Just watching her do her face in the mirror, sends me back in time. Similar poses, similar searching for compliments, just everything about her. And then the lovely hit song by Billy Joel"Isn't she lovely, Isn't she beautiful....." keeps going on in my head.
I too was just an eighteen year, and life was so beautiful, no worry, no care, knowing that parents were there to take care of every little tension and bother, of course like every eighteen year old, wants were always more than needs. My mother is an emotionally very strong lady.With Dad out at sea most of the year, she had to manage the household and us three kids, times were tough, money was not easy to come by and mum had to play a dual role that of a mother and father, sometimes a counsellor too .
There were times when Mum would wait for a letter or some form of communication from my dad at sea, maybe a colleague sailing into mumbai or a simple 'Inland' letter. Just the sight of the postman entering the building and my mum would beam...only to hear him go by. Life was tough; at times, my Dad arrived ahead of his already posted letter.
To think of times,now and how easy it has made life, we can now watch each other, across the continents, know whats cooking in the pot and what we are wearing for the party tonight.
I tell the kids, the above facts that i have documented and how much easier it now is.
The girl asks me, "Mum, did you not have a phone? Was TV all in black and white ?"
TV serials like "The Invisible Man" and "Star Trek" were something that we kids really looked forward to. Even the melodious, "Chhaya Geet" anchored by the chirpy Tabassum was really looked forward to.
Hard days, but never for a single moment can i say i did not enjoy even those times.
i clearly remember a letter coming from my dad to say that he would be home for Christmas, months ahead of Christmas.... a month to go still no news, then finally a phone call to say that he would not be able as he did not find someone to relieve him.
Total disappointment for us all, but my Mum took on and went on to make all the sweets as we would always do ... dad will come, maybe not for christmas and there we had a lonely christmas but a happy one.
So many instances remind me of our childhood days.
The kids are such wonderful little adults and realise that we are truly blessed to be so fortunate be it in advancement of communications, transportation, education just any place its a wonderful world right now and i'm lovin it

They held their hands, and tenderly led each other on the road.They were a little ahead of me.
This was no ordinary couple, they were both blind, and just like any other, they too were in love, they could not "gaze" into each others eyes, but for certain the hands locked, were a visible sign of their affection.they were happily chatting and something in the couple, made me realise how blessed we are to have every little finger in its place, and still there are times when i groan and grouch for silly things as much as the newspaper coming in late.
There are lessons to be learnt at every turn on our way but do we get to them ?
Here was this couple who was surely, truly, doubly blessed, as inspite of them not being to enjoy the visions of sight, were "oblivious" to the people walking on the road, it was just like they two existed.
They gently led each other and walked on their way to work, the red and white cane tapping the pavement. The people at the junction who were crossing, guided them to the safety of the other side, where they went off chatting and laughing at a private joke. what a sight to behold !!!
Love knows no language, no caste, no creed.