Drama in real life

My husband and I always start the week with brisk walks in the mornings in the picturesque Promenade (past midweek, the enthusiasm wanes and we totally stop going for a walk by the weekend........you know, the usual valid reasons-rains, hectic working day or got to leave early for office). These are the times we discuss our life and its problems (read argue). I have always had this humble opinion that I am a brisk walker and a more active person than my husband and at any given opportunity, I remind him of that.
On this particular day we were walking and were just about to enter the Promenade when suddenly, I felt a hand on my neck. Before I could react, I heard my better half shouting and realised that there were two guys on the bike who were trying to snatch my mangalsutra...gosh! How can this happen to me? My first reaction was to see whether the chain was intact. And then I had to rub my eyes in disbelief when I saw my usually lethargic husband chasing the thieves who were riding away on their bikes.
But the worst part was two more accomplices of the thieves who had been following on another bike started chasing my husband. All the drama was happening before my eyes and I was standing there like a stupid, dumb spectator. The whole scene had shifted to the highway and I could not actually see what was happening.........but I realised that the guys on the second bike were hitting my husband. I was shocked and suddenly realized that this incident could really turn into a nightmare........but then the thieves too , I think, were too shocked that a middle aged man can chase a bike on foot and still keep up with them. Anyhow they gave up on him and fled the scene. Thankfully, my husband was not injured and I could see the incident in a lighter vein (of course only after a few days and not immediately, silly!). Now-a-days I don't challenge him about his excercising routine or tease him saying that he can't even dream of taking part in the Mumbai Marathon.
Such an incident could have turned for the worse for us......I could have lost a valuable chain or my husband could have been injured badly........but I thank our stars that none of this happened. I have promised myself never to take my life for granted. Just one small incident or one mishap can change the entire colour of life. I think all of us must appreciate each and every day, every moment of life with more spirit and happiness.

Child abuse

Blogging after a long time! The vacation in May and few disturbing happenings made me think about what I should write. And then, the news that a pre-teen dyslexic girl was raped by her tutor has made me really want to put down my thoughts on this topic. It is sad that this girl had undergone the mental and physical torture for over four months without her parents' knowledge. I feel that this is the zenith of ignorance today's parents show towards their children. How can somebody leave such a small girl all alone at home at the mercy of such a monstrous tutor? Why is materialism given so much importance, that parents tend to think that the child needs all comforts, more than their presence? This child, who has grown up all alone and has undergone so much, won't have any respect for her parents. How can a mother ignore the signs of physical abuse in her child for so long? How many parents realize that when they are slogging far away in an office, the child could be physically abused by watchmen, servants, car drivers, courier boys or even the next door neighbour?

As a teenage girl, even after having led a protected life, with a mother around all the time for any help, I felt there was physical abuse which I had to face either while travelling or attending classes. Or while walking back home a bit late in the evenings, or sometimes even with the ward boys when I had late night duty in the hospital where I worked. I used to feel so terrible about being a girl or a woman. But when I read such articles of child abuse by teachers or even fathers, my heart bleeds for such children. People who have the moral responsibility to protect innocent children, themselves turning into monsters is really something to be taken a serious note of! Its time for mothers/women to buck up and do something against this malice. It's the duty of every mother to ensure that they are alert enough to note any change in the child and be good listeners to their children rather than being money making machines.