During my growing years, fire threats are a known risk to our Delhi neighborhood. The apartment is the entire third floor of a large, three-tiered building. The ground floor houses a sawmill and a massive timber warehouse, “Abbott Sawing and Lumber.” Mr. Abbott and his son attend their office six days a week. Small clusters ...

I am three and a half at the time of  Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination in Delhi. Blurry images linger. Daddy and his friend, Mr. Diwan Chand, visit the cremation site. I tag along. It’s a few days later but the crowds are jostling each other. Daddy’s friend is carrying flowers and I watch him drape a ...

During World War II, Daddy serves both in the British Navy and the Armed Forces. With hostilities ending he completes his wartime duties. As his area of expertise is pulmonary conditions, he is now the epidemiologist at New Delhi’s TB Center, and a firm believer in preventive medicine. His mentor, Dr. P. V. Benjamin (India’s ...

Many of us were encouraged to have fun and explore our imaginations in our early years. We scribbled, finger-painted, and sculpted Play-Doh. Our imaginative powers were used to construct make-believe worlds only we could see. However, fine arts and music were often considered extracurricular activities during school. But a lifelong pursuit of artistic endeavors is ...

The apartment I was born in was off a dead-end street in Queens, New York. My parents referred to the street as “The Magic Street”. It gained its magic because of the lack of speeding cars coming in and out. The light traffic gave my parents peace of mind when we were outside. I felt ...

Every day is a mix of the good, bad, and the ugly. What if a stranger walks in on an ugly moment? A small snapshot of the day where life is less than stellar. How do you want them to react? I doubt any of you say with harsh judgment, criticism, and a laundry list ...

I turned the key to my front door as the familiar click echoed in the quiet morning. With only the occasional hoot from the nocturnal predator, the atmosphere was eerie. Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpsed movement beside the big sign announcing the neighborhood watch. However, the closest thing to security in ...

In 1990, Halloween’s enchanting spell Cast its magic over our Southern communityLike a sweet-smelling mist that fills the air, and makes your heart beat fast with pure delight. My sister dresses as a black cat, no surprise,While I take on the role of Madonna, The Material Girl, herself My golden hair in waves, lacy black gloves in placeI ...

Shivering Leaves, forced by the power of the wind, form a circle. Threatened, the need for circle time has never been greater; the need to look into each other’s eyes has not been more real. Holding hands, this empowering moment will last through their lifetimes.

Blooming, my dear child flower, as you go into the world, allow me to tell you there will be days you will feel loved by every leaf. Each leaf will come to assist you in your growth, and you will feel as if you’re on top of the world. But there will also be days ...