Technology - Boon for Medicine

Every single day of our lives is filled with unexpected surprises. The worst ones are those which concern the health and well being of our close family and loved ones. I am one of those people who is on the other side of this table.

Yes, being a doctor, I have seen and felt the anxiety, frustration, worries and fears of people facing a health problem. Now one might think what all this has got to do with Technology??? Let me tell you, technology has made things a whole lot simpler for doctors like us. I can go on and on about how it has been a blessing for medicine, but will limit myself to a few fields.

Ultrasonography Machine

Ultrasonography : This machine was first developed in 1956 by obstetrician Ian Donald and engineer Tom Brown. Ever since then it has been one of the most widely used means to reach and confirm diagnosis of various diseases in different parts of the human body. I am sure most of our readers have availed the benefit of this wonderful technology which was originally to detect flaws in ships!!!

ICU Monitor

Electronic Monitors : 

These electronic appliances are a life saver, especially in places like the Intensive Care Units, where multiple patients are under the care of a single doctor. They reliably convey vital information about the patient and can also be set to alert the staff and doctor with alarms for untoward events.

Endoscopic Procedure

Fibreoptic Endoscopy : Optical fibres are transparent, flexible fibres made of silica and were used instead of metal wires as the loss of signals which traveled along them was much less. This technology had been the greatest boon of all to medicine as this led to the invention of an array of endoscopes. These endoscopes could be made long, flexible and most of all "maneuverable". These could reach any cavities in the body, controlled by the doctor. This has made a whole lot of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures minimally invasive and hence less traumatic to the patient.

Laparoscopy : These set of Endoscopes and instruments lets surgeons (with the required expertise) to perform almost any major surgery with just 3-5 small incisions in the patient's body. This helps the patient to recover better as there is less pain, looks less ugly compared to a huge scar and of course helps one get back to normal life in almost half the time required to recover from an "open" surgery.

Video conferencing & Internet : Thanks to this wonderful technology, patients in far flung villages and areas without access to super-speciality centers can gain consultation and remedies from experts via Tele-conferencing and video chat.

Whatsapp : We cannot undermine the huge advantage that this application has

given medical practitioners. Patients and doctors can exchange reports, prescriptions when needed in times of emergency. There have been so many life-saving incidences, where timely treatment was possible because of access to an expert through this application.

So as you all can imagine, the list is endless. We, the medical fraternity, cannot be thankful enough for all the technological advances that have made our jobs and lives easier. As a patient, I would be even more thankful for it, as it has spared me a lot of pain, hassles and anxiety!!!

----ByMocktailMommy Prasanna

This post is part of "Thankful Thursday 36: Thankful For Technology"

The Reformed Symphony!

He was an acclaimed musician and composer. Putting all the instruments to the best use, dishing out great symphonies was his forte!

Off late, however, he was worried about some discordant sound in his orchestra. The eye for details coupled with his acumen, brought the short fall to his shore. 

It was the grand Piano that was singing out of tune. 

The prodigious piano stood majestically but little aloof in the corner. Out of 88 keys, some black keys were stuck. "For world class concert and to the loyal audience", he decided, "I must do it!"

Reordering the internal strings and replacing some "black” notes from the symphony was the way out.

With usual aplomb, he inaugurated the night of performance.  "Friends, I wish to present a new symphony. A symphony without "Black" notes"!

There were shrills and chills! The day was marked with clean notes in history of symphony!

-----By MocktailMommy Anagha

This post is part of #FridayFotoFiction co- hosted by Tina (www.tinabasu.com) and Mayuri (www.sirimiri.in)!

Cold Blooded Murder

It was such a peaceful cool life with a bleak Sun for the company. Romancing the heavenly Aurora was an affair to remember! 

My solitude often was broken by the "Gaw" of the penguins. My adorable darlings...My tenacious feathery friends, yet so gentle, caring!

The good old seals, loitering here and there or simply resting, added to my frozen pace. 

The fluttering of the wings of the albatrosses improved my silence... And spotting the killer whales gave me goose bumps! 

But all these audio- visual treats appear so distant in my memory. Missing my companions as their numbers dwindle.  All I see is ominous presence of heavily clad humans! So very contrast to our bareness!!!  

Its a cold blooded murder every now and then, at every footstep, on my vast expanses! 

Bleeding silently I recollect the saying, "There is enough on Earth for everybody's need, but not enough for everybody's greed."

----By MocktailMommy Anagha

"Save Antarctic"

Word Count: 154

This post is part of Flash Fiction For Aspiring Writers #130th Challenge hosted by https://flashfictionforaspiringwriters.wordpress.com/

Dinner Time Investments

Living in a thriving suburb of a metro has its unique shades. On one side of the spectrum are the benefits like better civic facilities, increased awareness, better opportunities, to name a few. The flip side of the coin however is darker due to traffic snarls, waning contact with neighbors and life stuck to the needles of the clock, etc. When I accepted the flip side with a pinch of salt, life became easier. Its another story that it took almost half a year or so for me to wake up to this reality, after relocating from a quieter town!

Reality check helped me come up with the idea of investing time wisely. It also made me creative to find ways to spend quality time with family members. 

Now the challenge was to give justice to the varied needs of family members! Ours is a nuclear family with a great and eclectic mix of personalities... 

Man of the house has to be on toes and his spread is all over India. After Jwaharlal Nehru's "Discovery Of India", my hubby dear is most eligible  to come up with "Discovery Of New India"! Jokes apart, this translates to his presence being limited to either week ends or in case if we are fortunate, then dinner time on week days. 

Next one is a teenager!  True to his age, he is on a path of self discovery! There is a kid too. She is full of energy and ready to absorb as much knowledge and skills as we can pour! That translates to just one thing.. she is always brimming  up with curiosity and obviously... the questions!!! 

And the last one is me... holding the fort 24*7, being a mother, counselor, governess, care taker, financial adviser cum planner, blogger and so on and so forth! 

With these shades of moods and demands, all I wished was to have a bonding time that will give justice to each and every member of the family and yet be satisfying...Dinner time is the only spot when we all are present, in the present moment... rest of the times, every one is lost in their own worlds...I thought, and rightfully so!

Isn't it a grace of God that family can eat together to stay together!!!

Yeh! one more brownie point scored! Quality time spent over the dinner was my sure bait to make it one of the memorable events of the day! Instead of letting the youngest one be fussy over food, the oldest one to be lost in his thought and the teenager be blabbering all the while...it was a good idea to involve them in some light banter or a discussion of sorts. 

There were many ways, by which we could have achieved this. I then started experimenting with them, one idea at time. This time around, I thought of sharing three of them that turned out to be instant hit...

Wise Words

Once the dinner is served and prayers are offered thanking God, every one is supposed to come up with a word. One has to have a good look at the dinner being served for the word suggestion. However one is free to use a word which may not be related to the dinner being served. Once all the four words are available, challenge is to make a sentence using at least one word from the chosen ones. The sentences that are doled out, do turn up to be of great value to kick start further conversations. Sometimes they are funny, some times they are profound or some times just nonsense. Memories are really made when gathered around the table!!

Golden Moments

Not every day is eventful, but sometimes it does turn out to be. And if one scrutinizes the events of the ordinary day, there is always that gem of a moment that had made an impression on the mind. So why not discuss the Golden Moment of the day? This gave each one of us the glimpse of the other's day. It made the children appreciate the fact that their father has to work hard, though he gets to fly in air most of the time and eat at the five star restaurants! It also made us, the adults, to appreciate the fact that the joy is in small things as well. Thanks to the youngest and most innocent soul in the family for that. It also graduated us to the reality that the teenager is far more profound in his thoughts than we had fathomed!

21 Guesses

This game was actually suggested by a friend during one of our kitty outings. In this game, one of the members has to think of a famous personality. The famous personality can be from any walk of life and either dead or alive. Rest of the gang has to ask the meaningful questions that can lead to the personality chosen. All these questions have to be within the limits of 21! And once the personality is revealed, someone or the other usually comes up with some fact or a story associated with the personality. We all have learnt to enjoy the process of decoding the personality through wild guesses... joy is always found along the road and not at the end of the journey, isn't it??

Dinner time now is a much sought after time. Retiring to the roost with a content mind and heart full of warmth is the best thing to put a full stop to the day... a day worth lived! 

-------------By MocktailMommy Anagha

I am writing this article as a part of #MondayMusing hosted by www.everydaygyaan.com 

Posted as a part of Grace Moments hosted by www.journeysingrace.com

All images courtesy Pixabay.

Potato Dumplings To Satiate My Little Munchkin

Every now and then, my cooking skills specially in terms of creativity are tested to the limit. And the task master is none other than my six years old son! His choosy and picky  eating habits always keeps me thinking about providing the right nutrition in the testiest way! Choices are many but finding the right balance of the nutrition and health component vis a vis taste is a challenge! Being a true chef at the core, I love these challenge of recharging my munchkin, fittest and healthiest way.

Off late, I discovered that my son was craving for potatoes. French fries and potato chips were always in demand. However, I did not wish to let him gorge on the fat rich variety of the potatoes. Potatoes are a great source of vitamin B6, potassium, copper, manganese, etc. So I wished to serve him something that will make both of us happy. 

Cant thank God enough for making this world abundant with healthy choices! 

I thus decided to pair potatoes with the tomatoes, to impart the tangy flavor. And then what about the caloric needs? To meet the growing energy demand I decided to add Khoa and some nuts as well! 

Sounds interesting, isn't it? I made the Malai Kofta With Red Gravy (Creamy Dumplings with Red Gray). Being a gravy based dish, its best fit for the lunch. One can have it with bread / Roti or even rice, to make it a square meal. 
  

Lets now see how its done....

Ingredients:-

Kofta:-

1/2 Kg Potatoes

Salt as per taste

1 tbsp corn flour

Coriander leaves, fresh and finely chopped.

Oil for frying. (You can shallow fry to avoid the oils!)

Filling:-

40 gm Khoa (You can substitute it with milk powder!)

40 gm cashew

8-10 dry raisins 

Pinch of  turmeric

Pinch of salt

Chily and  ginger garlic paste 1 tsp (Chilly is optional.. many kids don't like their food hot!)

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tsp fresh cream 

Coriander leaves, fresh and finely chopped.

Gravy :-

2 tbsp oil or butter

500 gm tomatoes, boiled, skinned and then pureed.  

1 tbsp chili and ginger garlic paste

1 tsp Punjabi masala or Garam Masala

1/2 cup cream 

Salt to taste

1 tsp red chili powder

50 gm Khoa

2 tsp grated coconut 

Paste of 1 onion.

1/2 cup curd

1 tsp sugar

1 cup of  water if required

Method for Filling:-

Simply add all the ingredients together and keep aside. 

Method for Kofta:-

Boil the potatoes and let them cool. Smash them after peeling the skin off. Add cornflour to it. Now add coriander and mix properly. Divide the dough in 8 to 10 equal roundels. Take one roundel and flatten it with hand. Scoop a spoonful of the filling and place it on it. Make a dumpling or a roundel by covering the filling with the potato mixture. Once all roundels / dumplings are ready, deep fry till they turn brown. Keep them aside. 

Method for Gravy:-

In a thick bottomed pan, heat butter / oil. Add Khoa, grated coconut, onion gravy, chili ginger garlic paste. Mix it well and saute for 2-3 mins. Add tomato puree, salt, red chili powder, Punjabi Masala to it and mix well .When oil starts separating, add curd and sugar. Keep it on simmer for 10 min. turn off the gas. Remove from flame and then add Koftas to the gravy, Garnish it with cream n coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Its mouth licking yummy! 

Satisfying the hunger pangs of the kids in the most healthiest way is demanding. But equally satisfying too! What do you say? I wish to hear from you...

----------By MocktailMommy Ruchi

This post is part of Thoughtful Thursday, a blog hop hosted at http://themommyhoodmoments.com

Linking this post to "Recharge Wednesday", hosted by  http://soaringwithhim.com/

That One Advice I would Give My Younger Self

Count down for the long week end had already trickled in. The pulse of the moment echoed that I wished to return to the nest faster than ever. It was going to be a choc-a-block traffic on the roads soon. Wished to avoid those frantic negotiations with the vehicles moving bumper to bumper. As I was about to take a right turn, out of practice, far more mechanically, I zoomed into the right side view mirror. The car being new, words printed on it stood out prominently... 

"Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear"

And they really do! At times, specially when you are round that tricky bend or may be the tricky snap shot of the memory, objects, people and situations are too close than we can comprehend. 

The things are clearer in the hindsight whether on road or in life!

Right then, in my side view mirror, I could see a petite girl in the shabby clothes with a contrasting delightful smile... she was selling roses! Her hair was anything but unruly. She was not at all bothered about her looks. She was as happy as the roses in her clutches. That fetched me closer to my dear self just few decades young. Was I not the same carefree, energetic, bubbly girl as the one in the side view mirror? Before I could wink, I already had migrated to the Eastman colored era... era of childhood!

I saw a young girl with twinkling eyes. She was just ready to undertake anything that fancied her imagination. There was not an iota of fear. There was not a single strand of the thought about "who will say what". She was existing and not just living! 

She was absorbing every knowledge that came her way, either out of the her failures or out of success! She just was happy in trying out. The joy, for her, really seemed along the road and not at the end. She was not confined by the stereotypes of being classified as a girl and not a boy. For her gender was only a topic in grammar. 

Neither the past haunted her nor the future daunted her. She was living in the "Present".

My older self, over the years had forgotten to live the life on own terms. It had become monochromatic. Growing over the years had taken away the spark and the charm quite stealthily.  I wished to whisper, just one advice, in the ears of my younger self ..."It is impossible to go through life unscathed. Nobody or no situation is worth stressing over. People and situations come and go. Just move on and discover yourself. Be yourself. Life ahead is fabulous!" 

----By MocktailMommy Anagha

 This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

*Pictures courtesy Pixabay

I Chose Light...

Who says Gandhari existed only in Mahabharata? There are many around and I was one of them...

Getting married early and settling in a wealthy house was "the" achievement of the life then. The life never existed beyond the thresholds of the house. Everything that defined my existence revolved around husband and children. "What a bliss the life is", I used to think!

Fortunes change without giving even the short notice... 

The riches flew away like the migratory birds! Without husband to support and children to be taken care of, I had to step out of the threshold. 

The blind folds on my mind, my beliefs dissolved like the thin air...

There was no place for an uneducated widow, either in hearts or at work!

But I chose light...

Its all a history now!

---------By MocktailMommy Anagha

This article is posted as a part of the Friday Foto Fiction co hosted by 

www.tinabasu.com and www.sirimiri.in

This article is posted as a part of "Friday Reflections" co hosted by www.everydaygyaan.com and www.livingmyimperfectlife 
I have chosen the word / character "Gandhari" from the book "Jaya - An Illustrated Retelling of Mahabharata" by Devdutt Pattanaik

Accessorize...This Time With Wisdom Behind!

I love to dress up ... accessorize myself with jewelry and wear make up ... Go out !!! But with the busy life and hectic schedules I don't get enough time to do all these things daily ... I often used to get scolded for not decorating my neck and hands with the ornaments. I get labelled as the "Sita from Lanka"! And why should I not be... there stands our traditional belief in "Sola Singar"...bindi, bangles, mangalsutra etc! These accessories actually define who we are  and outline our identity. 

I can anticipate sone raised eyebrows here! The few paragraphs ahead, you will have the reason to validate my statement... On a lighter note, I end up saying "Thats a license for me... that I am married now !!!", pointing to my "Mangalsutra".  

At times, I just do not have the mood to carry those accessories. "Sawar loo, Sawar loo..." song just feels out of place at such times! Recently however I read that there is science behind wearing the specific jewelry item at specific part of the body. It's indeed good for our health in subtle ways. Some references to acupressure points and Ayurveda made me believe in the authenticity of such claims.

Jewelery made out of gold, silver or any metal is a recent phenomenon if we compare the history of adorning the bodies! In early days, the humans used beautiful flowers to decorate their neck, head , hands etc.  I wonder who must have been that very first romantic man or woman who used a forest flower behind the man's ear, popping in front and made a delicate tiara of flowers to be used over the head of the beautiful woman. Whoever he or she was, unknowingly wrote the first chapter in the history of beautification and ornamentation. Since then humans have used a vast variety of things like feathers of birds, bones of animals, sea shells, metals like iron, brass, bronze and nickel for ornamentation.

It was only during the era of Vedas, that women started wearing ornaments made of gold. I can say this pretty surely because during my undergraduate training for commercial arts, I have studied a lot of literature pertaining to that. There is a saying that, " Those who wear gold ornaments make pious what is impious." The archaeological evidences of the ancient civilization of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa show that the people in the ancient times used ornaments of gold, silver , brass and sea shells. Ornaments of certain metals were used for they believed such ornaments were good for the health and they enhanced the glow of the body. 

Ornaments of gold are traditionally believed to be good for the health. They are said to have a salutary effect on the ocular vision of an onlooker. The ornaments worn in the ears sharpen the sense of hearing and those worn round the neck enhance the glow of the body and keep skin diseases like leprosy at bay. Nose ornaments are said to strengthen the lungs. The books of Ayurveda contend that just as gold dust is good for the health, so are gold ornaments. Thus traditional twelve cosmetics and sixteen ornaments have a place of pride in the life of women of India.  

Ornaments worn on the feet and around  ankles are generally made of silver. They are of various patterns. There are chains and straps from which hang the bells that make musical sounds while a young girl wearing such ornaments walks along her way to the village. These ornaments, are not very costly. Being a  RAJPUT, I can wear gold ornaments around our ankles. My friends Sathya and Smitha being Keralities, also wear gold ornaments adorning their ankles! So sometimes people do recognize me, that I am a RAJPUT. That's why I have stated that ornaments are our identity too...

I wish that we can follow our tradition of ancient times and take it forward to our children... though not every day, but at least on special occasions! So do wear jewelry...just dig out from your treasure!!! Don't forget, there is always enough time to dress up and doll up self. Jewelry is the most transforming thing one can wear. It has a power to make you feel unique!

-------By MocktailMommy Vidhi

A blog hop  #MicroblogMonday by http://www.stirrup-queens.com

A blog hop #MondayMusing hosted by www.everydaygyaan.com 

All images courtesy Pixabay.

Team MocktailMommies... A Friday Reflection!

Just few days back, the lanes and by lanes of the princely suburb where I dwell, was a vibrant place. The reason was "Janmashtami". I had ventured out to run some errands with my daughter in toe. As I wished to reach home before the roads got chock a block with vehicles, onlookers and of course the Govinda gangs! And here was my little one, all lost in absorbing the sights and sounds of the place. As I pulled her, one last time, before giving a stern scornful look, she darted a question at me. Looking at the "Mataki", that was hanged high up at the square, she asked, "To reach a high point, one always needs support, isnt it?"

Needless to say, we then waited for another hour or so to validate the belief of the young mind!

As we stood in the corner, many thoughts flocked my mind. There was a downpour of the grateful feeling... as I recollected the highs of the life, whether professional or personal! Without those helping hands, thinking minds and compassionate words,  I think I would never ever have achieved glories of life! 

One of the things that topped all the thoughts was that of "Team Mocktailmommies". A casual talk in the play area of our society led to a new way of life for eight of us. I remember Ruchi, Karishma, Rupa, Vidhi, Prasanna, Sathya, Smitha and I discussing the way to break away with monotony of life. All we wished to do was, find that missing "Me"... a "me" that was lost somewhere to the nitty gritties of managing the family, a"me" that wished to break free and enjoy being self! 

Each one of us belonged to a different walk of life. There was not an iota of similarity in our personalities. But one thing was sure, we complemented each other just like the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle! 

We wished to do something that none of us had ever tried. Karishma came up with the idea of blogging. Ruchi suggested the name to our blog. Vidhi gave the identity to our digital presence. Prasanna boosted our presence on twitter and FB. Rupa and Sathya turned out to be best the proof readers and editors! Smitha and Vidhi chipped in as the critiques. My only responsibility was to manage the site and reflect my thoughts. We agreed to disagree and till date this remains our strong connect with each other! 

Its been a little over a year now that we have been taking turns to post the random thoughts. The journey so far has been exhilarating, adventurous and immensely rewarding! There is an exponential rise in the joys of reading, writing, sharing and making new digital mates... Together each one of us has achieved more! 

Simply stated, it is less me and more we now... 'coz we could reach the otherwise unimaginable highs just by sticking together! William Blake's quote, "No bird soars too high if he flies on his own wings. – William Blake" holds ground for Team MocktailMommies! And the show goes on...

---- By MocktailMommy Anagha In Association with Ruchi, Karishma, Rupa, Vidhi, Prasanna, Sathya and Smitha

This article is posted as a part of #FridayReflections, a blog hop conducted by www.everydaygyaan.com 

Its Never Too Late To...

Riddhi was saddened, shaken but at the same time content that the ordeal was over...a long fought battle... one that lasted for eight years to be precise! Her mother in law, a brave yet stubborn soul had fought with a silent killer with steely nerves, never ever bending to the onslaught of the disease. The last passage was peaceful and her mother in law was freed of all the pain and agony that the disease had offered her mercilessly. Sitting on the sofa, Riddhi felt the emptiness in the heart and in the air. 

As if something captivated her, Riddhi got up suddenly. She thought of winding up the belongings of her mother in law before it was too late. Busy hands would not let the brain get over taxed, she thought. Few visits up and down the silent rooms, she decided to start with the bedroom. 

The initial phase of clean up drive was that way easy to handle. There were medicines to return to the pharmacy, the diapers to be donated and bed sheets to be washed. But then came the daunting task...cupboards! Two big cupboards had a world in them. From neatly folded handkerchief,  stack of napkins, towels to the daily wear, it had every thing a lady would need. Riddhi was amazed by the fact that till the last day of her life, her mother in law had been meticulous and disciplined. That made her muse and laugh at her sorry state of affairs... 

My home is never in order, she thought! But then I blame it to two naughty goblins in the house. And do I not use the phrase quite often that this is a house not a well maintained three star hotel! Finding things become a sort of treasure hunt,isnt it?, she questioned herself. And now dont fool around by saying that there is fun in it. Accept it Riddhi...its quiet frustrating and stressful!   Thus erupted a boxing match between her critique self and her real self! Riddhi was quietly watching the blows from both the sides while getting bruised all the way. Riddhi interfered as a referee and said to herself...Its never too late to put the home in order...I must start from the very day, I return back to our home!

Her hands were busy all this while. This time, she discovered an immaculately arranged stacks of the sarees. Their colours, shine and sheen all informed that they all were new, so fresh! Riddhi, out of curiosity, pulled out one saree. She was shocked to see that it was lying there with the tag, from the shop, intact! She then pulled out many more... every time the story was same. 

Riddhi witnessed an acute pain, this time tormenting her tender soul! All these sarees were left behind without using even once! Mom must have thought of wearing it on some special day, special occasion, pondered Riddhi. And now that she is no more, what does it translates to... She recollected few of the unstitched dress materials stacked in her wardrobe and some newly stitched ones which she had planned to wear on certain occasion. Its never too late, she reasoned to herself. 

With this renewed wisdom, she decided to take a new take on her life! Its never too late to start living and enjoying the present, the very "NOW"!

----------By MocktailMommy Anagha

 ‘This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.’ 

All pictures courtesy Pixabay

Freedom Of Transporting

"Pretty woman walking down the street..." went the song on one of the radio stations while I was driving back home. The song invoked the memory of lissome lady Julia Roberts swaying on the road. I was brought back to present by the sight of a decorated Tonga... And then the mind wandered off to another terrain...

I was now driving the car only physically and my memories were driving me to the by gone era of transportation... just few decades back the things seemed so different!

Before any other form of transportation, humans traveled on feet. So was the norm in my town where I grew up. Of course the streets were dotted with few rickshaws being peddled by the driver, a bullock cart filled with goods or people, a tonga or two here and there. Possessing and riding the bicycle was such a luxury those days. And when it was the time to visit the grandparents, the only option to reach was by the train! Flying by air, if you ask, were the part of fairy land for me!

Bullock carts were a regular sight as they brought the country folks to the town when it used to be the day of weekly bazaar. The hustle and bustle at the main ground in the town was palpable. The vigor, the colors, the aroma that filled the air brought in the freshness of the country side! Add to it the tinkering sound of the bells tied around the bulls neck, that pulled the cart!

And if you happened to travel by the tonga, in those days, you were seen as a person of elite! One of my friend used to go to school in a tonga. For her it was a joy ride. And for us it was a jealous time...we had to walk on the roads to reach the school! It's another story that the school was at stone's throw for us and the friend in the tonga came from a near by village...

Few of my cousins had their bicycles. And then getting a chance to ride their bicycle used to be the greatest achievement of the day! The cousins took great care in keeping the bicycle sparkling clean and shiny! Oh, they carried such a high and dry image to all of us who did not have one!

But one thing that we all loved to do was our yearly travel by the train. I always found the train to be majestic! The long and short horns of the engine ushered in the era of freedom...because it was only in the summer holidays that we used to travel by the train! No schools, no studies and no exams!

A whistle by the traffic police man brought me back to the presence. Felt so thankful that I have freedom to think the way I wished to think and let my mind wander. Felt thankful that I had freedom to roam on the roads without being brushed up by the speeding vehicle, when I had barley learnt to walk. Felt thankful that I had breathed in the air that was not polluted! 

But appreciating the past does not mean that I malign the glories of the present. I felt thankful that  I have freedom to drive by myself. Thankful that I can fly in the air and its no longer just a fairy tale!

--------------By MocktailMommy Ruchi

This post is part of the #ThankfulThursday

All images courtesy Pixbay