Rekha's Ramblings

  Good morning! It’s the first week of August, and it means it’s almost back-to-school. College kids everywhere are getting ready to head out—and mine are no exception. They're leaving early to prepare for marching band camp, and I believe mentally, they are already halfway there. My house has been full for the past three months. And yet, despite everyone being home, they were busy, and we couldn't find a time frame where everyone would be available to go anywhere. I remember when this time of year meant road trips and vacations, back when they were little, in grade school, back when school breaks felt endless. Now both Google and Facebook are showing me all those memories, the good times we had, the road trips, laughter and singing in the backseat, our usual airport/ airline /rental car drama. (that calls for a separate post) Here are some pictures of those memories.  This year, we couldn’t even go for walks in the neighborhood as we went through heat waves. So, w...

I’ve been watching the show Your Honor lately, and I can’t stop thinking about the lengths a parent will go to protect their child. On the show, Judge Michael Desiato starts out as a man defined by his principles — a good judge committed to justice and honoring the law. But as the story unfolds, we see those same ideals slowly fall apart as he faces impossible choices to keep his child safe. His sinking down to the bottom is heartbreaking showing you  how far a parent might fall to protect their child. Parenting is hard , period. And though every parent rides this emotional rollercoaster, there can never be enough warnings to truly prepare you. Once you choose this journey, that’s it. Once you become a parent, there’s no going back — you’re a parent until your last breath, no matter how old your children get. No matter how many books you read, how many classes you attend, or how many stories you hear, nothing truly prepares you for what’s ahead. It's even more hard these ...

  When my middle child was in ninth grade, I had the privilege of being the chauffeur for him and five of his friends on their way to a Model UN conference. The car ride was alive with youthful energy—six teenagers, between the ages of 13 or 14, passionately discussing or rather arguing their topics, world events, and geopolitics. Each one arguing their points with such conviction that they almost forgot I was in the car. Or maybe they didn’t care I was there. They debated fiercely, citing facts and passionately defending their points of view. Sometimes they backed down, other times, they dug deeper, refusing to waver in their stance. As I listened, I was struck by their passion. It was inspiring—and a little bittersweet. These were the kids who believed in their cause, who genuinely thought they could solve world problems.  If only the Model UN worked the same way in real life. If only the leaders of our world would sit down, argue with facts, listen to each...

  Next week, I am flying back home, to India. And as much as I love to travel, I do not like flying.   It’s not just a mild dislike—it’s a genuine dread. Nearly 30 years ago, I got on a plane to come to the US, eventually making it our home. But it also set the stage for a lifetime of back-and-forth journeys to visit family, most of our family still lives in India including parents. Flying is unavoidable now, no matter how much I wish otherwise. A majority of the time, we plan these trips months in advance but have also flown at a day's notice.  Thirty years ago, though, things were different. There were no nonstop flights between the U.S. and India. And even though a trip like that involved multiple stops, layovers, and logistical challenges, it wasn’t such a hassle. It was pre 9/11. Now, we are simply used to it. That’s just the way. A few years ago, they started offering nonstop flights from the US to India. Flights from JFK, New York to Delhi or Mumbai in 15...

  Just because you fit in doesn’t mean you are in the right place. I read this on a friend’s wall, and it was an epiphany moment. Wow.   I had never looked at it this way before. For a long time, like so many others before me, I tried to fit in. I thought blending in, adjusting a little here, a little there meant belonging. And Sure, there were a few moments when I felt I had cracked that code and belonged to the group, but alas, the happiness was momentary, fleeting. But in those moments when I thought I had succeeded, something felt off.   I wasn’t genuinely happy. Deep inside, there was no sense of belonging, calm or contentment. I found myself wanting to leave as soon as I had arrived, constantly glancing at my watch, feeling suffocated. It took me a long time to understand why. The problem wasn’t that I couldn’t fit in; it was that I was trying to fit in at the wrong places, at tables where I had no seat. I stumbled upon another quote yesterday and it w...

It's Friday and that means it's a day to ramble.  Today's topic is books. It's going to be in two parts.  Part 2 What have you been reading? Do you have a favorite genre of books?  I usually read thrillers, the only way to get a dose of an adventure I can't get in real life. Anyways, last year, I went out of my comfort zone and read a few books from other genres. And one of the books that stayed with me more than the others was," The last green valley" by Mark Sullivan.  I picked it up from outside the gym, from the little free library just because I liked the cover. I did not know anything about the story but when I saw the cover, the picture on the cover  looked familiar. I felt like I had been there. I had seen this scene in real life and that too not long ago. And then when I read the preface, I knew I had indeed been there. The story is fiction inspired by true events. It's a story of the suffering of one family spanning from the a...

Yesterday, I wrote a blog about celebrating victories, my son’s recent accomplishments.   Culturally, where I come from, we are  often told not to brag, it invites bad karma. I had some time on my hands this morning and I was curious about all the buzz around ChatGPT, so I decided to explore it a little. I’m not sure what AI is typically referred to as, whether it’s a he, she, it, or they; but I’m going to  refer to it as a "she."   I even asked the AI what their pronouns were.   She said , “ I don’t have personal pronouns like a human, but you’re welcome to refer to me however you feel comfortable! Some people use "it," while others might say "she" or "they." I don't mind any pronouns you choose. You’ve been referring to me as "she," and that works perfectly fine!” So, I am going to stick with “she” and here is a conversation between her and I. I enjoyed chatting with her and appreciated the thoughtful answers she gave me...