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I have begun writing on spiritualism—not as a scholar, but as a seeker. My first book in Hindi is currently being edited, a labor of love that distills years of inner searching into words that, I hope, echo in other hearts. I also write short stories, and create short films—each a small attempt to reveal the divine that flickers in everyday moments. The pen and the lens are no longer tools of ambition; they are now instruments of truth.

One of the most profound shifts has been this: I’ve unlearned the illusion that value comes from velocity. I’ve relearned the ancient grace of presence. That silence has a sound. That stillness moves deeper than action.

Emotionally, I’m still peeling away layers—old patterns, quiet regrets. Physically, I honour the slower rhythm, not as a decline but as a dance of mindfulness. Spiritually, I no longer chase answers—I hold questions like sacred fire, letting their warmth transform me.

I’ve found community in places where age is not a boundary but a bond. One such sanctuary is Athashri, where experience is not archived—it is shared. “Woh jagah jahan zindagi bitaate nahin… baantate hain.” That, to me, is the essence of living now—not enduring time, but enriching it together.

In this evolving life, one truth has crystallized within me:

“Wisdom is not what we gather over time, but what we let go of to finally see clearly. The soul grows not by knowing more, but by needing less.” — Manav Kaushik

I am still growing. Into simplicity. Into silence. Into self. Because even now, the journey inward is the most expansive one I’ve known.

Some people say that you should get into spirituality and start visiting religious places after retirement. But due to my best friends Sudheer Mahabal and Vinayak Mauskar, I started my Pandharpur Wari (walk from Alandi to Pandharpur alongwith Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj palkhi for 235 kms in 18 days) at the age of 44. I strongly feel that you should not wait till retirement. It is a different world altogether.

I had learnt to play tabla during my school days. I would like to start learning and playing again. I have purchased one and waiting for a muhurat to start. (hahahaha) Laziness has taken over me. But I will definitely start this year for sure.

I love to travel and have visited many places in India and abroad.

I also love to drive and hence have started travelling by car more often. (Which I could not do much during working in the Bank)

That’s all for now. Looking forward to meet you soon.

I a postgraduate in chemistry was a Scientist in Govt organization. With both Arun and Deepti decided their future course, it was contemplation time for me. After debating on Pros and Cons, I finally decided to take Volantary Retirement to join Arun in Bangalore. It was not very easy decision for me. I made a firm commitment to myself having devoted to Science for 27 years , it was time to do social work so that in my small way I could do something for the society and side by side pursue my hobbies like traveling writing and painting. I joined NGO named ASHARAYA in Bangalore. Ashraya is shelter for Orphan Children and a Adoption Agency .At any given time there were 40 to 50 kids age varying from few months to 10 years. I was associated with Ashraya for 12 years of which first 3 years as Volunteer and then Inducted as Ashraya Board Member.

First 3 months at Ashraya was emotionally tough. It is here that I learnt my life’s lessons. The kids were full of josh and were looking for unconditional love. The moment they see me in the Dormitory they would come running and pull me and make me sit down. Than there would be race to sit in my lap and get petted, each pulling the other down to get a headway.

Every Wednesday they would get one Dalwada each which kids loved and look forward to. When I used to be there they would scramble to share the Wada with me which was their prized delicacy. This unconditional love would make me cry.

I would like to narrate interesting incident here .All the kids sooner or later get adopted and live in Happy Homes. The day they would leave with their new parents they would resist and will cry and cling to me and the caretakers. They would refuse to go with new parents . Somehow we would manage to send them with heavy heart. After a week they would come to Ashraya with their adopted Parents ( which is mandatory) .The scenario than would be totally different in terms of behavior looks and body language .With new clothes smart haircut and above all with parental love they adorn different personality. The most endearing part was they would refuse to recognize us .No amount of cajoling will change their behavior. Perhaps they were apprehensive of our intentions to bring them back to Ashraya!!!

First time this event occurred I was totally upset. My seniors counselled me not to get emotional as you will get used to these partings.

When I reflected at that time I had made a right decision to join Ashraya as I got Love and Affection multifold time than what I gave.o give love but intern I gave.

My life began at sixty, after retirement, with the wisdom of years and experience. We moved to Athashri as a couple, and till then most of the important decisions were made by him. But at Athashri, my husband, in his wisdom, decided to let me have a free hand in all the projects of settling down in new surroundings. I made mistakes, nay blunders, but I learnt quickly how not to be impetuous, how to be wary, how to recognize genuineness from falsehood. At eighty plus I learnt to recognize my own strengths and how to use them to advantage. The ability to drive a car with confidence has been one of them.

Writing has always been a hobby, tucked away in the corner of my ‘to-do’ list, where it was awaiting the impetuous to grow. And with the possibility of getting published my journey into writing will begin earnestly.

Friendships are woven in childhood and early youth, and most women are adept at maintaining those. I am no exception. But forming new friendships is not easy. Even now I yearn for old friends, with shared memories and experiences, as distances keep us apart. But, after almost seventy-five years of dear old friendships, now having been thrown together with groups of strangers at Athashri, I have learnt to adjust, as I have learnt to pick and choose: ‘my type’ or ‘not my type’, and ‘may be my type’ etc. Finally, I have settled in with a few friends with common interests, and continue to build on that.

I am a word person, if there is any such, and I do spend a lot of time with word games like Crosswords and Scrabble, which not only provide interest but social inter-action as well.

With advancing age, comes the possibility of losing one’s memory. As they say, ‘Use it, or Lose it!’. One of the ways of enhancing one’s memory in an interesting way is Contract Bridge. Contract Bridge has found many aficionados at Athashri Baner, where I live, and has brought together several people, of all ages, both men and women, from various fields, who now look forward avidly, as I do, to each evening at the bridge tables.

Finally, with growing maturity, we, now Senior Citizens, realize that we had given a lot of importance to youth, and its attractiveness, but now, when, well past it, surely we feel that we have not done so badly, after all, have we?

After spending more than three decades, in Afcons, I was superannuated as President, while my age was sixty. I had the privilege to work with Cyrus Mistry, who then became the chairman of Tata Sons. Cyrus was a young person then in around forty years, insightful, perceptive, knowledgeble and judicious. I learnt a lot from him. Though I was a lot older than him, age disparity was never a hurdle for me to get knowledge on a specific subject.

My journey in Afcons was eventful and gave me immense satisfaction, as I was associated in delivering signature projects in India. some of which were ports of Mumbai, Kandla, Mangalore, Jafrabad, Railway bridges across vashi creek, and number of major ones for konkan Railway corporation like Zuari, Mandovi, Sharavati etc. I had utmost satisfaction for tunnels delivery in Himalayan terrain in Kashmir and recently inaugurated Chinab Railway bridge in Kashmir during its initial phase. As such thirty-five years journey was full with a joy feeling that I could do a little bit for our nation in my own little way.

In today’s envoirenment sixty years is not a age to go into oblivion. So a question rose in my mind, what next?

It so happened that time, that even though I was plus sixty, I got two offers. One was from a company in US and the other was from Australian Construction Conglomerate Leighton to join them as strategic head for their India operations. After weighing pros and cons I opted for Australuan option at the age of Sixty two.

So be it as within few weeks, we could succeed in award of to deliver a mobile phone massive facility by Nokia Corporation. While joining, I had in my mind to go for couple of years and then settle in US where our only son resides. But we went on a fleet of awards in almost every space of Infra segment with emphasis in oil and gas sector. Production of oil and gas technology absorption was like a learning curve for me to deliver projects for installation of offshore platforms, installation of submarine pipelines for oil and gas, in water depth in excess of hundred meters and so on. During this time I had to traval quite often to abroad though my age was advancing rapidly, but it did not come in the to fulfill my judicial duties Though initially I thought of couple of years, my second innings lasted almost eighteen years again with satisfaction though I was well past seventy years.

That is when I thought of calling it a day and spend more time with family, to explore many corners of globe which remained unattended, to impart technology knowledge to others young ones.

In anticipation of my ultimate retirement mode, I had taken possession of a apartment in Athshri Baner where I intent to spend more time though I have a apartment in Mumbai also.

During all these years I am delighted to have a happy feeling that I could execute innovations, but the growing age did not come in the way.

I wish to end with a quote, “Retirement is not the end of the road, but beginning of a open highway”

Our decision to shift to Athashri Baner – The Senior Citizens Living complex in Pune, was a turning point in our lives. It was an extremely difficult decision to take as we had spent all of our lives in Mumbai, at Shivaji Park & Prabhadevi. Of course in hindsight, we realised that we had made the best and most accurate decision.

We have learnt to live with people a little older then us, as I was around 60 years and my husband, an Architect & Sculptor was 65. He is an architect and sculptor by profession. I successfully managed my very own travel consultancy firm in Mumbai and being part of the service industry with 30 years of experience, I did not find it difficult at all to organise and take groups of our Athashrians to China, Alaska, Singapore and Srilanka.

I think our learning process of Positivity enhanced in Athashri. Always lending our Athashrians a helping hand with their walkers, opening the doors of the lift and arranging their Hoorda parties on the farms in Hadapsar! Also arranging Movies, Dramas and picnics gave me immense pleasure. Soon participation increased to numbers beyond 50 to 60 and I gained the trust and admiration of everyone. Managing an entire group of senior citizens and ensuring their safety and comfort was quite a task!

Athashri gave us the confidence and courage to perform Dramas, Dances, Fashion Shows and singing events like Anandghan & Ganarang. No matter what the age, we Senior Citizens always looked forward to these events. For some of us, our childhood hobbies were at last fulfilled. We also began enjoying our card sessions, for which we never had the time during our busy schedule in Mumbai. The highlight of my time at Athashri so far has been my organising of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi inauguration that we celebrated on 22 January 2024 with an amazing and truly fantastic classical music program held at Athashri “B”. The singers were all our very own talented Athashrians.

At Athashri, no one looks for sympathy, it is always empathy and instilling confidence in one another. I must admit that two couples from our Athashri who gave me a lot of confidence and inspired me greatly, became my star couples. They were Late Mrs. Usha Bail and the Late Brigadier Gopalkrishna Bail (B 319) and Late Mr. Vidyadhar Gokhale and his wife Mrs. Aruna Gokhale (B 616). Mrs Gokhale continues to inspire me even today. I am indeed indebted to them for making our life happy and content.

I will end with the one incident that happened to me in 2012 which I have to pen down. It was during our first Ganarang program, where we performed first time. After our performance I came out for a breath of fresh air, when one gentleman approached me and praised our performance.

HE: You performed very well and I liked your item too.
ME: Thank you Sir, I am Asha More and I live at Athashri Baner. It’s a beautiful place and we are extremely happy to be staying there. It is more of a RESORT with all the nice facilities that we enjoy.
HE: Really? In fact it is you people who have made it a nice place.
ME: Sir May I know your good name please?
HE: I am Shashank Paranjape.

I froze completely and didn’t have any words left but I was happy that my message was delivered to the right person!

In short I would like to say that my stay so far at our beloved Athashri, has given me the wisdom to age gracefully and the courage to go ahead and do whatever it is that makes me happy!

The notion that youth is the happiest phase of life is a fallacy. Pablo Picasso aptly puts it “ The happiest person is one who is alive to the experience of each moment.” As we live life to the fullest, we grow riper and wiser at 50, life may be vibrant, but at 80, we become more serene, easier to live with, and more appreciative of relationship.

Aged love, much like aged wine, becomes more satisfying valuable, and intoxicating. Life’s journey doesn’t have to slow down with age. We can embrace new ideas, begin new chapters and unfold vibrant experience through learning and discovery, leading to personal growth.

Growing old, growing wise does not stop at that point, but still keeping growing. For keeping fit think of numerous ways. I started practicing with my left hand and even became ambidextrous with constant practice. I found happiness in juggling which I enjoyed most.

Health issues that come with aging were mitigated by engaging in creative pursuits like exploring new hobbies, revisiting passions, or learning new skills. My own journey illustrates this. At 80 I published story books for children, revived my hobby of painting and wrote Haiku poems. My exhibition, “Romance with Pen and Brush” featuring Haiku and miniature paintings received tremendous appreciation.

Staying engaged through clubs, group activities and sharing wisdom with others brought joy and fulfilment. Practicing mindfulness, gratitude, and self compassion brought emotional contentment and peace. Regular exercise, Yoga and meditation enhanced physical and spiritual well-being.

As Maggie Kuhn aptly puts it, “Old age is an excellent time for outrage. The goal is to say or do at least one outrageous thing every week.” This spirit of adventure and curiosity can help us to live life to the fullest, regardless of age.

To conclude from birth to death life is a long process of learning. Any one who keeps the ability to learn, never grows old.

The word “Amma” to me is synonymous to a blanket of protection, a lifeline rope when you are hanging by the thread a best friend you can always count on, the greatest teacher ever (my very own personal math coach from Kindergarten to high school)!

My Amma to me has always been a strong lady, a fiercely independent woman. A woman who lived within her means and a woman who had strong Ethics and willpower. Many a times life has thrown us around crushed our souls to hopelessness and everything seemed so bleak but my amma never faltered. She would neither look back nor brood.

Her strength of will in the midst of lifes greatest challenges is the inspiration that kept me going. Her calm persona further reassured me that everything will fall in place but we need to move forward like we always do. If she were to break down then I would have been fractured long time ago but her confidence and faith in God and her “Never Give up” attitude was like a vitamin that nourished me. In our roller coaster journey ,we have had some great wonderful moments too, I only wish there were more highs than lows.

Today my mother lives in manasum senior living and the roller coaster has finally landed in a lovely garden and along with my mother I see many unique and exceptional women here. Every gaze, every smile from every women I see speaks volumes !

All I want to say is Be proud of all your achievements, celebrate every occassion, stay strong, be happy always and enjoy every moment as the next generation is obeserving you every step of the way and we look up to all of you as our idol.

To my Amma, I would say, If I can be half as resilient as you are then I would feel blessed and perhaps someday my children will feel the same way about me …..

Geetha Raghavan just moved to Manasum building 19 this year and I wanted to send a memory on my mom from my eyes!

If it’s not too late, attaching it to this mail ….

Always a pillar of strength to us they continue to be the guiding lighthouse to their grandchildren. Inculcating precious values in them. They believed that if you put the right software in (into the little grandchildren’s minds), you will get the right programme.

Speaking of computers, at the age of 67 years and after major spine surgery my mother learned to use the computer and use the paint shop programme to create some beautiful paintings. One of which has beautifully become the cover page of her poetry book which she published at the tender age of 85 years. And another one is on its way to becoming the cover page of her next book to published soon at the age of 87 years – a collection of short stories of her life that take you through major milestones in the history of Indian from 1938.

My mother who turns 87 years on the 4th of July is a force to reckon with her witty jokes and stories, she keeps us engrossed and in splits of laughter. There is always a clever idea up her sleeve to solve a practical problem. The garden she has created and continues to nurture, shows her love and gentleness. Every morning she is out in her garden tending to her plants, watching over them like her children.

The papaya, Shevga, gulmohar tree, roses, shevanti, aboli, cucumber, potatoes and more all play and grow cheerfully in the balcony of her Athashri apartment. Her enthusiasm doesn’t stop there, when she is in UK you will find her digging away and planting in the greenhouse and growing vegetable and fruits to fill the kitchen.

As the medical college sport Champion for 3 years in a row, her sportsman spirit and determination pulled her through 2 major fractures and she remains a champion in life as she now races around with her walking frame- her ‘Ferrari’ ever ready for a trip and ever ready to get to the top of the hill.

Like her flowers that bloom, like her paintings that fill life with colour and her stories that capture beautiful moments, my beautiful mother continues to blossom and surprise us with her many talents, strength, wisdom, determination and eternal enthusiasm.

Here is one of her poems here touches the heart.

Acquisition of knowledge is inherent in human being and is inborn. It is very difficult to reason out why this ability varies from person to person. The skill for acquisition of knowledge gets developed progressively during youthful age. The knowledge acquired is termed as experience. Again, this experience varies in degree from person to person and becomes one’s invaluable asset. This process continues throughout the life uninterrupted and keeps one busy and studious.

The skill of developing and dispersion of knowledge as experience, may get slowed down as one gets aged but it can neither be stopped nor eliminated. Along with physical and mental capabilities, one develops spiritual ability which may become more predominant as one grows older. However, the habit of keeping oneself engaged and being studious continues.

When one gets retired from active service, one gets into depression at the feeling that his useful life is over and is a dependent- a kind of parasite. There is a feeling of let-down by his peers and superiors. As this feeling gets deep rooted in mind, there is all around degradation in physical activities and mental alertness. One feels that he is encircled and enveloped by a kind of sluggishness and soon loses interest in everything which he cherished earlier. A few overcome this seemingly permanent detachment from both physical and mental activities and start the second inning of life which may be more productive. They listen to the inner call to go back to the study table and be studious to complete the unfinished tasks of yesteryears. A few may engage themselves in activities which they cherished during their pre-retirement age and helplessly postponed for lack of opportunity or desire for self-actualization.

The aspiration for Spiritual experience which is self-suppressed during pre-retirement age, suddenly finds ample opportunity to develop and flourish as one sets his foot in the spiritual journey. Spirituality has a feeling of oneness with the Nature and a profound sense of universal affection which may lead to a deeper understanding of oneself and the world around.

Post retirement hobbies may include reading, writing, teaching, musicology, gardening, story telling, sharing experiences in literary or study circles etc. These are less expensive hobbies which keep one away from sedentary life-style. In addition, there is enough time for continuing studies which one has regretfully kept in abeyance in his service age due to various reasons. Let us give an opportunity to our inherent trait to acquire knowledge and do whatever we want to do to seek self-actualization. Along with the hobbies there should also be an honest attempt to bring in an awe-inspiring atmosphere at home, which is very much required in the evening of elders’ life.

Spiritual experience can be fostered through various activities like meditation, spending time with Nature, prayer and engaging in acts of kindness and service.

Human history is full of evidences to prove human agility even at the declining age. Great personalities like Swami Chinmayananda, Sri Shivakumara Swamiji, Sir M. Visvesvaraya, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Mother Teresa, to name a few, who have demonstrated to the world that age is no bar to be studious in one’s cherished activity. What is really required is a disciplined life style and a studious and dedicated approach which supports physical activities, mental alertness and spiritual experiences.

Mr Bhaskar (meaning my Papa) was enjoying newspaper with morning sun in the balcony. Muffin, our one-year-old cute pet doggy was also relaxing there with occasional glance at the colourful ad-pages. There was not much movement from either of them.

Second announcement came from Ms Reena (my Mamma – quite an obvious conjecture): ‘Sunday special Luchi and Dum Alooo will get cold….’ [for those, not so conversant in Bengali delicacies, Luchi is somewhat equivalent to Puri].

‘Oh – is it, you never told me?’, both Papa and Muffin threw the newspaper and jumped inside dining zone
Midway through our Sunday special brunch, Muffin started making noise.
‘What happened Muffin?’, I asked.
‘You want Luchi?’, Mamma asked, and gave him half a piece.
Muffin consumed that piece and increased his noise level, looking towards the balcony.
‘There must be pigeons in the balcony’, Papa remarked after smartly taking the sixth piece, +exceeding his quota.
‘Ok Muffin, let me finish. We’ll go to balcony’, I said and accompanied him.
‘Papa, Mamma, look….’, I almost screamed and so did Muffin.
‘What happened? Monkey – don’t open the balcony door’, Papa shouted with mouthful of last piece of Luchi.
‘No Papa, it’s a parrot. It was sitting at the corner. Now it is gone with all the noise we made’, I expressed my frustration.
‘Kuin kuin….’, Muffin also expressed his grief. He has never seen birds other than nasty pigeons, crows and shalik (the ‘two for joy’ birds – it seems that there is no direct English version for this).

The Sunday proceeded in its own pace (which is faster than other days). I came to my study table (I am a sincere student – Papa says I am intelligent also) and took out the school diary to see if any homework is left. I suddenly heard a sound ‘Ti-ti…Ti-ti’ – someone calling me!

I had a sixth sense (Mamma taught me this term) and walked very quietly towards our balcony. Muffin also followed me quietly (dogs naturally have a little bit of seventh sense also).

Oh yes, the parrot was there again on the railing. It is full of vibrant colours – the body was sprayed with primarily green with patches of red and yellow. It had a curved black beak and sharp eyes.

We (me and Muffin) slowly opened the balcony door and stood there only.
‘Ti-ti….Ti-ti….’, it said.
‘Don’t call her it. It is she’, Muffin told me via telepathy.
‘Oh yes’, I said, ‘she must be hungry’.
I rushed to the kitchen and brought pieces of bread. Mamma also came with me.
‘She is Tia’, Mamma said and put the bread pieces on the floor of the balcony.
Tia started taking few pieces with her toes. She was genuinely hungry.
‘Ti-ti…Ti-ti…’, Tia was trying to say something.
‘She must be thirsty now’, Mamma said. I got some water in a small bowl. And Tia took some water and flew away.
‘Ah – she’s gone. But you have given her a nice name’, I told Mamma.
‘Tia is her natural name’, Mamma said and retreated inside the flat.
‘What are you doing on Sunday’, Raju yelled from the balcony of our neighbouring flat [Entry of a new character in the story]
‘Nothing really. But you know, a beautiful parrot came and had breakfast with us’, I said in excited mode.
‘Ha ha. We had parrots who stayed with us’
‘Stayed with you? Meaning, you had parrots in cages?’, I asked.
‘Yes. Parrots are meant to be in cages. There they learn to speak and sing’, Raju said.
‘Hum’, I said though I could not agree with his philosophy and came back inside.

From Monday the normal hectic schedule started. I was just wondering whether Tia will come again or not. Nothing happened for two days.

Mamma was excited when I returned from school on Wednesday. ‘You know, Tia had come today’

‘Really!’ I exclaimed, ‘then….’

‘I gave her some chana. She was not scared of Muffin as he was wagging his friendly tail (sorry, he was wagging his tail in friendly way). But she was looking for you Tia’, Mamma said.
‘Looking for me – how do you know?’
‘She was looking here and there and walked a few steps towards the door and said Ti-ti..’, Mamma explained.
It must be Mamma’s imagination, I thought. But I was wrong.
She came next day around 1pm and then at 3pm on Friday, just after I was back from school. And a glow of happiness was all around her face (and beak) after she saw me. ‘Ti-ti….Ti-ti…..’, she chirped several times looking at me (almost smiling).
So, we four had fun-time everyday (me, Muffin, Tia and Mamma). Papa joined us on Saturday.
Seeing us having fun time, Raju also jumped in.
‘Will Tia come to our balcony too?’, Raju asked.
‘We can try. If Titi and Muffin go to your balcony, she may join you there’, Mamma said.

The venue changed on Sunday. Tia landed in our balcony first. We waved and called ‘Tia, Tia’ from Raju’s balcony. Tia noticed us and came to Raju’s balcony.
‘Titi…titi…’, she chirped my name perfectly for the first time. We all clapped. Raju’s mother gave her few green chillis.
‘These are hot auntie’, I said.
‘This is their favourite food’, auntie replied. And, to my surprise, we saw Tia enjoying those hot chillis.
We enjoyed her company and chirping and she flew off. While flying over our balcony, she clearly uttered ‘Mama…mama…’ looking at Mamma. We clapped again.

After 2-3 days of Tia-tainment in Raju’s balcony, we came back to our place. Now, a funnier thing started happening. Tia used to come to our balcony first, talk and play with us and then also visit Raju’s balcony to play with them. When I talked about this to my friends in my school, many of them wanted to come to our place on coming Sunday. Mamma spontaneously agreed for a small cake party for the same.

We all were getting excited for the upcoming Sunday event. Mamma purchased dry fruits, resins and other special ingredients for the cake.
But there was a twist in the tale. Came Thursday, and there was no sign of Tia.
Came Friday, where is Tia?

We all were worried and sad. I told my friends that the program is uncertain. ‘You are most welcome to come over and have a cake party. But we don’t know where is Tia’
‘Where is Raju? He is also not there in the balcony for last two days’, I asked Mamma.
‘I also haven’t seen him lately’, Mamma replied.
In the evening, I chanced upon Raju in the stairs. ‘You are not seen in the balcony.
Any idea what happened to Tia?’, I asked.
‘I am busy getting accessories for the bird cage’, he said.
‘Bird cage – you purchased birds?’
‘No, for Tia. Come over and see’, he said in a very normal tone. I followed him into their flat. In the corner of the drawing room a cage was hanging and inside…. oh my God….it was Tia.
‘Why is Tia inside the cage?’, I could not suppress my anguish.
‘I put a trap two days ago when she came to our balcony.’, Raju said.
‘It is a betrayal of trust to the innocent bird. Please release her’, I said and ran back weeping to Mamma.
‘She is safe here and she will get food and care’, Raju was justifying.
Mamma and Muffin were shocked at the incident. In the next morning, which was a holiday, we three knocked at Raju’s door. Raju’s mother opened the door and greeted us. After all, we are next door neighbour. She showed us Tia inside the cage. We came near her but she did not utter a word. She was looking towards the floor and was visibly very disturbed.
‘Can I see your latest school assignment’, I requested Raju. He took me inside to his study table.
‘I will make some tea for you’, Raju’s mother said and went towards kitchen.
Mamma walked towards the cage, held it in her hand, went to the balcony, opened its door. Tia hesitated for a moment, squeezed through the gate, said, ‘Tu..tu’ and flew off. Maybe she wanted to say “thank you’. We all came back to the spot hearing the little noise.

Naturally our next-door neighbour is not in talking terms with us now.
Few days later, Tia came to our balcony for a short while. She did not take any food.
She just chirped. ‘Tank u..’ and vanished into the blue.
I know, no one will believe, I saw a tiny droplet of tear in the corner of her eye.

I am at present the member of ANOWS Security committee. One such act of kindness which I did in the year 2024 was to resolve the conflict between two gentlemen living in Ashiana Nirmay. One gentleman is Mr. Motwani age 85 living in the flat-536 along with his wife. Just below his flat-436, other gentle man Mr. Subhash Mehra age 72, living alone.

Mr. Mehra alleged that he had lost his peace of mind as he was constantly hearing loud voices from upper floor related to dragging of Furniture, loud sound of TV and mobile etc. However, Mr. Motwani was not agreeing to it. Several meetings were held to solve the issue, but with no result. Finally, Mr. Mehra stopped attending the meetings and lodged a FIR against Mr. Motwani. Police also came to Nirmay’

Soon after that, I invited both of them over a cup of tea Both of them were respecting me and attending my talk sessions regularly. In the last four years I have delivered nearly 45 talk sessions which are spiritual in nature. This year I have delivered ten talk sessions and most of them are related to kindness. Some of them are “How can we attract abundance from the universe through the act of Kindness”, “The path of seeking happiness through kindness”, “The life changing teachings from Gita”. All my talks are available in you Tube by searching for Suresh khungar.

My meeting with both parties were very useful. I suggested few measures to reduce the sound coming from the upper flat and requested Mr. Mehra to ignore such voices.

I informed both the parties that in the community living most important is to keep harmonious relations. For strengthening the relationships, we should focus on the positive qualities of others. We should be like bees taking only the nectar from the flowers and leaving the rest. I said to both of them that they are having lot of qualities and are kind hearted. They were very impressed by my efforts.

A meeting was later on arranged with higher authorities. Mr. Mehra agreed to withdraw the FIR. Both of them promised that they would keep good relations.

A remarkable change was observed in their behavior later on. Both were seen taking tea together in the restaurant. A few days back, Mr. Mehra met me and thanked me, as he had become member of Mr. Motwani’s Parivar and Mrs. Motwani is frequently entertaining him with some home-made dishes.

Carry out random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward., safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.

For over 40 years, I have dedicated myself to helping the less fortunate, especially cancer patients, often focusing on providing free medicines, transportation, and even basic needs like rations. Because, as I have always believed, no one can fight a battle like this on an empty stomach. Each interaction with these patients, from the youngest to the oldest, has taught me the profound value of compassion. Among the countless people I’ve been privileged to serve, one story has remained etched in my heart—that of Monu, a young boy with a smile that defied his pain and a spirit that refused to surrender.

Monu came into my life many years ago during my work at AIIMS Cancer Hospital and IRCH, where I spent eight years supporting patients without ever taking a salary. For me, the reward was in their smiles, their moments of laughter amid pain, and the solace I could offer them. Monu, then a 12-year-old boy and the son of a vegetable vendor, had an aggressive form of cancer. His journey began when a seemingly minor injury on his leg turned into relentless pain that wouldn’t go away. Eventually, Monu had to rely on crutches, and his diagnosis turned his young life upside down.

Despite the grim circumstances, Monu was a fighter. Even as he endured long and painful treatments, he never lost the smile that brightened up the cancer ward. I remember how his face used to light up whenever he saw me. His positivity, resilience, and determination were remarkable. The support provided by the community helped cover his expensive treatments, but it was Monu’s willpower that made him extraordinary.

Fast forward to 2024—years after Monu’s fight against cancer and his eventual triumph in qualifying as an engineer, he invited me to his wedding. Walking into the venue and seeing Monu, now a confident and successful young man, was a deeply emotional and humbling moment for me. This boy, who once fought for every step on crutches, now stood tall, surrounded by friends and family, starting a new chapter of his life.

As I sat there, my mind raced back to those difficult days when Monu’s treatment seemed unending. I recalled how he endured multiple surgeries and setbacks yet refused to give up. His journey was a reminder of the incredible strength of the human spirit when supported by hope, love, and community. To know that I had played even a small role in his journey filled me with immense gratitude.

This year, attending Monu’s wedding wasn’t just a celebration of his life; it was a reaffirmation of everything I believe in. It reminded me why I’ve devoted my life to serving those in need. The sight of Monu, now healthy and thriving, brought tears to my eyes and renewed my faith in the power of kindness and unity.

The experience also made me reflect on my own journey. Over the years, my work has been supported by countless volunteers and my loving family—my husband and children—who have stood by me every step of the way. I am deeply grateful to them for understanding and encouraging my passion for helping others. Without their support, I wouldn’t have been able to devote myself fully to this cause.

This year, the volunteers and I have continued to help out the patients, ensuring they have the strength to fight their battles. Many of these patients come from underserved communities, and their gratitude often overwhelms me. Their resilience, even in the darkest of times, inspires me to keep going.

One of the most poignant lessons I’ve learned in this journey is that compassion is a two-way street. While I strive to bring comfort and support to these patients, they have taught me just as much, if not more. They’ve shown me how to find joy in the simplest moments, how to persevere against all odds, and how to be truly grateful for life’s blessings.

Monu’s story is just one of many, but it holds a special place in my heart because it came full circle this year. It reminded me of the impact we can have on others, even when we don’t realize it. Sometimes, it’s the smallest gestures—a kind word, a moment of laughter, or simply being present—that make the biggest difference.

As I stood at Monu’s wedding, surrounded by the warmth of his family and friends, I felt a deep sense of fulfilment. This young man, who once faced unimaginable challenges, was now embarking on a new journey full of hope and promise. And I was grateful to have witnessed his transformation, to have been a small part of his story.

Looking back on 2024, this experience stands out as a beacon of hope and gratitude. It reminded me that while the road can be long and challenging, the rewards of service are immeasurable. The smiles of the children, the gratitude of the families, and the moments of joy in the midst of struggle are what keep me going.

I join my hands in gratitude to God for giving me the strength and opportunity to help those in need. I am thankful for every person who has supported me in this journey—the patients who have trusted me, the volunteers who have worked tirelessly alongside me, and my family who have stood by me unconditionally.

As the year draws to a close, I carry Monu’s story in my heart as a reminder of the power of love, resilience, and unity. It inspires me to continue this work, to bring comfort and hope to those who need it most, and to always be grateful for the chance to make a difference. May we all find purpose in helping others and gratitude in the connections we build along the way.