India, As I See it : Floods in Mumbai

Most of us would remember that Mumbai was flooded on 26th July 2005.

That morning I was in dadar market, out shopping with my mother.

2:00 pm: 

The 2 lane streets were filling up with water and my Mom and I felt, it was time to start moving homewards, only to avoid an excessive flow of evening traffic.

3:30 pm: 

We walked without finding a single taxi. We soon heard that the local trains had stopped because of the increased water level on the railway tracks; Offices were closing down early to help people get back home to safety.

4:30pm: 

We had walked 2.8kms and reached Mahim Church. By then, we were part of an ocean of people, moving in a single direction.

Each one walking with a single thought, “How will I get back home today?”

Traffic had come to a standstill.

Mobile signals were jammed; All around we saw scores of people, each one moving an inch at a time. 

5.45pm: 

We had slowly but gradually walked 4.4kms and reached bandra. My mother moved homewards and I moved on towards my destination in santacruz.

I was on my own.

Finding Cinderella

As kids, we have all enjoyed reading Fairy Tales and fantasised growing up and living a Magic-filled life in a Palace and also imagined living with Step-Mom's not 'Real-Moms'.

Is there a possibility that even today, we can find a Cinderella or a Snow White in our own lives.

Sharing 3 experiences, where I was able to connect to one or more Fairy Tale Characters:

Cinderella 

Once, as part of preparation for a birthday party, my elder Sister had kept everything ready for me: my outfit, accessories, shoes, handbag, my hair-do was planned, nail paint at the best nail-art gallery. 

I looked my very "best" in every sense of the word.

After the party, little tired and very happy, as I got into my worn-out pyjamas, bundled up my hair into a untidy bun, thinking about how my nail-paint would wear off after I got home, I laughed out loud and said "Oh! This is such a 'Cinderella-like Moment'. From princess to pauper when clock strikes twelve".

My sister retorted immediately, "Whats wrong about being Cinderella! She found her Prince at the end of the story".

A very positive thought indeed! 

We are able to connect to stories because the characters share challenges faced by each one of us. 

In a world where we are constantly battling between our free-will and destiny, stories can provide inspiration and positivity even in the most dire circumstances and help keep our hopes alive. 

Never Mind whether I am Cinderella or not, my Sister is most certainly the Best Fairy-God-Mother anyone could ever find.

Snow White

I recently encountered a challenge whereby no matter what I did, it was impossible to please a select group of people in a particular city who thought I was intruding in "their territory" and thus stepping on their feet.