Hello from Singapore! I am finally back from my three week holiday in India. It has been a hectic three weeks, but it was so worth it. I got to not only meet my parents after 2 years but also helped them close their home in Mumbai and shift to a senior retirement community in Bengaluru. I know it would have been very hard for them to do it themselves and I am happy that I could help them out.

Here in Bengaluru, I also got to meet relatives and cousins, some of whom I had not met in years, so that was another plus. But now I am back home and will go back to my usual routine of meditation and walking which I had missed while in India.

Ever since I landed in India, Omicron cases have been increasing in Singapore. We’ve been getting more than 10,000 cases daily. India’s cases on the other hand seem to be dropping after a peak in the third week of January.

Today’s quote is something that the American author, coach, speaker, and philanthropist Tony Robbins has said. Robbins who is is known for his infomercials, seminars, and self-help books reminds us that our past does not equal our future. Simple, to the point and something we all tend to forget most of the time. So forget what you did yesterday, focus on today and tomorrow.

And with that, bye from me for this week!

Hello once again from Mumbai. Here’s a gorgeous sunrise from our building terrace. I have been so busy the past week, I don’t have much time to walk. So I have been trying to walk at least 40-50 minutes each morning since I usually do wake up pretty early. There’s a lovely nip in the air and in the week I have been the temperature have been hovering between 15-20 degrees Celcius which, for those who know Mumbai is very unusual, especially for this time of the year. Mumbai usually gets a cold spell sometime in December, usually between Christmas and the New Year, but this cold spell has been chilly and most days I wear a light cardigan and a shawl to cover my ears when I am walking. But the air quality in Mumbai is really bad, the result of a dust storm in the middle east and India’s western border areas which were pushed to Mumbai via the winds and the Arabian Sea. Hopefully, the air quality gets better soon because some days I can smell the smoke and have problems breathing.

This week, I did get a text message and then a call from the local authorities asking me to first stay home for a week and then asking me if I had any symptoms. From this, I understand that the information we share on the Air Suvidha portal is not fully shared with the local authorities because the person I spoke to didn’t know that I was fully vaccinated.

Today’s quote comes to us courtesy of the English novelist, poet, journalist, translator and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era, George Eliot whose real name was Mary Ann Evans. This quote tells that it’s never too late to come into your true self. Many a time, we don’t do what we want to do because we are concerned we are too old, too young and too busy. But according to Eliot, that’s not true, we can do anything and everything we want to do until we are probably dead.

That’s all from me this week. Stay safe, stay masked and get vaccinated. Till next week, goodbye from Mumbai!

We’re finishing up the second week of the year and Omicron and COVID still have us firmly in their clutches. Cases are increasing all over the world, including Singapore, but now I am becoming slightly indifferent to the case numbers. Where I used to obsessively check the numbers daily, today I pretty much don’t care what the numbers are daily, though I do keep an eye on the numbers from time to time. I guess COVID fatigue has finally got to me. I also know that at some point, I will also be infected and so am just waiting for the inevitable.

In other news, GG & BB got their booster shot finally today. The vaccination centre closest to our home didn’t have slots for them earlier because they were focusing on vaccines for children between the ages of five and 12 and so today was the first day they could get a slot. Now, our entire household is triple vaccinated and there’s a sense of slightly more security.

Today’s quote is from Walt Disney, who does not need any introduction and is about chasing our dreams. What Disney says is that our dreams will come true, only if have the courage to pursue them. So when we actively pursue our dreams, there is a possibility that they will get fulfilled.

Take care everyone and please get fully vaccinated if you still aren’t. And if you are eligible for the booster shot, get it as soon as possible. Because it has been proven that if one is vaccinated, then even if one gets infected, the infection is mild and recovery is fast. So stay masked, stay safe and get vaccinated.

It’s the first weekend of 2022 and the news across the world is not very encouraging. The Omicron variant has been sweeping across the world with almost 3 million new cases reported on a single day on Friday! A new third wave has been infecting across India and this could not come at a worse time for me. I am planning to fly out to India in the next few weeks and things are moving fast. I could technically cancel my trip, but then this would mean my parents will be left to fend for themselves. I can’t in good conscience do that and so I am hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. I am triple vaccinated and will wear multiple masks throughout the trip and stay at home as much as possible.

The next few weeks are going to be full of trepidation as I plan this trip. I am filled with so many mixed emotions, I don’t know know what my real emotions are. On one hand, I am super excited to finally be able to meet my parents after more than 2 years, but given India’s third wave, this trip is also a scary one. Ah well, I am going to leave it all in the hands of the higher power and just hope and pray I manage to successfully come back home to Singapore.

Our family also suffered a loss this week when our beloved grandmother, my maternal grandmother suddenly passed away. She was in the hospital with a fractured shin when she was found to be positive with COVID-19. But the sad part was that she passed away just hours after being operated upon and discharged from the hospital. Unfortunately, most of us could not make it to the funeral, but I am happy she passed away in the arms of two of her daughters. She was almost 92 and one of the most healthy and active persons I have ever seen. If I am even half as healthy as she was by the time I am 60 or 70, I will consider myself very fortunate.

Our quote for today comes to us from Paul Ian Guillermo, which tells us to smile. If we are happy, smile with all our heart and let it spread and when we are sad or down, make sure that we smile, so the sadness can disapparate. As you read this, smile and keep smiling for the rest of the day, wherever you are.

Happy New Year! May this year give wings to your dreams and you watch them come true!

This is the last week of the holidays before school starts on Monday and so GG & BB are trying to get as much as they can with friends. Holidays are over and it’s back to work and school from Monday.

Last week S turned 50 and we had a small intimate celebration at home for him over the weekend. It was just family mainly because of the safe distancing protocals where we can only have five other guests in the house. So we only invited S’ mum, aunt and sister and her family. It’s was a very nice night of talk and laughter and the menu was inspired by Mumbai’s street foods.

I have also booked my tickets for my flight to India and I am so excited. But there is also a tinge of fear about the increasing surge of COVID-19 cases because of the Omicron variant. But I am going to go with a positive mindset and take as many precautions as possible so that I come back unscathed.

Today’s positive quote is from the Indian author, activist and motivational speaker, Shiv Khera, best known for his book, You Can Win. Khera says that positive action combined with positive thoughts lead to success. So that’s a good quote to think about at the beginning of the year and use that as our guiding principle for the year which is what I am going to do.

Take care, stay safe and have a wonderful 2022!