Every Love story is Different.... Mine is Unique.

My love is like a red rose that is newly sprung in June 

My love is like the melody that is sweetly played in tune.

How completely has Robert Burns described my feelings for my love!! Yes I have a love story....

For me it was love at first sight. Four years ago one sunny day she looked up at me and smiled and I knew she was mine for life. She didn't speak much on our first meeting. It was a silent conversation where I heard whatever she said with her eyes while I kept confessing my love for her. I was a visitor to her place so even before we could get acquainted it was time to leave. I left her with a promise to be back soon. It took me another year to get back. Rat race to earn bread and butter was a hindrance to our meeting.

I visited her home the next time. After engaging in polite but impatient conversations with her parents I asked for her. I saw her then clad in white dress... an angelic beauty. My heart skipped beat. This time she spoke I was so mesmerized by her presence that none of her talks made any sense, only I knew I felt elated after the entire conversation. I just couldn't wait another year to know if she loved me as much. I put up my question "do you love me" I was greeted with the warmest smile but shyly she looked away. I read the love in her eyes. Her lovely face and inviting smile was what kept me going another year.

I visited my hometown again the next vacation. My parents noticed that I seldom seemed interested in being with them. They realized that I now had a love interest. They were amused but never interfered. I called on her. She had grown more beautiful she coyly stood with her mother while we kept up formal conversation. Finally I got to speak with her. She didn't trust her words I feel for she expressed more than she talked. Where ever her words failed her pleasant giggles compensated. They were the sweetest music like the notes that flowed from a lover's violin. That year when I took my leave she boldly came up to me. Held my hand, brought my cheek close to her and kissed me. I was presently surprised. Suddenly shy, she ran back to her house, for me I was in seventh heaven. The best kiss ever.

I was back at her doorstep once again the following vacation. This time I was determined to spend my entire vacation wooing her. I found her an equally willing companion. Our mindsets matched if I was naughty she was naughtier. If I laughed she laughed louder. My one kiss would be acknowledged by a shower of hugs and kisses, she was never shy. We were on date every other day, crept out of our homes, made our own plans, we could not see beyond ourselves. We were a rowdy duo. Often she was scolded by her mother but the mischievous glint in her eyes sealed our pact for the next adventure.

Annual visits to my hometown became more frequent. Every holiday - be it Christmas, Easter or summer, found an eager me rushing up to her threshold to behold her. The latest vacation was the best. We walked hand in hand through the little garden she owned. She showed her plants to me. She animated the best when she spoke to her flowers. Her garden looked like Eden ....nature at its best but then everything is always Beautiful when she's around. We went swimming one day, said I would teach her to swim she jumped straight into the river, my life went for a toss right in front of me. I jumped in and pulled her out. I scolded her and she innocently justified." I trust you I knew you would save me" I held her close never to let go she literally rode on my shoulders while she learnt. Very soon she took to swimming as fish to water. Never once did she flinch. Her faith in me was steadfast. Overwhelmed with my Love for her, I carried her in my arms. Her smooth arms encircled my neck. She had her face very close to mine and lovingly played with my French beard, her face very close to mine... kiss was always inevitable. Ultimately her parents realized our love for each other and gave in. That never bothered us again even my strict and cautious parents who found their son careless had nothing to say. So with obstacles removed we continued our affair.

The last days of this vacation was very emotional. We knew we had to part and yet we wanted to be together forever. She used to cry every time we bid good bye and this time was no different. Her soft cheeks were wet with tears which I slowly kissed away assuring her to be back soon. Usually she used to see me off. This time she was not free, she had work in the morning while my train was in the afternoon, so I offered to drive her to her destination and I did. We stood at the gate hugging each other. Soon we became aware of people watching us. Finally she was persuaded to go.

 So.......

I put her water bottle around the neck, patted her back, straightened her id card, tousled her hair and shoved her gently into her nursery school gate. The school bell rang and I saw her disappearing into her kind.

Its four years now but our long distant love still stands strong.

My niece... Jissa Maria... my love.... the girl who captivated my heart and made me hers’ forever turned 4 on March 3rd on the same date I was born.

...........and this is my love story

Unmatched relations…

Meditation the newest mantra in this world of chaos .This mandatory ritual of our work place was supposed to make us more stress free (most probably it was to bear them). 20 minutes of sheer waste that's what I thought of it. I could productively use this time to download a music or play a game or WhatsApp. Why waste it on a thought less mind. After all isn't an empty mind devil's workshop? This thought amused me and I really wanted to know whether a devil resides in my mind so I closed my eyes to meet it.

It could be because of a casual remark by a colleague about women's day or a conversation I had heard before....my mind shifted to the many women in my life. My mother, sisters, sister like, girlfriends, wife. Everyone made their appearance on the reel of my mind and like a slow motion movie did their roles to perfection and left. My mind went blank. We have relations hence we love them, I wondered would these women have cared for me if I was not related to them.

Today on the eve of women's day I would like to fondly remember the two very special female relation who are more than just relations to me both have a hand at making me more healthy. Because of one I quit smoking and the other one brought down my habit of drinking. The irony here is that I started with these vices also because of women .At the age of 20 I lost my first love (that is if school days don't count). She disappeared as suddenly as she had appeared. I replaced her with drinks. The second one brought with her a series of mysterious tales to the extent that I wondered whether she was real. To reduce this tension I took to smoking. Soon smoking, drinking and I became inseparable.

I used to smoke in my quarters, my neighbour was a very pleasant lady living with her family. Whenever she would pass my door to her flat I could see her twitching her nose. The strong smell of cigarette bothered her. A casual acquaintance became a small friendship when she brought me a cup of tea after a tiring day. One day she gifted me a cigarette lighter. She openly made it clear that she knew I smoke. I justified saying that it was only few in number. Her tone was reprimanding, her voice gentle, her expressions caring and her attitude loving. I quit smoking. I had fallen for her genuine advice.

My second experience is in relation with my drinking. I made friends with a family near my work place. They were a family of four I used to call the gentleman my elder brother and addressed the lady as my sister. It was easy for the bachelor me to get along a new place with people of my own community. Soon we became good friends. Drinking became a pleasurable activity and soon an addiction. From having a bottle at a time to making a complete fool of myself I used to wander in-n-out from sense to senselessness and back. I don't remember how many times but it was always this family friends of mine who used to make me comfortable. After my mother I found her to be the most hospitable person I ever met. She never argued or advised me to quit drinking but she was always there to look after and care for me after it. Be it a cup of coffee after the hangover or gentle words of love and kindness she was always there when I needed her. I have not quit drinking but today I don't drink as much as I used to because I know nobody will care as much as she did.

The office bell rang signalling that the 20 minutes of meditation was up. I am more peaceful today. I realize the power of women. They are inborn with a caring nature. They care irrespective of a named 'relation'. I salute all women for their tireless, caring contribution to our society.

Happy women's day