6ft something..!

There are a million breathtaking stories that we come across in a lifetime. How many of those have we lived ourselves? Many! Then again, how many of those have we revisited time and again? A few.

I am not big on writing fantasy engraved tantalising stories. But I am big on playing a part in many!

When I first met this 6ft something (too tall for most men with average heights, including me although back home I would be considered tall enough), I said to myself these very words "aww look at that innocent face".

Little did I catch the intricate symptoms of crazy, wild, super fun, and unpredictable madness that came with the package named Theodora Baos. Uh well I have never been good at prognosis! 

She said to me, "my name is Theodora but call me Teddy"..and that had a stern intent associated. At times you meet someone and the arteries that connect your heart just feel an inflation which leads to the vigorous supply of blood to your brain cells! No I am not talking about love or sexual attraction. I am referring to the mere feeling of knowing that this person is just the one you wanted to meet for a while now. 

A friend, a confidant, a compatriot, and just that person who will give and take blows for you!

She has this un ignorable persona which makes you want to know more!! Yes Ofcourse she is an attractive young woman who can also be your perfect wingman by the way. Anyway, Teddy always has a story to tell. She has lived in 4 countries, speaks 4 languages (fluently), has traveled the world on business trips, has maybe more friends (real) than I even have on my Facebook, loves attention (both giving and taking), is mostly Mexican but partly Greek, will listen to you for hours and then make you listen to her for hours, cooks like rubbish, though eats like a boss. If you meet her at a bar when she's drunk, you want to be close to a bouncer (who by the way has to be close to another one).

She's undecided about her life but knows exactly what to say about yours! She's a friend. A true one.

I told her as she left for another adventure, that she will be the God Mother to my kids (if and when I have) and she just smiled. 

And just like that, the million small talks, the drunken nights, the fights, the frolic, the frenzy, the chaos, the noise, and all embodiment of relentless fun and love just came to a serene and calm aftermath. She's left for another country to conquer more hearts and spread more laughter and love. That's her forte..that is Theodora Baos.

As we look back at how we have lived our lives at 70, we want to be able to be proud of stories. Stories that remind us of our existence, that inspire us, that make us laugh and shed tears at the same time, stories that define us. I have many a small stories to share with my grandchildren and this story about this 6ft something, 4 language proficient, crazy, full of life girl will top the charts.

For all those we met and lost in our journey..

"The strength of friendship that goes the distance will be unconditional love.."

Ragz

To Hell and Back..!

Snip snap chop chop..the way she goes on about her day..! 10 hours of relentless, back crushing, tiring, standing at the salon! Giving the likes of us a big reason to feel better about ourselves with our hair as we walk out. 

It's just flabbergasting how, the simple task of grooming has skyrocketed in the eyes of the commercial business-minded man and that this industry is churning out more money than the hair strands they chop!!

After a strenuous few trials with many salons across the ever so vibrant city of Toronto, I found eternal bliss as I stumbled upon this extremely chirpy, noisy, full of energy salon. Now not only was this place rich in history, but also had a state of the art aura to it.

The first time I went in, I was sent straight to Laura! This is what my story is about for those who are wondering why I would be interested in sharing details about my haircut.

Laura!! She possessed this calm energy which I have been seeking for myself for years now. She had the most electrifying look in her eyes and the way she accessorised herself, would give you an impression about her spiritual sensibility. She has this poise and vibe about her, which settles you down, even if you had a crazy day! 

In our dainty little conversations, she took me through her phenomenal journey which left me amazed, astonished, inspired, and in complete admiration for this gorgeous lady with mesmerising eyes!

She is a young single mother who has had quite a journey from being a Spanish descendant to being an industrious, independent, fearless woman, she is today!! Being wedded to the idea of "alcohol makes me happy and makes my worries go away", Laura did face some dilemma. Some call it mid-life crisis, whilst others just blame it on every day struggles! But her idea of life is way bigger than giving in to the pressure of a habit. Due to some unavoidable circumstances, she couldn't be with the one guy who gave her the most desired gift for a woman, her baby! 

Years later, when she finally found someone, who she could confide in, he was snatched away too! Through the thick and thin of these circumstances, she could have easily given up and gone back to her old ways. But here she was. Chirpy, happy, clean, spreading so much joy with just her beautiful smile!

She says, she found strength from within to withstand the evil temptations. What went through her mind, will always remain a mystery. I feel, she imagined of the look on her daughters face and that changed her. The point is, no matter what the reason we make it to be, crossing the threshold is the most important factor.

Fighting with yourself is tougher than fighting for yourself! It takes more than courage to be able to be positive each day knowing, tomorrow is another day of new troubles. All of us, have a lot in common. Some of us are fighting for our rights, for better money, for better living conditions, for better technology, for better education, some are fighting addiction, some for property, some are fighting crime, some are fighting for food, and some are merely fighting for survival!! No matter what your fight is for or against, it all has a meaning. If we look at such simple stories in life and draw even the tiniest bit of inspiration from them, our fight will weigh lesser.

I salute the everyday heroes like Laura, for bringing us to the juncture of sanity, and fighting spirit. 



Ragz..

You are why I am..!

"Son, you are always surrounded by your friends..you give them way too much importance.." My mum used to tell me this when I was a teenager. Wow, I never thought I would one day say these very words "back in the day when I was a teenager." Time trumps life. 

Coming back to my mothers analogy of being a little more self centred, I do get it. I know why my mum world say that. Not because she had any abhorrence towards my friends. It was more so to bring me to a juncture of self realisation that life does not work with having friends alone!!

I do not agree. It is probably a subjective argument. Let me ask you this, do you remember your earliest memory of a friend? That one kid, you literally remember being yelled at with, that kid whose lead was followed by you like he was the carrier of the beacon of your life, that one kid who you probably knew was so wrong yet you would stick around, that one kid who you fought with and still shared a lolly with, the cognisance of those days!! Flashes of your childhood and that one kid makes a whole lot of difference to the place where we are today because we laid the bricks to the monuments we are, a billion hours ago!!

Why do I remember 99.97% of my friends? I know that seems statistically impervious. I feel like every time some one uses numbers, it enhances the credibility of the matter. Regardless, the crux being, I remember not only the people tagged as my friends, but also the varied incidents associated to them.

My first ever buddy..Shantanu..who is a successful dentist today and has a beautiful wife, was the kid I wanted to be friends with. You mostly don't choose. Petty things like seating arrangement in a classroom can make a world of a difference in deciphering who you will grow up to be like. I feel friends are of paramount importance when it comes to who you become. Like parents and teachers, friends are an integral part of the architectural crew that moulds us.

My friendships have always taught me two things, first, find out the similarities, second, accept the differences!!

The preposterous pranks, the unconditional support, the study help, the covering up, the feckless laughter, the sand castles, the swing in the park, the first book, the sharing, the caring, the stories of how you like a girl, the secret keeping, the jealousy to not let anyone else be their friends, the going away, the coming together, the tears, the emotions, the gifts, the song, the birthdays, the break ups, the sex stories, the clothes that would disappear and found in her closet years after, that shoulder, that hand!!!!! No ma..my life has been defined by these people.

I am way past my teenage and my mid 20's and I still feel the exact same thing about my friends!! I make friends with the same intensity as I first made friends with Shantanu. 

The thing about life is that we are yearning for success and advancement every minute every moment in time. When did you last take a step back and think about that one examination in school which would have been monstrous mountain to climb if it wasn't for your friend who helped you learn or gave you the answers in your exam? How many times do we take that plunge into the past and think those people who made a difference? Almost never, not because we are bad people, but because we are lost!!

I cherish my friends. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. Those who came and went, those who stayed and those to come. I owe my life to them as much as I owe it to my parents and my sister as they are as much of friends to me as my friends are!

I might miss out on names here but will never miss feeling gratitude and love for each one of you. Thank you my people!!

In memory of my friends Santosh, Harshad, Fayaz and all those who we lost along the way!!

"Walking with a friend in the dark, is better than walking alone in the light.."

- Ragz