The Parting

It’s the time of the year again. No, its not the elections or the all-decisive budgets which hold us in sway or the looming dark clouds in the horizon or the lack of them which is a national past-time BE IT THE TOPIC IN THE MALLS, COFFE-PARTIES , ADDAS OE EVEN THE Sukhmani sahib kitty!!) It’s something more …. It’s when the kids go to boarding school after a fantazastic break at home full of hugs and kisses and messy living areas and smelly shoes and you wonder why you ever bothered with the cushions!! It’s a magical time. I wonder where the time flies , it starts to be along break and before you know it’s all over in the bedlam and chaos of movie bookings, cooking gigantic bowls of pasta with meat and more meat minus anything which remotely looks green , the all favourite pancakes smothered and dripping with syrup and Hershey’s chocolate…. Yummy, sinful chocolate cakes and decadent desserts..

I start out waiting for them and promise myself to be a “propah” mom by ensuring time plans for watching TV, surfing, psp’s and fb ing and not strain their eyes (like their mom who is blind like an owl).. And most of all contriving to give them a balanced diet in compliance with the highest standards of mom Dom!! Eat dal, get your proteins, eat badaam beta, don’t eat too many ice creams. Way too many calories and don’t drink diet coke (thanks to Gobind who gave us an impromptu lesson via a letter that drinking coke leaches off calcium and weakens the bones ..and the minerals pass through urine! Trust me, it sounded worse in person than written!! Great going Sanawar…After a wk, of being this regimental mom I slide into being their best friend, confidante eagerly doing and letting them do what they should do..(Allowing them to let their hair down) literally. It’s a continuous party full of junk food, chocolates and re-runs of all our favourite movies.. Which we watch like the annual hajjis!!

Time flies and I wish I had the time turner like Hermione but alas, J.K. Rowling didn’t extend it to mommies like me.

It’s a kaleidoscope of hugs, kisses and don’t worry mom and chill out mom, intermingled with scolding and101 courses of how to charter one’s lives with my personal gyan of how God is important .That and visit to gurudwaras do help me in cementing them to their roots in a tiny way in this fast-pacing materialistic ever evolving world of technology. We come to the frenzy of last minute trunk packing and visits to the tailors for the perfect grey trouser with the whitest of white shirt for school.. And the most important tuck shopping... the last week is a mad-house with temper tantrums by Gobind and disappearing appetites by Onkar and more cuddles than before

Snatches of sleep and one more mt.and discussions that why Simba shouldn’t get human food remains rampant. And, then we pack off loaded with everything they might possibly need with

the juggling act of let them not get too many creature comforts so that may not be labelled as wimps /sissies but not lack anything thereof.

The last turn the last climb of Sanawar is there too soon and after settling them, I make the journey back with a quietness which pierces you

The lull …..They say be strong, its for their good but it s like a dull ache which everyone says goes away but how do u fill it?