My thoughts for Great Freinds

Like books, Great friends offer the best companionship.

Like books, Great friends are a constant source of inspiration.
Like the rare guiding stars, Good friends mentor you, correct you and bring out the best in you.
Like lampposts, good friends continue to light up your path silently.
Like shadows- sometimes small, sometimes large and sometimes at par, but good friends are always there beside you.
Some friends are like a cup of tea, your day will not be complete without them.
Like an extraordinary magic potion, great friends boost you to attain the unthinkable.
Hope everyone gets lucky to have one such Freind.
cheers
Shruti

Entire Life: A Set of Documents

Isn’t your life a set of documents too? A file is created right at your birth- to store your ‘Date of Birth’ document, your medical documents starting from vaccinations, which keep on becoming a thicker file to maintain, provided your parents really feel the need to store all your documents from Day 1 of Year 1 and till they finally hand over your documents to you at Age XX, when you finally bloom and fly. In these years…how many records have you received to maintain? Have you ever counted? The list would include- Your birth certificates, medical –vaccination records, dental records, blood tests, etc, school admission forms, transfer certificates, ID cards, report cards, certificates, birthday greetings, love letters (add any other mushy ones if you please), complaint letters from school/college principals (this one if you are really the unconventional ace ;)). Wait Wait! , how can you forget the most important ones-which each of us definitely stores- The higher secondary school certifications, graduate & post-graduate degree certificates. These are the ones which swell our parents’ hearts with pride. There is one more which has this effect on our parents, but does the reverse to our hearts. Any guesses?  You are Bang on- ‘the Marriage Certificate’- it’s one mistake we all choose to make consciously. Then there are documents to maintain around your first and subsequent many employments- Joining letters, Offer letters, Relieving letters, Appreciation letters, Training certificates, Your first Speech, Salary slips, pink slips (bad memories too are kept for records by many!). Now that you are becoming a responsible Adult- won’t you rather invest wisely for securing your future, your family’s future, your own old age and get insured adequately? And what about donations made to avail Sec 80 (G) benefits? (Well now, not all people donate for Sec 80 (G), do they?). Let us be positive as the list of your life documents is yet to be organised well. Please organise the documents that allow you a secure roof on your head. The Home loan, home ownership agreements and if you have been the rich kid then add some more homes, land deals and other properties to it. Also add the crucial nominations and legal WILL to it, why have people fighting upon your dead body. Alas! That one final piece of document that closes your chapter of ‘LIFE’ is actually not your headache. ‘The Death Certificate’…. now you may ‘Rest in Peace’.

An Ode to My -Baba

You have been the Guiding star from day one of my life.

You have been the first ever Man in my life.

You Inspired, You Mentored, You Showed me the way.

You lent me your shoulder every single day.

You were the silent shadow following me everywhere.

In my character, in my morals, in my values, in my aspirations and in my achievements you continue to stay.

Your planning and vision became my stepping stones all the way.

You were the positive being, who always practiced rather than preach.

Your foresight through your lifetime has made your family so very secure.

Your virtue was to help everyone whether a friend or a foe.

You epitomised kindness, goodness and selflessness to the core.

You remain the richest man possessing gift of numerous friends, admirers & well-wishers.

Father, you remain our guiding star in life and in death. 

You were next only to Godliness, and so you are no more within my reach.

You are no more,…….its hard to believe. I wish this last bit was just another bad dream……..

Dad/Baba with Mom/ Aai during their travels