Smelled a rose

 From morning, I have hugged those flowers so many times & kissed them almost effortlessly!, paused and smelled them. Each time there is a deeper felt gratitude for my friend (Kathy's) efforts to grow them and nurture them. It's reflecting in the way they bloomed...so vibrant and full of life and with the most sweet smell they can spread. 🙏🏼💖

And for some, growing a small tiny plant in itself is a big dream and if it starts to grow and if it flowers...that a dream come true :)

That moment with the morning sun-light radiating thru the window shades, standing in-front of a mirror framed with wood, designed in a shape of a tent standing with its base on the floor carpet, smelling and adoring the beauty of those flowers and when I was immersed in the sweet smell it occured to me - it's been ages that I smelled a rose in it's purest form 🥹. 

Now-a-days markets are full of flowers infused with chemical based fragrances to lure the buyers.

The sweet smell took me back to my childhood; Every-morning, one of neighbourhoods aunty would pluck two pink roses from her garden and give one each to me and my elder sister as we get ready for school. The routine for us was to greet our teachers with those roses....Oh! How I wish, we would have stayed kids with those innocent and tender hearts like that of rose petals and with intent as blissful and sweet as rose fragrance. <3

Well along with this, I had few fun-filled moments all thru the day and want to just recollect them here as a sweet memory:

1. Wonderful E/ABP summit & getting the opportunity to attend Factuality session and the devastating truth about the politics and cruelty of power & People in power.
   
   
2. The courage to voice-out my concerns which also resonated with the wider forum and they all acknowledged it.
   
   
3. Those wonderful 15mins when I got to get the professional photo-shoot done! and exchange of some funny incidents with the photographer and his professionalism.
   
   
4. Chitchat with a Punjabi driver & his kindness and candid sharing about his experience sharing.
   
   
5. Poori & Aloo ki sabzi & Souldful chai...ah!! That was more like finding GOD.
   
   
6. Post dinner, Mint tea & group call with family.
   
   
7. Brief moment of me with myself where I actually felt that I am at peace. Sat by the window to feel the warmth of setting sun and hug that pillow and just dose off...
8. Soulful Autumn playlist & much needed evening power-nap to get the headache off my head :D
9. This time to blog
10. Cozy and comfy bed calling me now :)....Love you ruu.

Kathy, Me & the mint tea

 Today, was a great evening. One I was dearly looking forward to .....(a voice in my head said...really?. It's very rare I hear the word 'looking forward to').

I had a meeting with Kathy (my first friend in the US and met met on a train :))

As I am exhausted, I will keep it (ook ok...try to) keep it short.

Met her or say found her after the hide and seek we played for a few mins to find out where exactly when is😀, around my stay apartments. Also because all four sides of the apartment is marked with sw name so people get confused as to where they are or if they are on the right side of it

We hugged (something I was so looking forward to💖, especially in a foreign land like this) she brought me beautiful flowers from her home garden which she recommended - I put in my bedroom so that those flowers will fill the room with beautiful soft fragrance. She also got a bag full of mint leaves, also from her garden 🏡.

She then did a quick visit to the apartments, we left all our stuff and I gave her the small gift that I brought form India (a colorful Toran, ahead of diwali) and turns out that she is also volunteering for one of the Diwali celebrations in her community and she loved the gift

We then left for the dinner. We walked towards the nearby food street (castr lane) and chatted a lot of stuff , it started with - what brings me back to the city? Within the six months whereas the last time we met and departed, we weren't sure if I will ever travel to the US again

At the food Street, we decided to go for one of the resturant that's top on her preference but I had to go for a vegan one so we decided we order seperately and eat together. Luckily, the resturant staff was supported and allowed us to eat something from the other restaurant as well. 

While in the next restaurant ordering my food, I saw a bunch of folks from my team also sitting at a table and had a quick chat with them while my food was getting packed. And I wished them great time together and left with my food.

Over the food we spoke a lot of stuff! from her design projects, she is working on to the upcoming elections, the challenges with new generation of working people or bots etc 

After about an hour, we decided while walk back home prepare the mint tea and continue our conversation.

Below pictures are a wrap-up from another long conversation over freshly brewed mint tea (check out those flowers 🍁💖). 

Via this post, I just wanted to reflect back on a blissful evening of conversation, a chance to host someone at my temp accommodation and these flowers just turned it all into a 'home'.

I loved it. Thank you '2G'