Parenting

Coffee and Conversations: Wisdom in Every Sip

My dad always said, “Coffee drinkers are better thinkers.” He was a wise man. I’ve never had a reason to doubt him.

These days, “Coffee?” is the answer to everything.

Questions, answers, problems—it doesn’t matter. Coffee solves it all. Especially in Mumbai. The city hums with its energy, fuelled by endless cups.

Maybe it’s the caffeine. Or maybe coffee is just a great excuse to pause, talk, and think.

Either way, I’m not arguing. Coffee?

An Open Window, A World of Calm

An open window behind, a simple bench beckoning you to sit, a loyal plant keeping you company, and soft grass beneath your feet. There’s even a shade nearby, waiting for you to decide if you need it. Above you, the open sky stretches endlessly—a perfect invitation to pause and just be.

Now, imagine tossing in a book, a bottle of water, and a steaming cup of hot coffee. Sounds idyllic, doesn’t it? There’s just one catch: throw away the watch. This is not a moment for time to meddle.

This little setup isn’t just about comfort; it’s a rebellion. A rebellion against hurried calendars, buzzing phones, and endless to-do lists. It’s a reminder that life isn’t a race; it’s more like an unscripted performance under a limitless sky.

What happens when you sink into that bench? You’ll notice things—the subtle rustle of leaves, the changing hues of the sky, or the way sunlight dances on your coffee cup. Perhaps the book you brought along finally gets the attention it deserves, its pages flipping lazily in the breeze.

And if you’re lucky, you’ll discover the joy of doing absolutely nothing. Yes, nothing! It’s underrated, often mistaken for laziness, but oh, the freedom it holds. No notifications, no deadlines—just you, your thoughts, and maybe that sneaky plant that’s somehow photobombing your serene moment.

The best part? This isn’t a luxury reserved for sprawling gardens or countryside retreats. It could be your balcony, your backyard, or even a park bench nearby. What matters isn’t the setting but the mindset.

So, take the plunge. Open that window, grab your coffee, and let the sky remind you how vast your world really is—if only you’d stop to notice.

The Rajabai Tower: When Timekeeping Became a Monument to Love

Some build monuments to power. Others, to love. Premchand Roychand, a wealthy businessman, built the Rajabai Tower for something both grand and simple—to help his blind mother keep time.

Modelled after Big Ben, its chimes once echoed across Mumbai, guiding her through the day. A full-fledged clock tower just so a mother could tell time—now that’s devotion on another level.

He must have been some man. And she, some mother.

Centuries later, the tower still stands. A reminder that love, like time, leaves its mark.

A Giant Bull, Its Mighty Horns, and a Fleeting Moment of Peace

A bunch of flies. That’s all it took to disturb the giant. They buzzed, hovered, and annoyed. The tail swung in swift, practiced arcs. The head shook—first a twitch, then a full-bodied fury, horns slicing the air like exclamation marks of irritation.

And then, as suddenly as it began, stillness.

The bull reclaimed his calm, standing his ground like a seasoned warrior who knows battles are won by patience, not panic. His horns, curved and mighty, framed the world anew—turning the ordinary road into a scene from an old, untold legend.

For a brief moment, everything aligned. The dust hung in the air, the flies retreated, and the great beast stood unchallenged, his silence louder than any movement.

Somewhere, another fly plotted. Somewhere, another swish of the tail would follow.

But for now, peace.

#animals #cow #roadside #stories #culture #trade #commerce #life #ordinary #traveller #instatravel #instapassport #blogger #travelblogger #blogging #traveladdict #traveltheworld #wanderlus #play #lessons #parenting #india #mtabu #Rajasthan #metaphor #love (at Mount Abu)

A Bird in Hand—And the Joy of Watching It Appear

They say a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. But what about a bird drawn on a hand?

For a child, it’s magic. A few careful strokes, a little waiting, and suddenly, a bird appears—etched in Mehendi, alive in her imagination. The flutter in her eyes, the quiet twitch at the corner of her mouth—it’s a joy no real bird could match.

It’s not the big toys that bring the deepest happiness. Sure, they shine. But the small moments, the ones spent laughing, waiting, watching something take shape—those stay green in the mind.

Because joy isn’t just in what we hold. It’s in what we create.

Swabs of cotton, clothesline clips and a palette of colours. In the hands of kids, that’s all it took for magic to happen!

Engrossed kids. Sans TV. Sans tablets. Sans all digital devices. Such creative play with imagination.

All it takes is the belief in kids and some energetic play in their world. It is incredible what happens when we believe in the magic that lies within our kids.

Yes. Magic. That’s THE word!

(at Bangkok, Thailand)

Tom Sawyer moments

I have something called a Tom Sawyer moment. Amongst my childhood heroes, Tom Sawyer is one heck of a kick ass dude. His successes with Becky Thatcher aside, his ingenuity to get a group of friends whitewash the fence was jaw-dropping awesome as a kid. It remains jaw-dropping AWESOME as an adult with a paycheck.

For ages I have hankered for a Tom Sawyer moment in my life. A moment when what got handed out as a punishment morphs into something quite different. A happy time when a lofty proposition is made loftier and transformed into a fun happy time.

A few weeks ago after some insane amount of peering into monitors and hammering away at the keyboard, the missus sentenced me with the responsibility of taking care of the little miss. When it became clear that I perhaps would end up enjoying it all, she threw in another angle. There would be two other kids that might join in.

Without much ado, we got working. The girls had to first scamper around and collect as many dry leaves as could be found in the garden. Then for strewn flowers. It took them an effort but they had a whale of a time. After which, came the task of arranging it all for display.

 

flower

Their hands were a dark shade of brown. The colour of the soil with assorted grime that came about by heckling the wind and peddling joy. When playtime neared its end everyone was happy. The mommies were happy that their tasks were behind them. The morose gardener let loose a rare smile and a good word to the girls to see most of his cleaning done.

As for me, my Tom Sawyer moment had arrived. The girls have said they want to do it again and one of them put it in simple terms. “Uncle, I will share my lollipop with you”

Plus, the little miss was one proud bundle. ‘My daddy’ she said. The moments that stay in memory are the unannounced and silly times. They whizz by. Slow down, put out your hands and watch them fall into your life.

Life teaches everyday. If only we care to listen.

 

Tom sawyer 1

You remember Tom Sawyer? The chap that got his friends to paint a fence? Selling it to them as a premium thing?
When it was my turn to keep the girls busy, a giant leaf was taken out the ‘Mark Twain book. We decided to ‘play’ “collecting the leaf”. The next you know the garden was clean and the kids wanted new gardens to explore ‘tomorrow’. For they were tired after many hours of ‘play’! #leaf #leaves #garden #kids #girls #arrangement #shoes #girlsfashion #TomSawyer #daughters #daughterdiaries #fatherdaughter #kids #parenting @parentous #MarkTwain #literature #Sundays

The girls played well!
We were at the garden. The daughter and her friends. And me. Tasked with minding the girls.
Every such task I lap up with energy. For it teaches me the journeys that I have gone through and an opportunity to gawk at the magic of creation.
Amidst the games we played, the most enjoyed one was called “Yellow Flowers”. It had no rules and no boundaries. Other than running about and picking yellow flowers.

The morning reminded me that it takes very little to be happy. A child like imagination and curiosity will get us all there.
#kids #garden #Sunday #travel #travelblogging #travelblogger
#parenting #daughter #daughters #daughterdiaries #flowers #games #simpleliving #sharing #love #joy #journeys #children (at Mumbai, India)

Rural life teaches you things that urban life misses in its frenzy of reaching the next big thing, faster, better, cheaper.

Village life and its rhythms are so close to nature and its relatively predictable cadence. There is an acknowledgement of several aspects.
That it takes time to grow.
That it takes nurturing and caring to grow the farm

The belief in community.

That cheaper, faster, better is not always for the better.
Wish we pay more heed.
#rural #life #village #India #parenting #entreprenuership #entrepreneur #startup #nature #travel #travelblogging #India #culture #maharashtra