A Flight without Kids

An emergency and i had to do it. That is, leave my kids behind and take a long 20 hour flight to India. I was a nervous wreck by the time i even went to the airport. It was years since i boarded a flight without the company of a tot. Can i do this, really?

Finally waved my byes, and got my luggage checked in. After the initial panic attacks, i sort of settled down. Did some reading and just took some time for myself, engrossed in my thoughts. This was strange, even surreal. Now, what? Nothing else to do. No bathroom visits, feeding sessions, heck, not even one complaint of boredom to hear.

When i boarded the plane, i looked at everyone around as if i was seeing the world like a newborn baby. Is this how co-passengers look like? In all our previous trips, everybody around me always seemed like blurry images scurrying here and there. Who has time to observe people when you have a toddler or a preschooler tugging your arms?

After a few hours of my newfound freedom though, was i having these strange urges - please someone give me something to do - can i change your baby's diaper, maam? - maybe heat up the bottle for you, sir? - atleast let me read a book to that little kid. Waaaah. This is torture. Ok. That didn't work. No one is even looking at me. I then pulled myself together.

The worst of all though was not talking to anyone. After getting used to constantly entertaining the kids on the plane, this was the killer for me. But, was i going to give up so easily? Ha, no way. Ask the poor guy who sat next to me for the next 10 hours. I was jabbering non-stop all the way - without a full stop.

On Equality....

So much hoopla about womanhood, feminism, and what's right or wrong, extreme or mild versions of it, am suddenly feeling a urge to clarify my views on this topic. Quite bizarrestrangoweird that it never crossed my mind all these donkey's years, to actually think of what being a woman meant to me, leave alone write about it. Anyways, let me just sit down and make an attempt to de-clutter all the muck and mud surrounding this mess. One word pretty much bottoms it down, and I've given away the punchline in my title anyway- EQUALITY. As simple as that. What goes for the goose goes for the gander. Except, what both genders physiologically can and can't do- pregnancy and childbirth, hormones, work that involves upper body strength etc. Even the latter is kind of debatable, with sports being a levelling field right now - yes, that was meant to be "punny" :-) Anything else that is possible for both genders, like education, work, choosing a life pa...

You and your compass....

Let's talk about what each and every one of us have within ourselves. That deep, down voice that tells us strongly what to do, not to do, what we ought to do but choose not to and regret later on with a "I-told-me-so", things that we wish to do but dare not try in our lifetime....you get the drift. Yes, it is that all-pervading, metaphorical inner compass, or the SatNavs of our lives that I'm getting into. Young adults think they have an independent mind, and do and act that way. In reality, though, in most of the cases, it's not even of their own choice, but out of peer pressure. Which interestingly, brings a point- whose collective, mob voice is it then? If everyone is busy copying someone else doing the same, then who the heck started the fire? No clue, but let's assume for sanity's sake that some life form starts a trend which gets viral, bacterial, whatever. And, suddenly there's a strong urge that compels every youngster to do it ...

Mothering Business....

Quite a bunch, aren't we? Not only burdened with the responsibilities of raising new-age kids who are high tech, but come with nope, not even a "Parenting for dummies" manual, managing a challenging and dynamic job-front, dealing with the social aspects of the family like being the perfect daughter, a good sister, the kind neighbor, a caring wife, dutiful daughter-in-law et al. Add the mundane chores of cooking, cleaning, gardening, chauffering to this list and - I know, my head is spinning too. Easy now, let's sit down for a minute. Most of the current gen mothers that I know take their diverse roles to their heart, and try to make the best out of it. It's business as usual for them. No big deal, they would brush off. But, I always wonder if we're all unconsciously trying to be "Supermums", especially the huge task of balancing work and home. We definitely want to be out having a career or a job which is what keeps us sane and yet, no way ...

C'est La Vie;That's life

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