It was a long day, her team was working against the deadlines. Joyce had to complete her work and review her team’s work, and be ready for tomorrow’s morning status call. It was Thursday evening and she did not want things pending the next day. She dint want to work on Saturday like the previous week. She already felt guilty for not spending time with her 3 year old son. She was tired. She had to go home and cook dinner. With thoughts rushing like a flood in her mind, she realized it was late to rush from B5 to the bus bay. She would miss the 5.20 PM bus. With the sigh she waited for the 6.20 PM Shuttle- anything to get her home fast.
THUD. A huge noise. She had managed to get the last seat in the 6.20 bus. Joyce tried to find out from a guy nearby, what that noise was. The bus had stopped near Guduvanchery stop, where few girls had got down. A bike – must have been a drunkard hit the girl and fell down at a distance. Joyce got up and tried to see what happened. The girl was knocked off her sense and was bleeding badly in her face, knees.
No one else from the bus got down. The bus driver was panicking. He was scared that the girl was dead. Joyce didn’t know what to do. The sight of blood froze her. She looked around for any guys to help. No one came forward. A guy who had parked his car, near the bus stop, came to help. Joyce and another girl Vanathi ( who happened to be the hostel mate of the victim) jumped into the car. Another girl Viji from the bus got into the front seat at the last minute. She started making calls to the HR, Transport, and the security desk. She was from Delhi and infact had called Delhi Ambulance to get the Chennai Ambulance number, before the stranger offered his car for help. Things happened so quick. They rushed to the SRM hospital nearby.
Priya gained conscience, but didn’t know where, or what happened. The girls tried to keep talking and fight the fear away. The emergency room showed no emergency. All cries for the first aid- fell on deaf ears of a guy at the reception trying to register the name in a computer. How can they be so slow at a time like this? The Hospital was like an ocean, so big, with counters empty and alternate counter had to be looked. In the alternate counter it took more than 15 minutes to register the patient name. Finally after 45 mins, Priya was given some first aid. In fact, it took another one and half an hour to get her to take scan for her brain, and facial scan. Thank God it was all normal. She did hear the guy in the next bed, was the drunk 35+ year old who had hit her in the bike!
Joyce called up Priya’s dad, and tried to keep her voice from panicking and got their sister’s phone number- who was in Chennai. She called them up, tried to get them to the hospital soon. The car driver who had helped them, was around till 8.30 PM. It was getting late, Joyce waited for the cousin sister to arrive. Priya’s hostel mates 6 of them arrived. The HR, Security arrived at 8 PM and took over. Joyce sighed a big relief and rushed with her Delhi friend to catch the bus home.
The events had rocked Joyce, even though she had put on a brave face, and took the right decision at the crucial time. Looking back, she could see God’s guidance in the form of her getting the 6.20 bus, the car driver, the hostel mate, the Delhi friend, and everyone. She took the day off on Friday, to get her mind off the blood, accident and the hospital stench. She still did follow up call to check on the Priya’s health and her new found friends. It was sad that Priya’s dad did not file a police complaint. Priya had lot of injury on her face, knees and hands. She had holes visible in her fingers. It might take a long time for her to recover, and even long time for the scar to heal from her heart.
So, what wrong did the girl do? She got down from the bus, which stopped in the bus stop. This could be any of us? How many of us would be able to help like Joyce, Viji & Vanathi did? Take the decision – overcoming fear? Why were there no men, ready to help? Why didn’t they even get down from the office bus? The bus eventually stopped till police and ambulance came – and all were made to take another office bus. But at that crucial first 10 mins- why did everyone freeze and not make any decision except the three girls?
What if there was no car driver who helped? No Joyce, her hostel mate Vanathi, or the delhi girl Viji? Everyone has families, commitments. Fears, questions, not sure of what to do. It was Joyce’s first trip to SRM hospital. For the Delhi friend Viji- it was her 3rd time in an emergency situation like this. How did they do that extra mile? And the trio- were perfect strangers.
Do I have it in me? Will I respond with the reflex action, or turn away and look unnoticed seated comfortably in the bus. Even if I want to help, do I know what to do? How to respond?
True story- All characters are real and work out of Mcity Chennai DC :)
-Originally written in Infybubble - 17 Nov 2014
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Best of both worlds
Am an ordinary girl, from an ordinary family. Nothing fancy.
Lately I've been cribbing a lot, lot of work, late night calls, early morning catch up of mails, handling escalations- trying to blow off the fire, before it catches up. A hurried breakfast, calls back to back, different stakeholders, skipping lunch, calls again, and ha, status reporting to everyone involved, catching the last bus home,a meagre dinner, and hardly having time to catch up at home.
My 2 year old, can't tell me clearly, but she expresses her thoughts in different ways. temper tantrums, anger, biting, and ensures she stays awake, till late night. so we get to sleep at 12 or 1 AM every day, and I catch the 7 bus. With not much of a sleep, I am stress prone, frustrated with so many things heaping on my to-do list. Not to add, my baby-sitter's wrath, for not being home on time.
So at the height of it all, I told my boss, I can't do it anymore. I am not made of that material. Its not even a month into this new project, and am already exhausted.
I read Varsha's blog yesterday http://infybubble/personal/varshabv/Blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=2&SortBy=RECENT&FilterValue1=FEATURED. I guess that did the trick. I realise that actually I am having the best of both worlds, like Hannah Montana! I love working, I love being a mom ( with all the shortcomings). Lot of ups and downs, but yes I do love the morning breeze, the cool of Mcity trees, the flowers, the people, the silence at 8 AM, and the hustle bustle with lync, webex, the voip, the webapps, the team and the portuguese! and I have a kid in 'terrible two', who can forgive me as quick as a blink of an eye. ( the other's are not that promisable), but hey, I am alive and kicking, so nothing worse yet!
So to all the working women, working wives, working mothers out there! Hang on!
The roller coaster ride is exhilarating! but you wouldn't wanna miss it for anything!
Enjoy the best of both worlds!
- Originally written in Infybubble. 26 Feb 2015
Lately I've been cribbing a lot, lot of work, late night calls, early morning catch up of mails, handling escalations- trying to blow off the fire, before it catches up. A hurried breakfast, calls back to back, different stakeholders, skipping lunch, calls again, and ha, status reporting to everyone involved, catching the last bus home,a meagre dinner, and hardly having time to catch up at home.
My 2 year old, can't tell me clearly, but she expresses her thoughts in different ways. temper tantrums, anger, biting, and ensures she stays awake, till late night. so we get to sleep at 12 or 1 AM every day, and I catch the 7 bus. With not much of a sleep, I am stress prone, frustrated with so many things heaping on my to-do list. Not to add, my baby-sitter's wrath, for not being home on time.
So at the height of it all, I told my boss, I can't do it anymore. I am not made of that material. Its not even a month into this new project, and am already exhausted.
I read Varsha's blog yesterday http://infybubble/personal/varshabv/Blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=2&SortBy=RECENT&FilterValue1=FEATURED. I guess that did the trick. I realise that actually I am having the best of both worlds, like Hannah Montana! I love working, I love being a mom ( with all the shortcomings). Lot of ups and downs, but yes I do love the morning breeze, the cool of Mcity trees, the flowers, the people, the silence at 8 AM, and the hustle bustle with lync, webex, the voip, the webapps, the team and the portuguese! and I have a kid in 'terrible two', who can forgive me as quick as a blink of an eye. ( the other's are not that promisable), but hey, I am alive and kicking, so nothing worse yet!
So to all the working women, working wives, working mothers out there! Hang on!
The roller coaster ride is exhilarating! but you wouldn't wanna miss it for anything!
Enjoy the best of both worlds!
- Originally written in Infybubble. 26 Feb 2015
Work from home ( how ( does) that work?
Work from home! Ha! what a priviledge. To wake up late, no hurried bath. No traffic. Oh to work from home.. Lying on the bed with laptop.. watching tv.. munching a lazy breakfast. To complete other tasks- ( bank work, passport, a doctor's appointment, or shopping). To connect back again, to check mails, and respond back. What a life!
Isn't it? It used to be, and may be yes still for singles and guys. But NOT any more!
Work from home is a punishment. A torture, to say the least! With the 2 year old, at home, trust me, it is a nightmare! I wouldn't mind getting up early, running to catch a bus, the heavy traffic, or the work... You see, me + Phone+ laptop is a bad combination for my daughter. She gets crazy. She wants my laptop, throws the phone.
This is what happens- when I work from home. I get up early- quite early, to check mails and respond to it, BEFORE she is up! Make all calls that's necessary. Get into the other bedroom. Hide myself. I never get to go potty or eat like a normal person at home. My babysitter had to give a signal, only then I get out of the room. ( So I get to eat, once my daughter sleeps in the other room). If my babysitter is away and I get to WFH, well, I can connect only after I get my daughter to sleep.. I am exhausted, only half a house work/office work is done.
Connecting after I get home, that's another nightmare. She insists that 'I' stay with her. No one else. Not her dad, and so her rule is, if mom is home, she better be with me. I have been asking working mothers around. How do you manage? What do you do, when you have to connect from home? Once she was sick, and I couldn't take leave as I had lot of things to do, but called that I would work from home ( Bad decision), I ended up sitting in another room, and finishing them, and Amy never knew that I was home.. I could have very well, gone to office!
So that's my experience with Work from home. I dono how they do it. do you?
- Originally written in Infybubble. 2 Mar 2015
Isn't it? It used to be, and may be yes still for singles and guys. But NOT any more!
Work from home is a punishment. A torture, to say the least! With the 2 year old, at home, trust me, it is a nightmare! I wouldn't mind getting up early, running to catch a bus, the heavy traffic, or the work... You see, me + Phone+ laptop is a bad combination for my daughter. She gets crazy. She wants my laptop, throws the phone.
This is what happens- when I work from home. I get up early- quite early, to check mails and respond to it, BEFORE she is up! Make all calls that's necessary. Get into the other bedroom. Hide myself. I never get to go potty or eat like a normal person at home. My babysitter had to give a signal, only then I get out of the room. ( So I get to eat, once my daughter sleeps in the other room). If my babysitter is away and I get to WFH, well, I can connect only after I get my daughter to sleep.. I am exhausted, only half a house work/office work is done.
Connecting after I get home, that's another nightmare. She insists that 'I' stay with her. No one else. Not her dad, and so her rule is, if mom is home, she better be with me. I have been asking working mothers around. How do you manage? What do you do, when you have to connect from home? Once she was sick, and I couldn't take leave as I had lot of things to do, but called that I would work from home ( Bad decision), I ended up sitting in another room, and finishing them, and Amy never knew that I was home.. I could have very well, gone to office!
So that's my experience with Work from home. I dono how they do it. do you?
- Originally written in Infybubble. 2 Mar 2015
Mercy is falling!
Sweet spring rain. All over me.
Have you ever been filled, overwhelmed by God's love. I have. When I think of it, it feels so amazing.
The colors, the people, the air, there is so much to be thankful about.
Things haven't changed as much as I want it to be. I guess I've changed a lot.
A lot more patience perhaps.
Past few months have been tight on all fronts. Unable to breathe, think or plan. What next, or rather, how next has been a question.
But as I look up, I see ' he calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves, psalm 107.29.' on our wall and I see that it is so true. And I feel drenched in his love. Completely wet. Dripping wet!
How amazing!
Blogger app!
Dono how I did not look for it so far.
I hope I'll be able to post more frequently.
In fact did some posts in office blog.
But nothing like your own free space!
But I guess I'll post those here too.
Monday, October 13, 2014
Lame excuses
It was Sunday morning, I had milk in the stove, and as I looked up at the morning sun way up from the window, I realized I was processing. I wasn’t admiring the sun, the sunshine or the pretty flowers that wave just outside the stove window. I wasn’t even thinking about the milk or Amy. I was processing ‘why I wasn’t in church’. I had too many reasons. Could I have gone? I think yes, it was just amy and me at home. I am known for getting ready, and getting Amy ready in less than an hr. So what were my excuses- Still plenty. 1,2,3,4,5,.. I can tell you it was not in sequence. It was all jumbled up, and I had every reason to stay home.
To give you a sample – Amy slept at 2, Amy woke up in the middle. She’ll be cranky if I wake her up. I have to feed her something. Meaning I need to cook something. No time. Feeding Amy will take time, and it is already late. Service would have started. She will play with people around her. She won’t let anyone listen to the message. She will be cranky. She may sleep in my bike. It is too hot outside.
Huh. It may be true. Or half true. But even then, it still is pretty lame. Lol. I dint even have anyone to give these lame excuses to, but still the mind processes.
When I see around, I see lot of people that way. With excuses. With very lame excuses. Not doing what they can do. Getting up early is one good one
Excuses are aplenty. It is funny- how your mind works- even before something happen.. if you are not ‘inclined’ to it. What are you giving today?
To give you a sample – Amy slept at 2, Amy woke up in the middle. She’ll be cranky if I wake her up. I have to feed her something. Meaning I need to cook something. No time. Feeding Amy will take time, and it is already late. Service would have started. She will play with people around her. She won’t let anyone listen to the message. She will be cranky. She may sleep in my bike. It is too hot outside.
Huh. It may be true. Or half true. But even then, it still is pretty lame. Lol. I dint even have anyone to give these lame excuses to, but still the mind processes.
When I see around, I see lot of people that way. With excuses. With very lame excuses. Not doing what they can do. Getting up early is one good one
Excuses are aplenty. It is funny- how your mind works- even before something happen.. if you are not ‘inclined’ to it. What are you giving today?
Amy's litmus test
Give Amy anything. She tests it first. If she likes it, she will do a little Amy dance. She will shake her shoulders, and body like a see-saw. And move her legs in a circle,her giggle and laughter is so sweet.
Once she holds any new thing- she immediately puts in on the ground, and slowly sits on it If it is big, and a little hard, voila, she is on it! It is funny how careful she is, as she sits. Its even funnier, when the stuff she sits on, gives away and down she falls. If the test passes, she smiles beautifully.
I wish I do that too… I mean not sit on it, but as my friend Carol said, check if God approves it, and then do it. Even if it is as silly as buying a pencil!
I think I should name this blog ‘the pencil test’!
Once she holds any new thing- she immediately puts in on the ground, and slowly sits on it If it is big, and a little hard, voila, she is on it! It is funny how careful she is, as she sits. Its even funnier, when the stuff she sits on, gives away and down she falls. If the test passes, she smiles beautifully.
I wish I do that too… I mean not sit on it, but as my friend Carol said, check if God approves it, and then do it. Even if it is as silly as buying a pencil!
I think I should name this blog ‘the pencil test’!
Get out!
Well, I agree that it is not a nice word to teach Amy. But that just slipped my tongue, when I was telling her the Creation story.
Adam, Eve story climax – ended with the punishment of disobeying, and them being thrown out of the Garden of Eden. So I said, God said ‘Get out’.
Though I know, she doesn’t know what it means, she now says ‘get out’, whenever I ask her, ‘what did God say.’
So we begin the story, and I say what did God say, ( to create the universe) she says, with bright eyes ‘Get out, bye bye tata’. And that ends are storytime too..
But thank God, he did not let the story end there. I am so thankful of the promise he gave them- even in the curse! The power of his love, to redeem the world started way back in the garden.
How amazing is that!
Adam, Eve story climax – ended with the punishment of disobeying, and them being thrown out of the Garden of Eden. So I said, God said ‘Get out’.
Though I know, she doesn’t know what it means, she now says ‘get out’, whenever I ask her, ‘what did God say.’
So we begin the story, and I say what did God say, ( to create the universe) she says, with bright eyes ‘Get out, bye bye tata’. And that ends are storytime too..
But thank God, he did not let the story end there. I am so thankful of the promise he gave them- even in the curse! The power of his love, to redeem the world started way back in the garden.
How amazing is that!
Sunday, October 12, 2014
No mercy
No mercy. No surrender. No retreat. No prisoners.. Now what could that be? That was the ad in a WB movie channel for the movie '300'. Oh my my.. I have seen the movie earlier.. Thanks to my memory.. i dont remember much of it except that it was violent :)
But that ad, wanted me to see it. again. The curiosity is triggered, the visuals are powerful, the words are powerful enough, to make you think for a second! Take any ad for that matter, Tvs. Mobiles, drinks. accessories, cars. Acs. Especially food!
Afforable? May be? But it creates the curiosity, longing, eagerness. For someone who was neutral earlier, after seeing the advertisement is bound to have an inclination to it.
How much of an adventure is in the Bible? PLENTY. Victories, Fall of Kingdoms. Stories. Lessons learnt. Incidents. Miracles. Twists. Climaxes. Failures. Impossible stuff. Mind blowing incidents. Unexpected endings. A paradigm shift many times over. Oh my my.. and how many devour the bible voraciously? You have so many translations of Bible. So many Apps. Audio Bible. Large print, For kids, For women. For working moms. For Men. For toddlers! and the best of translator - the Holy Spirit! Yet, I still find many of my friends, who have not even read the full bible atleast once. Why are there no advertisements?
But that ad, wanted me to see it. again. The curiosity is triggered, the visuals are powerful, the words are powerful enough, to make you think for a second! Take any ad for that matter, Tvs. Mobiles, drinks. accessories, cars. Acs. Especially food!
Afforable? May be? But it creates the curiosity, longing, eagerness. For someone who was neutral earlier, after seeing the advertisement is bound to have an inclination to it.
How much of an adventure is in the Bible? PLENTY. Victories, Fall of Kingdoms. Stories. Lessons learnt. Incidents. Miracles. Twists. Climaxes. Failures. Impossible stuff. Mind blowing incidents. Unexpected endings. A paradigm shift many times over. Oh my my.. and how many devour the bible voraciously? You have so many translations of Bible. So many Apps. Audio Bible. Large print, For kids, For women. For working moms. For Men. For toddlers! and the best of translator - the Holy Spirit! Yet, I still find many of my friends, who have not even read the full bible atleast once. Why are there no advertisements?
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Weeee Weee Weeds!
Does anyone plant weeds in their own garden? Silly isn’t it. No one with the right sense would! But a weed needs no special care or effort. It just grows.. Leave the land idle for a while, you get weeds and thorns- in no time!
But on the other hand, a garden- needs lot of effort. Watering the plants, tilling the soil, fertilizing the soil, Pruning, ensuring sufficient sunlight is available for all the plants.. and yes as mom would say it- talking to the plants too! You take conscious effort for all the above. When weeds show up, you remove it- promptly. You discipline yourself, you put effort, time, care, and heart into it.
This analogy that I read in a book, and also in the Bible, is daunting reminder- of how our lives- left to itself could mess up so bad. Weeds do show up, but if you do nothing, it could take over the entire garden. If I am not closer with the Lord, and not disciplining myself to read His word, follow the Spirit’s prompting, pray earnestly, weeds could take over no time. No doubt about it.
Can’t bask in the Lord’s blessing all the time. Can’t relax, taking the Lord’s grace for granted. I need to be on my toes. To love the Lord with all my heart, all my soul, mind and strength!
But on the other hand, a garden- needs lot of effort. Watering the plants, tilling the soil, fertilizing the soil, Pruning, ensuring sufficient sunlight is available for all the plants.. and yes as mom would say it- talking to the plants too! You take conscious effort for all the above. When weeds show up, you remove it- promptly. You discipline yourself, you put effort, time, care, and heart into it.
This analogy that I read in a book, and also in the Bible, is daunting reminder- of how our lives- left to itself could mess up so bad. Weeds do show up, but if you do nothing, it could take over the entire garden. If I am not closer with the Lord, and not disciplining myself to read His word, follow the Spirit’s prompting, pray earnestly, weeds could take over no time. No doubt about it.
Can’t bask in the Lord’s blessing all the time. Can’t relax, taking the Lord’s grace for granted. I need to be on my toes. To love the Lord with all my heart, all my soul, mind and strength!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)