Goa Trip!

I love long drives have been driving for couple of years. For official or with friends picnic it has become so normal driving long drives. Though the trips may not be that far from Chennai to Bengaluru, Madurai Kanyakumari, Pondicherry. Its always short trips and we often used to swap between friends while driving so we don't get tired during our travel. One time me & Solo decided to go to Goa only both of us driving. That time he was in business and I was working at that time may be around 2016. We reached Bengaluru in the night and made a surprise visit to meet Reuben and his family on his wedding anniversary we stayed that night and started early morning from Bengaluru to Goa. The Highway between Bengaluru to Goa was nice and also our journey was in the morning so we were ripping really fast on the highway. While we almost reached Goa when we were going through one forest/mountain kind of place we didn't have any signals to navigate and we found it so difficult. To add fuel to the fire the diesel was literally about to be emptied we were just crossing the fingers hoping to reach the main road where we could locate any petrol bunk. To our surprise when its about to fully drain we found the petrol bunk and we reached in the evening. As we both of us were tired we went out for dinner and we came early to sleep. I think we went during off season so there wasn't much crowd but still the normal party scenes was happening. We both were like wrong people in the wrong place at the wrong time. Both of us don't drink don't party that’s the place don't know why we planned first of all. We wanted to drive so long so we planned for it. Suddenly next day after lunch Solo said lets leave as its boring. Yesterday only we reached after a long drive also we didn't sleep a take rest. Normally I used to sleep min 2 or 3 hours before any drive that day we didn't take any rest. We started and I started to drive from Goa till Tumkur that itself was approx 494kms almost 9 hours drive and then I gave it to Solo to drive. He drove for a while and in a toll he tried to overtake a lorry and to which the driver got angry and he purposefully came and bumped in our car. That time my car was new and used to maintain well without scratches not like how its maintained now. He got upset and said he is not driving and gave it to me. Our plan was to go to Reuben's home in Bengaluru and rest and restart back to Chennai. When we were about to reach Bengaluru we called Reuben and he didn't pick up the phone so we thought lets go non stop to Chennai. I was already exhausted driving all th way from Goa to Tumkur and Bengaluru. After we crossed the Hosur we stopped for Dinner and we thought lets take a nap and we stopped near one of the tolls and slept. We thought we had slept for some half an hour, when my Mom called to check whether u guys reached chennai that’s when we know we slept more than 4 or 5 hours. After that Solo started to drive non stop and he drove so fast as I have to be in office in the afternoon. He drove too fast and we reached on time. This trip I will never forget. As I often used to tell we need to drive so long, but after this travel experience and the hectic drive and the tiredness in the journey. I made a clear decision no matter how urgent it can be without a proper sleep never going for a long drive. This is one another drive which I will remember for a long time, hope solo also remembers it.

Lockdown!!!

As soon as we hear the word lockdown lot of things keep running in our mind and everyone of us have different memories and experiences attached to it. For me it was altogether a different experience. Within 9 to 10 months of starting the business a major halt everything was closed. Not able to move out from home, Not knowing of the unknown. When the whole world was panicking no one has clue of what the future holds. Major businesses shutting down across cities, countries and around the world. Could experience only God's grace and provision. Without having any revenue or any money only God's favor. Landlord was so gracious at that time to me which I really don't deserve it. Without paying rents for couple of times she gave time to pay it later which never happened for many business for this reason itself many business have shutdown. Also sometimes she even leveraged me saying its ok and not to pay. Its only purely God's grace so the owner showed great favor. Almost we had 2 to 3 complete lockdowns over that 2 year period of time. But it was completely different experience for me. Explored three different things which I haven't explored it before. During the first lockdown did direction for one of the music video which came out Ok, it was my first experience but enjoyed that experience. In the second lockdown started writing lyrics thought it may not be so professional or outstanding but again enjoyed the new experience of writing lyrics and have a song composed. During that lockdown wrote lot of songs and it was another new experience of working with some nice singers and giving life to those lyrics with their tune. In the last lockdown my Dad also gone to be with the Lord it was again a very tragic experience. During that time to have change of mind started painting, again this I would have done only during my school days and never done anything after. When I started painting it gave a different kind of peace and happiness. I kept lot of paintings in the café which I painted that day one of my friends friend who came to dine suggested to frame it as its good some people may buy it. With some reluctancy after many months I framed all the paintings. And most of the paintings got sold out and few gave it for lucky draw in café for gift vouchers. It was all together a different experience. Though the lockdown was a serious area of concern over the business but eventually I was able to identify my creative side existed in few areas of my life which I could contribute a little bit and was able to have a different kind of happiness, joy and peace which money and material things can't buy. When I rewind and think of the lockdown only thing I could remember or reflect upon whatever may be the situation we are in it could be the end of the world according the worldly standards. There may be no way out and there is no future hope based on the situations circumstances or financial abilities. But even in that dead end and the life halting situations God can make a way beyond of what we could imagine and lead us in ways where our soul can find the real joy, peace and happiness where nothing of this world, money and material things can give.

Nora

My friend Jean was having a pet Nora it’s a pug. Its been with them for the last couple of years. Jean & Alwin lovely couple they used to take care of her so much. Nora was like a kid in their family. Due to some reasons as they are relocating from their place they were left with no options other than leaving Nora. Jean was so upset for the last couple of weeks knowing that they have to leave Nora while they have to relocating. Forgot to mention for the last couple of months Nora has been so sick but Jean and Alwin was taking care of her like anything. When I went last time I was able to see the drastic changes to Nora, how it was earlier and how is she now. I'm pretty not sure whether I would have taken this kind of care for Tommy if anything has happened like how Jean & Alwin was giving care for Nora. As the travel dates have been finalized we have organized to leave her in the same place where she was taken from and they agreed they will give all the utmost care. Still remember the day before night we were about to leave Nora Jean was crying so much that night, Me and Alwin were short of words to console Jean. After getting all the confirmation from them we left Nora in the place and Jean & Alwin also got relocated to different place. After couple of days Jean just did a random call to check how Nora then they said she wasn't having food for couple days Jean & Alwin heart become so heavy immediately Alwin immediately planned to travel to pick Nora. And they bought her to their relocated place against all odds. Only after seeing Nora I could see there was a little smile on Jeans face after a long time. Though Alwin like me never had pet interactions much from childhood he also got so attached to Nora. These recent times interactions with Jean Alwin related to Nora helped me to see lot of things in different perspective. For the last couple of years have been recently been interacting with people who are very selfish and comes to us only when they need something and treat us like shit and leave when their work is done or we are of no benefit to them. Seeing all of that recently have been isolating myself from lot of people in the recent times. But here there is a different people who go all the way to do anything just for a pet. Where in a world full of people who care only when we are beneficial to them, there are also people who care beyond for something or someone who can be of no beneficial or useful to them still they genuinely love and care.