ZOË'S ZING

The flowers at the front office were about to wither…the dentist-friend-turned-employer asked me to throw them away. I thought they could have lasted another day but, I still tossed those as per her wish and kept the vase back near sink. Oops! I forgot to flush the toilet where I threw the water. Thank goodness! She reminded me to clean the table off the petals.  This incident took me back 2.5 decades— my mother was hospitalized due to a life threatening road traffic accident—a major event in our lives. I still remember it vividly… At that tender impressionable age, my dentist (who later became my father in law) asked me to show courage, be brave! He told me that such situations bring out the the strength out of the weakest of the people. He asked me to relieve my father’s stress and burden by showing up to the challenges and taking up responsibility at home. He asked me to go to the hospital with a smile on my lips and flowers in my hand! …and literally the very next day, I took f...

I remember walking with my grandma in the neighborhood to feed cows and dogs on hot lazy afternoons. The cows lay ruminating in the large shade of a tall berry tree (tutu  तुतू ). The dogs salivating with their tongues out to keep themselves cool.  It was very typical of a midsize peripheral city.  For me, the tall anthills in the grass nearby were a major attraction. Every-time we passed by those, I used to wonder if there were snakes hiding in there. Grandma used to relieve the fear and apprehension. On the way, she told stories of Dattaguru- who is always seen with a cow and dogs, or of Navanaths. She used to tell how the ants build those castles with diligent work and not giving up. She also talked about just how Dattaguru had many teachers and gained knowledge from these natural preceptors; everyone has ability to learn from the resources around them. My grandma was a multitasker and was good with gardening. Her lack of formal education wasn’t a barrier to her keen o...