Writing is not always literal........

We were at great parties the last couple of nights. There was good food, sparkling fireworks, great company, and a wonderful host families. The fire-pit on the patio spread warmth and glow around, adding to the festive "Diwali" spirit. And of course, the unique brand of Teen Patti, in which the fun part was the free for all after every hand!

A lot of folks came up to me to talk about the blog, most of it complimentary. Then our gracious hostess came up to me and said --- "My husband wants and likes to write, but these days he's so involved with our kids that he has no time for anything else." A simple, honest statement, but with profound connotations.

From that one statement, I came to know our hosts from last night a little more, and my respect for them jumped a lot higher. I believe her husband (our hard working host) is writing, maybe not literally. He is writing the initial chapters of their children's lives. And these initial chapters in the voluminous dissertation of life, are the most important. The values, the ethics and moral boundaries that one inks in during the childhood formative years, will decide how the book of life reads as our children go out in the world and forge a path of their own.

I do believe, to some extent, in fate and destiny. Everything happens for a reason and every dark cloud has a silver lining. Relationships that survive storms are stronger after the crises than before. And our children, like everybody else, will face some bumps in the journey of life. The time that we spend with them, the emotional strength that we instill in them now, the relationships that they form with their friends & family will determine how they ride out these bumps.

So a big thank you to our hosts for a very entertaining evening and a bigger one from me for reinforcing one of the important lessons of life.

As a wise man once said, "If we don't nurture our children well, all the success, fame and money we earn means nothing."




P.S. -- (In reference to a previous post)--- to all the Madhuris out there who were a little peeved, the "strobe advantage" is for people like me and not for lachak vali dancers like you!!!!

.

Politics is "Cool" these days!

Teenagers discussing politics? And involved in campaigning? And actually believing that they can make a difference...... Now which movie is that? Well, its real life these days! My daughter in UVA follows Obama's campaign stops, my nephew in VTech went to an Obama rally! Till a couple of years ago, the eligibility for discussing politics was to have gray hair. Not any more.

These days, its the talk of social events and get-togethers. People who are not immersed in the latest polls and numbers are in a small minority. The grassroots effort by Barack Obama has inspired a generation of Americans and changed the political landscape. Millions of new voters have registered, most of them young people. And that in itself, can only be a good thing for our nation's future.

Whether Obama wins or loses, America is on the cusp of history. I hope we all realize that by voting in this election, we can be a part of this major historical event. So rearrange your schedules and vote for whomever you want to on November 4th! And its the patriotic thing to do.

And talking about patriotism, a lot has been made of it in the last few weeks. Experts and pundits have weighed in with their definitions and the "true meaning" of patriotism. Why is it that this question only comes up about every four years, and generally in the election year?

For a citizen like me, and I'm sure for many more like me, patriotism is a feeling, an emotion that comes from within. Nobody can quantify that feeling. No party or person has a monopoly over this feeling. Patriotism is not color-coded, nor does it run more or less in either party.

Anything we do that strengthens the social fabric of our society falls under the umbrella of Patriotism. Whether it's coaching little league games, voting in elections, helping your neighbors....

So be "Cool", vote in this election and be forever a part of America's history!

.