a born optimist! :P

Santa Claus never came; I never got any gifts near my pillow on any Christmas morning... I used to feel heart-broken... but, I changed that for my brothers, they always had a Santa to gift them whatever they wished for... For initial years... they didn’t know that there was no Santa in real and that was a true feeling of success for me :)

With time, I changed in size and looks but from inside I was always the same girl who wished for a miracle... till today... I believe in miracles and yes, I have witnessed many of them...

One such miracle was my last year’s Christmas!

It was my best Christmas ever... And it gave me an experience of a lifetime which I’ll never forget...

In December 2014, I planned a trip with a group of people who were travelling to south India. I am a travel freak, so, even though I didn’t know all of them I decided to join them.

Since my plan was finalised at the last moment... My flights were different from the rest of the group... 

A day before Christmas, All energized... I was at the airport to catch my flight for Chennai... 

Although I was alone, I felt like I belong to the airport... I was very happy and excited... Much before time, I was standing a queue for security check when I realised... I missed my flight... how... when... and why... were of no use... My flight was gone and I was standing there without luggage for a security check...

I was furious and upset... I complained.. requested.. argued.. shouted.. pleaded and tried everything to convince them to send me to Chennai... but all waste...

I decided to go to Chennai come what may... I was already separated from the group... And since they had to go to Pondicherry from Chennai they proceeded while was stuck at the airport in Delhi...

After 7 hours and all the efforts, they agreed to give me a seat in a connecting flight to Chennai... I was delighted... I left my home at 4 am and I reached Chennai at 8 pm...

Aahhhh... I can’t explain what a great feeling it was when I first came out of air-plane and inhaled the first gulp of air in that warm weather of Chennai, I was instantly in love... I stepped-in to Chennai airport... It was beautifully decorated for Christmas eve... My fone was dead... So, I first decided to charge my fone... I saw a socket and sat there on the airport floor while my fone was charging... Amazing feel... I dunno why I feel like home everywhere I go... As if I was born to travel.. :))

I charged my fone, called up home to inform I was safe, booked a hotel to stay.. took a cab and enjoyed the drive through the decorated Chennai on the Christmas eve... My hotel was brilliantly highlighted for Christmas... And that was the time... when I realized.. this was my true gift for Christmas which I always waited for... if I wouldn’t have missed my flight I would have been somewhere else, missing this beautiful experience... I thanked Santa and checked in...

I was planning solo travel from a very long time but never got permission from family... this one day in Chennai was my gift for a lifetime... I was all solo and decided to roam around in Chennai all alone... I had one day with me... Christmas day it was...

I got up early, checked the internet and penned down places I wanted to visit... I visited 3 churches on Christmas... blissful... bought homemade cakes... checked out serene beaches of Chennai... talked to strangers, clicked pictures and realised life couldn’t b better...

And again my fone was dead... So, I visited a mall there and bought a power bank for my fone, it was so like a mall in Delhi yet so different, finally... I decided to roam around in T-Nagar market to get the feel of being a local and try some authentic roadside south Indian food... And trust me that was the best part of my day... I loved the food sooooo much... I roamed in the market for around 2 hours... eating everything or rather say overeating everything... :P

Seriously, I felt 1 day was too short, and it was the best trip of my life... next day, I met the group and we proceeded for Coorg but in the entire trip the best was my one day in Chennai...

All my life I waited for Santa and He gave me all the gifts I could have asked for in just one day... Without even asking.. :-)

I love you, God... I know I am your favourite... bless my people and thank you for everything... muaah :))) 

I miss being a Kid!

Though I genuinely believe I am still a kid! :P

Sometimes, I feel... how much we change with time... We grow and learn and turn into somebody so different...

Although, It all happens for some or the other reason... but, at times I miss the kid version of me... The naughtiest & adventurous kid ever :P

I seriously miss how little things used to make me feel on the top of this world....

A packet of Cadbury gems by dad used to make my day, an Amul chocolate used to be a jackpot, a pack of fun flips was a packet of joy.... How excited I used to be for a trip to India gate with family... And then spending the rest of our evening playing with balloons & bubbles.... Wow! :D

Life was so simplified, easy... So stress free & peaceful... Only stress used to be the Home work...

Only I know how badly I miss my Summer Vacations... Chutti Chutti on DD2, playing cricket all day long in sun without worrying about the tanning... followed by cycling in evening with brothers for till the time mom used to call us back... Nostalgia!

I feel I had the best of childhood, I have learnt my sportsman spirit by playing cricket & badminton; I have learnt to be a scientist by experimenting with so many things like fixing lights, opening up the music system with screwdriver and closing it back, by cooking food in self made solar cooker and ‘n’ number of things; learnt cooking by helping my mom in kitchen; tasted adventure by running on the roof fences of buildings while playing hide n seek & climbing on trees to steal mangoes :P; learnt farming by working in my kitchen garden... whoa... I truly enjoyed every bit of my life as a kid....

Even after growing up I always loved my life & believe I am God’s favourite girl... Yes, we do argue but that’s because we love each other :))

There are and there were ups & downs in my life but that’s just a part of living an eventful & most happening life... There is no fun in living a dull life... And yes, I am a Disney princess so my life is supposed to be filmy & dramatic... And the traits I possess are very well suited... :D

Life is great in terms of everything, but, really sometimes I want to go back to the time where there were no mobile phones to keep us busy, there was a life which was social in real sense & happiness which had a REAL meaning attached to it... Far beyond materialistic love & fake happiness... I wish!

Love you God, Take care of my people, Good night... muaaah :))

Life! Of course, it’s Beautiful!

Note- This is not my usual cheer up post... So read at your own risk! :-P

From past many days, I was thinking over everything happened in my life in last few years... Though I have things in my memory in bits and pieces... And I don't remember anything precisely but I do remember the time when I started writing Pearl...

I started blog with things which used to make me feel happy or positive... In fact, I truly believe that it was a point in time where everything going on in my life was just superb... Those were my MBA days... I had super awesome friends... Good fitness, cool grades and the best of life... :-)

Life moved on and things kept on changing... I was always so happy about everything around me... Be it my first job or my friends or my body... My attitude towards life... Everything was always a fairy tale... And I was the Princess...

I messed up in my jobs by choosing wrong ones but still my life was great as I had my friends & family to support me in my decisions... And my decisions were mainly ruled by heart... Many times I had done things without practically evaluating the pros & cons of it... And never regretted.... That’s the power of your people and their faith on you.

Moving on in life... I faced some real bad situations and met some disgusting people. Of course, in every fairy tale there is a villain to spoil everything... Things changed drastically and horribly...  I lived a nightmare in real... All the fairy-tale theory came to an end... It took me everything to gather myself back... I so wished to disappear from this earth but as God had others plans and I stayed here... :P But, it all changed something in me...

And as they say “What doesn't kill you, makes you Stronger” :P

I don't wanna recall that depression I went through for more than an year... but, all I know today is I am not the girl who started writing this blog... Those incidents altered me completely.

After all the turmoil... I landed up in a bank as a salesperson... It truly helped me in realising that “working in a bank is not the worst thing that can happen to you..., it can be good too”

I had this phobia in mind since college days that banks are real bad, but trust me... I had good time there and I met some great people.... which helped me in overcoming the depression I was facing... I moved on... I never liked my bank job... but, even today I love the people I met... And it's always about people, unless you are travelling! :P

Finally, the present... I love the organisation I work for but I terribly miss my friends...

I realised why people in college used to say life is not a bed of roses, grow up and be practical! And how I used to tell them it’s always beautiful no matter what... Now, I know they were not wrong :))

They say "har jagah sab kuch nahi milta" which I never agreed in life... I always believed it’s in our mind... It’s all here if we are content... But, first time I realised... No matter what you have and what you do... If you don't have your people with you... It’s all waste...

I never felt this way in my life... Except... once in school when I was shifted to a new section with new kids and I was lost for many days... This is a similar feeling... I somehow feel everything is missing... I have learnt a lot though... It’s a churning experience for me and it was important... 

Today, I am less bothered about people... but, I have realised the value of my people more than ever and I miss them.

As of now... I m in search of the girl I used to be...  I know it’s in me... Somewhere scared... She used to inspire people to follow their heart and live life king size... Today, I am looking for that zeal again...

I need a miracle... I know they happen... God send me your angel... your best angel... I know I am your favorite... :-) Love you.. Please bless my people... Muaah :-*