Snapshots of 2007...

Today when Sonali and Rashmi left for their office, when our maid went after doing the cleaning of our house, I sat down on the chair besides the big window of our house and looked outside. There were noises from the near by school, somewhere there was load music playing on radio and the birds were chirping. Life was going on for everyone as it did for every day. For me time slowed down and i saw the memories flash across from the year 2007 flash across me.

I shook myself out of the dream and looked around my house. Four faces, all 32 teeth showing, started back at me...a sketch snap taken on 31st Dec 2006 with Sonali, Manasi, Rashmi and me. It felt like yesterday when all four of us went for a stupid movie because we couldn’t find a better place to go for our New Year celebration. After the movie got over, IMAX Adlabs surprised us by serving free cake. Well, nothing which is free should be left out and we all joined the line for our free cake. After all, it’s new year. We marked the beginning of yet another year by hugging each other and laughing like mad. Something magical was in the air...made us feel on cloud 9. That marked the beginning of year 2007 for us...for me!

Well, the year 2007 was magical for me. My friends got married, some celebrated their 3rd anniversary and as always I felt amazed on how fast time flies. Friend's kids celebrated their birthdays and at these times i always get transported back to life where we girls had no responsibility and as carefree as ever, a vast contrast to what we are today. It always surprises me as how madly happy we were then and how our happiness knows no boundaries even now. My list of friends increased with a single trip to Goa when i found new friends in Deepali and Rishi whom i didn’t know before 2007 started. Well, it doesn’t take much to get such amazing friends...just plan a trip to Goa...Goa will take care of the rest.

Then of course I found my life patner in my best friend. I knew Ashish as a friend for a 10 long years but now I am getting to know Ashish as husband (as he likes to say - to-be husband). We used to spend hours talking on Fatehsagar when we were in college. This time when i went to Fatehsagar with him, holding his hands...there was something special. Sometimes I feel...is it for real? Without being aware of it, i feel a smile appearing on my face and my heart says...it’s for real. Sitting there in my home, looking at my snap with him... I knew it was a beginning of all the new things in life. This year 2007 changed so many things in my life with just one incident.

When i look back at my last new year, watching movie in IMAX and Ashish enjoying in USA...we didn’t have the slightest idea of what this year is going to bring to us. Now that we know, it has made this year even more special.

This year was not only smiles. People lost their loved ones and there were tears too. For every up, there were downs too. What’s a year - 365 days, if you don’t have little downs to make way for ups? The whole journey of tears and laughter were made memorable for me by my friends and family and my new family too. The ride to Delhi for friend's marriage, proposing to Ashish, getting engaged on 23rd April 2007, learning to cook, trips to Bangalore, having a family surrounding me and Ashish to congratulate us for a new path that we have chosen together, a trip to Goa and riding on bike sitting behind Ashish, birthdays in our weekend villa(our small flat in 304), Holi, Diwali and many more festivals, getting a TV and the joy of having cable connection of our own, wiping of tears for friends and letting them we are there for each other...a year gone by leaving behind wonderful memories.

I didn’t realize for how long i was lost but when I looked around my house...it felt the time had stopped for me. Well, the time has come to welcome 2008 with new resolutions and new dreams. I hope this coming year is as wonderful as the year that has gone by...for everyone who touches my life.

Change is only things that constant in Life

How many times you would have heard this saying? How many times something changed in your life and you were sad about it? How many times something changed in your life and you were happy about it?

I am heading towards the biggest change of my life. I am getting married. A lot of things would change. I want to be prepared for it but everyday when i think about my D-Day i get scared. Little things which I take for granted would change. Things that defined who I am would change. I am both happy and sad about it.

Things like my surname. I was born with surname Joshi. The first thing probably my parents taught me was my name - Kritika Joshi. All through 28 years of my life I was known as Kritika Joshi. My school mark sheets, my certificates which I won in competition, the offer letter when I got my first job, my passport by which i have an identity of being Indian citizen...everywhere I am known as Kritika Joshi. I know myself as Kritika Joshi. Yet on 27th Jan...I'll become Kritika Savani. The surname of my husband would be added to my name. I'll move on from being my father's daughter to my husband's wife leaving behind whatever my father gave me and accepting what my husband would give me.

The place which I call my home would change. Since the time I was born I have known my parents house as my home. That’s the place where I first learned to walk. That’s the place where I learned so many lessons of my life. That’s the place where i used to sit outside in winters, surrounded by the sweet smell from garden, feeling the cold wind brush against my cheeks and reading novels. Yet on 27th Jan, it won’t be my home anymore. My husband's home would be my home. A place I used to frequently visit for a cup of tea or evening time pass as friends would be the place I would be living in. In the morning when I’ll get up, my sister wont be there snuggling beside me or my pet dog wont be barking for attention. My mom would no longer come and hug me in the morning to tell me to get up and have the breakfast she cooked for me. My father wont be there sitting on breakfast table, ready to head to office. I would no longer be the daughter of my home...I'll become daughter-in-law of my husband's home.

The space which my parents have in my life would change. All through my life they were first for me. They saw me taking my first step, they were first to hear when I spoke my first word, they were first to see me off to my school, they were first to offer me my first pocket-money. When i won my first award at school they were first to know and celebrate it with me. They were the only people i could think of when had my first salary. My life revolved around them. On 27th Jan...my priorities would have to change. I will have Ashish's parents as my parents. For the first time in my life my parents would have to take second place in my life.

On 27th Jan Ashish and I would be tied through the relationship of marriage. Its amazing how a single event in my life has the capability to change so many things in my life. I am sad about the things which will be left behind, yet I am happy about the new beginnings. I am scared of leaving most precious relationships behind yet I am happy about new relationships. My heart is filled with joy but at the same time scared of the change which will bring with it loads of things which would be new to me. My life is going to start all over again...but this time Ashish will be there beside me, holding my hand through the ups and down of my life. I know change is the only thing constant in life...yet we never have enough time to prepare for it.