What do I really want?

What do I want in life! I’ve been thinking about this question since last week. An acquaintance of mine genuinely asked me as to what I want in life? So many answers came rushing to me that I almost got a headache and I started rambling on. Then this man asks me “what is the one thing that you truly want in life and you know you deserve it.”

I was stumped. I mean I’ve bucket full things I want in life, but determining the priority among the list was rather painful. I thought about it for a long time and could narrow my bucket list to 5 things but I could not make myself agree on the thing that should take precedence over the others.

 In my childhood, when mommy would force me to go temple hopping with her, I’d make a list of things in my head for a bargaining session with God, but at the most opportune moment, I could never decide which is the one thing I wanted most in life at that point... so I always ended up saying “please help all the strays everywhere”.

I would return home upset thinking ‘Almighty’ won this round of transaction because I could not ask for anything for me. I also promised myself that next time we go temple hopping I’d have the negotiation list ready!

Obviously that has never happened till date and now I’ve stopped going to temples altogether.

So getting back to what I want. I of course want World peace and End of Hunger; but I am a selfish & a materialistic person so yes I also want affluence and good health for my family and a giant SUV (black). Then there are some eeny meeny wishes as well... more like greed. I know they are not right, but what the hell, they are there.

Normally, I do not need much time to make up my mind or take any decisions but this is a never ending failure on my part! I have no more than 3 to 5 regrets in my entire life, and not been able to give precedence to my wants may be one of them!

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Prepping for Diwali!

Yes, you read it right… I’ve started my Diwali preparation from now only. And NO, I don’t mean by cleaning house and shopping for Diyas & Kandils.

My Diwali preparation begins with making the festival as comfortable as possible for my bachlings. Loud noises scare the heebie-jeebies out of them. They do not eat, they shiver, they find places to hide like under the table or bed. They have elevated heart rates and poor guys look mortified for those few days.

“The few days” range between one-week to one-month as people have enough money to burn on firecrackers for a whole f@#$ing month. Though I love the festival of lights, I absolutely detest the smog, and the noise created by the firecrackers! Oh and I also hate the drunken people on the roads who consider being a jerk as being somewhat of an item.

My only aim during the festival is making lives a little less scary for my babies. Things I am doing to make life a little simpler for these guys are;

Ordered Anxocare from Himalaya

It is an ayurvedic medicine which I will start from after Dussehra and will continue till November.

Ear Muffs

My cousin is creating crocheted ear muffs for the guys with Styrofoam and what not. I understand that the noises will not be drowned out completely but it would be less. So I am very hopeful for that.

Changing their walkie time

Normally they’d go at 9:30 AM and 9:30 PM and once in the afternoon if they are dying to go. But during this month we try to change it to early evening and early morning as the crackers noises are less and the smog is at this lowest as well.

Keeping windows closed

Since people in our area are so work-less that they start with the crackers from a week before the actual day, so the windows will be closed and thick curtains will be drawn from evening till late at night until the noise stops.

Preparing their favorite meals

I have created a plan for their meals. Usually they eat kibbles for lunch and home cooked meal for dinner. For these days, they get yummy home cooked meal during the day so that they can peacefully and happily eat their nom noms and pedigree will remain un-spoilt for a longer duration at night in case if they wish to eat after the noises have stopped.

Staying with them during those days

Like every year, I’ve made plans to be with my babies for that 1 week. Since 2010 (when I got Ole home), all my Diwalis are spent with Ole and since 2 years with Thimpoo as well. I strongly believe that the babies should not be without their trusted humans on those scary days. This, in no way means I will be stuck to them. Nope! Nada! Nien! I don’t molly coddle them when they are scared, else they’d know it is good to be scared.

What I do is, I stay with them in the same room, but they have their hide outs and spaces to chill wherein I keep their toys (for Thimpoo, Ole does not care for toys), pillows, blankets etc… anything that helps them keep calm. I keep on talking to them in a normal tone and continue with my work.

Each year I request people everywhere (in person & on social media) to say NO to crackers and sincerely hope that someday they will listen!

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