February’s Finished!

So, another one bites the dust! February’s gone in the blink of an eye, and we’re two days into March…is it just me, or does time move faster as we grow older?? Uuuugh…never mind with the age talk…it’s just that, I was sick for almost 10 days in Feb, and that felt like half the month!! So February highlights (apart from a nuclear-explosion like scenario in the throat and the whole house coughing away, worse than a TB sanitorium) hmmm…lets see…

Got my picture on Page 3!! Nice picture too 🙂 The occasion was the book release of Kishwar Desai’s ‘Witness the Night’ @ Literati and regardless of publicity, I enjoyed the evening 🙂 Have read the book since and it’s pretty neat. Well written in a direct style, with non-flowery prose that is befitting the horrific subject matter of female foeticide in the Punjab. The most disturbing part of the book of course is the fact that it presents facts through a fictional story. The fact that such atrocities still occur, in allegedly progressive, ‘good’ (whatever that means) families in 21st century India says a lot about human beings in general and Indians in particular. To be fair, craving sons to perpetuate the family line, name and all that BS, is more an Asian failing, not purely an Indian one. Fathers crave sons to carry on the family line, show off these symbols of their manhood (as it were) in society and light their pyres. Mothers crave the power and position that comes from bearing sons and believe me that power can be seductive, irresistible and sadly corrupting. I look around me and I wonder, when if ever this will change…I’m not optimistic it’ll be any time soon 😦

Saw My Name is Khan and have blogged my review in a separate post. Bollywood seems to have started a love affair with medicine 😉 what with progeria in Paa and Asperger’s syndrome in My Name is Khan and apparently schizophrenia in Kartik calling Kartik, whatever will they delve into next!

February was also about loss – the loss of Dr. Abraham, ex-dean of GMC, a fine man and outstanding administrator; the loss of Anu kaka, another exemplary man and a pillar of the family. Both men lived full lives and enriched those of us who were lucky enough to know and interact with them. Death is inevitable, and yet the passing on of the ‘old guard’ leaves me feeling diminished in more ways than one – perhaps, it’s the loss of wisdom and experience that saddens, or maybe the loss of a certain way of Life and attitude that hurts. All I know is that no matter how much I disagree with previous generations (and I do, often and violently!), the fact that they paved the way is inescapable. They were here first, here on earth and they gave us life, loved, taught, nurtured, disciplined, angered and pampered us and made us who we are. Losing them is like losing that part of us that is at the core of who we are, who we were, before we turned into all-knowing, cynical, stressed out adults (well if the hat fits), an unfortunate tragedy 😦

February 14th – Valentine’s Day. I’ve long since stopped celebrating Love on one particular day of the year but have nothing against those who do. For me Love is a continuum, a constant presence – some days it’s a strong passion that overwhelms me and makes my heart flutter and my knees weak. Other days, it’s like a still river, placid with deep undercurrents, promising, seemingly calm but excitingly unpredictable. On still others, it’s light, frothy like mousse or souffle, delicate, fragile and delicious! For me Love is laughter, good books, good food and close friendships 🙂 I’m lucky, I’ve found Love in abundance in my Life, and though I don’t always recognize it in its various guises, I am eternally grateful for its presence!

For the most part, February was about being ill – the whole family took turns at horrendous colds and I am glad, I finally got rid of mine! So, now, on to March…the first day of which was wonderful! But more of that later 🙂

Happy Holi!