Four Clover Life- By Namrata Shailendra Singh

So, you did it again? You compared your child to his friends, his sibling, and the icing on the cake- you compared him with your own self at that age as if you were the best gift to humankind then. Really? Were you? Our parents did to us; their parents did to them. Now we, the educated generation a-z (whichever alphabetical generation we belong to never got that logic, though), the pseudo ‘KOOL’ parent do it too. This time it’s well wrapped, sugar-coated, and sophisticatedly used. The dialogue has changed from- “ Dekho Pandey ji ke beta ko. Kuch samajh mein aata hai? Dekho kahan se kahan pahunch gaya aur ek tum ho ki bas khel khel. Zara seekho kuch. Sab kuch to kar rahe hain tumhare liye, phir bhi … ” Said in the rawest form…so thorny that it actually pricked the heart. (Look at Mr. Pandey's son. Do you understand? See his accomplishments and look at where you are? We are doing everything for you, but you are such a wastrel.) Look at how we have polished our words now- “I see you a

Dear Prime Minister, I listened to you over the comfort of my smartphone and a much smarter lifestyle, speaking so eloquently at the Central Hall Westminster in London. Very carefully, you touched upon our country's pressing concerns- Woman’s safety, Unemployment, Heath care, and Farmers. The रोटी, कपड़ा,   मक़ान  with a शौचालय and   स्वछता   around is a burgeoning reality of today’s times along with ‘सबका साथ, सबका विकास ’ kind of movement. As the 2019 elections draw close, I wonder, is it all done? I am sure not. But you see, it would be unfair to only look at what is left undone. I am not one of those onlookers. As you remarked on your Twitter- we have a million problems, but we have 125 billion Indians to solve them. I am sure your intentions are honest, and that is where big dreams have the potential to become a reality. It is just a matter of time. So, why am I here? I have a concern, which I know has not escaped your seasoned and alert eyes. Yet I choose to w

A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEBODY I am N ….Naina Thakur and this is my story. Not only mine but also yours. You are as chained as I am, handcuffed and shackled...and this conversation is as important to you as it is to me.  N- Hey Hi. Somebody- Hi, you are talking to me? N- Ya. May I know your name, please? Somebody- aha! My name? N- Yeah! I have been following you for 36 years and I still don't know who you are. Today I saw you, again, and thought of asking. I went asking my grandfather who is 88 and he seemed to be clueless. Somebody- He didn't know? That's strange. I thought by 88 you become wise enough to know pretty much everything. N- O common. Don't beat around the bush. Just tell me who you are? Somebody- Why don't you go and ask your mum or dad? N- My mum?   Well, yeah, I remember she was the one who spoke about you. Yes, I remember. I have heard her talk about you often. In fact, she is the one who introduced

I am an advocate of appreciation. We were brought up at different times. Parents were more critical, and appreciation of any kind was hard to come by. Even if they did it had a hyperlink attached- “ हाँ ठीक है , अब ज्यादा उड़ने की जरूरत नहीं . आगे भी अच्छा करते रहना है ”. (It’s OK...you don't need to fly so much. You have to keep doing well.') The tone in which this dialogue was delivere was confusing to us- ' ये क्या था ? "What was that? Are they happy or not happy?" The inflated self-esteem went whoosh as we were thrown back to the ground. It's different now. We, as parents, indulge in appreciation. A small or big act of achievement or even just the effort. We laud our children with ‘GOOD JOB’ as often as possible. Yes! The hypothesis has changed today. The more you appreciate, the better it is. All kinds of research going around to prove how appreciation is linked to better grades, better behavior, and better performance acad

I love this speed. It gives me much better control of the car and life:) Dearest non- driving moms, Don’t fret over not knowing how to drive. Don’t let it hit your self -esteem and when the other mom asks you – “do you drive?” don’t get sheepish and wrinkle up your nose with a malcontented smile. IT IS OKAY. DRIVING IS NOT THE KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE or a TESTAMENT TO ONE. I wonder if it even figures in the list. He!He!He!Guess, to some, it may. To some, it may not -SO, NO JUDGMENTS. I know driving. It's just that I prefer   1964 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Special  . Below that, it doesn't suit my taste. Yeah! It is 26.4 million $, and hence I have not been driving. You have no idea how misery strikes in life? Ha!Ha!Ha! Jokes aside, back in Chicago, when I tried to merge onto a freeway, I had my first nervous breakdown, and after that I swore to myself that I will drive into anyone’s home but not on a highway. Amongst  the biggest fears of life, driving fi