Back again - the kid story

Ok it's been a while since I have written a blog. A colleague and friend who has been consistent with his writing has made me rethink posting blogs so here it goes. Everyone who knows me knows how much I love children - any age, shape or size - I adore little kids. Maybe its because I am still a kid at heart - dunno.

Over the weekend I was so excited - my husband's two and a half month old nephew was staying with us (with his mom as well!) and he is the cutest little darling. When he left to go to his aunts place on Saturday night it just broke our heart and we couldn't wait to see him again which was one day apart.

Looking at him made me realize how much the other kids have grown, I have a huge lot of kids all friends children who I have built a close relationship with. A bunch of them are now in their early adulthood - working, at college or just going off to colleage. The others are growing taller than me, entering their teens and with characteristics that make me so proud. I was so overwhelmed with emotion the other day when my friends 10 year old made dessert - her first independent attempt at cooking. It was so ironic because now that I am married I have graduated from just desserts to cooking an entire five course meal. Life changes and although I feel I am where I was ten years back - things have changed. Not for the better or for worse. I was happy then and I am happy now. It's just different.

It also got me thinking about how children have aged in our century. I remember being a kid when life was so simple - no computers (stop right there, I am not OLD yet!) , mobiles or iPods... These days kids have it all - constant access to television and all that it bring with it, computer screens, playstations that are an addiction and mobiles that they can operate at the age of two.

I am not kidding! My husbands other newphew is barely a year and a half old, he graduated from operating the TV remote to his father's iPhone. He is so adept at it he can unlock it and knows how to scroll through by himself!

They grow smarter much quicker in life than we did but that brings me to think how good or bad is it? Shouldn't kids be kids and grow up in their own time? Whats the point of growing up early? Has the pace of life quickened so much that we encourage our children to grow up sooner than later? I just keep thinking and wondering - while all my little ones grow up faster than I can say Happy Birthday....

First day of the New Year will not be the 1st...

While reading this morning papers I was surprised to read the National Assembly discussion over how the New Year day holiday was not pushed to follow the weekend. I had to re-read the sentence again to understand it. Apparently there was a request made to the Civil Service Commission to grant the new years holiday on January 3! New Years day is the first official day of the year and that is January 1st regardless of what day of the week it falls on.

How can a group of people decide to change that? With all due respect to the law makers the only reason why we celebrate a certain festival or a certain occassion on a particular date is because of its significance on that day. You cannot undermine the importance of that day just to have an extra long weekend.

I don't think any other country in the world thinks along such lines.

Is committment for real?

I am an Indian girl raised in Kuwait with a mixed influence of the conservative as well as liberal way of life. Overall, I am a moderate when it comes to cultural values. Most of my friends are married some just newly weds, some who have been together for years before getting married and some who have a couple of kids behind them and yes I am still single!

While having dinner with one such group of friends a while back, a single male friend questioned all the married guys - "You are married, are you happy?" The answers varied from "I will tell you when my wife's not around" to "yeah I am happy when she is not around" Simply put these men felt being married has robbed them of their freedom and space. How does this compare to all those men who say their quality of life has improved since they got married and are actually happy.

Isn't that a tough one. But what's even more amazing is the way moral committments have slipped in the last decade or so. Now married men and women fine it 'OK' to have romantic liasions out of marriage. Having a boyfriend or girlfriend is common with husbands or wifes fully aware of these outside flings and having no objections since they are free to do so as well.

Hence the question - Is committment for real? For me marriage as I see it is true love, committment and happily ever after and for me it remains unchanged over the years. Years that have seen divorce as a normal seperation as a method of avoiding divorce and yet enjoying the freedom of being single and unattached. Today true love is anyone but your spouse, committment is not forever and the happily ever after is better left undiscussed!

While people who are single seek desperately to find true love, the married are doing an about turn or amusing themselves on the side with casual fun relationships. Is this for real? Yes it is I have seen numerous examples!

Why then should one get married, why then should one commit to the idea of a never ending relationship? Beats me! But one thing is for sure, I believe and respect the institution of marriage. And I am hoping and praying whenever I do enroll its for ever and ever and ever....