Today’s tip : Who am I ??

 *Who Am I?*

After retirement,

with no job,

no routine,

and a quiet house echoing with silence…

I finally began to discover my true self.

Who am I?

I built bungalows,

raised farmhouses,

invested in ventures big and small,

yet now,

I find myself bound within four simple walls.

From bicycle to moped,

bike to car,

I chased speed and style —

but now, I walk slowly,

alone, inside my room.

Nature smiled and asked,

“Who are you, dear friend?”

And I replied,

“I am... just me.”

I’ve seen states, countries, continents,

but today,

my journeys stretch

only from the drawing room to the kitchen.

I learned about cultures and traditions,

but now,

I simply long to understand

my own family.

Nature smiled again,

“Who are you, dear friend?”

And I said,

“I am... just me.”

Once I celebrated birthdays, engagements, weddings in grand style —

but today, look forward to having slept well and feel hungry 

Nature asked once more,

“Who are you, dear friend?”

And I answered,

“I am... just me.”

Gold, silver, diamonds, pearls —

sleep quietly in lockers.

Suits and blazers —

hang untouched in wardrobes.

But now,

I live in soft cotton,

simple and free.

I once mastered English, French, Hindi —

but now, I find comfort

in talking in my mother tongue.

I travelled endlessly for work,

and now,

I reflect on those profits and losses —

measured in memories.

I ran businesses,

nurtured a family,

built many connections,

but now,

my dearest companion

is the kind neighbour next door.

I once followed every rule,

strived in education —

but now I finally see

what truly matters.

After all of life’s highs and lows,

in a quiet moment,

my soul whispered back to me.

Enough now…

Get ready,

O Traveller…

It’s time to prepare for the final journey…

Nature smiled gently,

“Who are you, dear friend?”

And I replied:

O Nature,

You are me…

And I am you.

Once I soared in the skies,

Now I touch the earth with grace.

Forgive me…

Give me one more chance to live…

Not as a money-making machine,

But as a true human being —

With values,

With family,

With love.”

 _To all ‘Seniors' out there; wishing you love, strength, and peace._

Dharavahik upanyas Bhoot-Adbhut!(172)

While returning back suddenly Bheema said ,” Why don’t we check in the Haveli ?? “ No no not there immediately Raghav Chaudhary said. Actually his mother Shalini Devi always avoided the questions asked by him about haveli throughout his life. She always described it’s a haunted haveli of his ancestors he should never think about that property even if the single live heir of Chaudhary family. She used to say , “ Your father warned me at the time he was dying on the road accident, dashed by a motorcycle , that Protect my child keep him away from the haveli’s shadow. He said , “ Let my baby live alive,whatever we have is more than enough for livelihood” My mother had promised to my dying father and she kept her promise throughout her life. “ Deepa’s father said , “ It is said that there is no harm going there in day time. And you don’t come but me and Bheema can go there to search Vishakha “Raghav Chaudhary thought it’s a good idea. I don’t need to go there and Prakash and Bheema can search Vishakha there. He became very sad thinking about Vishakha, she is his only loving daughter, he even couldn’t imagine his own life without his daughter. —— Continued ————

Dharavahik upanyas Bhoot-Adbhut!(171)

The taxi reached within forty minutes to the Someshvar fair. The shop keepers were busy collecting the things organising the things and closing the shops. Restaurant owners after cleaning utensils and cleaning the cooking and serving place ready to shut down the shops. When the taxi stopped, Bheema locked it and the three persons , Raghav Chaudhari , Prakash Singh ( Deepa’s papa and Bheema decided to go to different sides different shops to ask about Vishakha. Raghav Chaudhary decided to go to the places where ever they had gone with Vishakha. The shows were over , comedy show was finished and the (last) horror show was also seen by them but still he knocked every door, he asked every person , whether he was the restaurant’s owner or a waiter, show’s owner or a joker, ride’s operator or the owner. Small shop keepers from where Vishakha and Deepa did shopping of artificial jewellery. Other two persons Prakash Singh and Bheema went to those places where Vishakha and family never had been there. Vishakha was not seen by anyone after the fair closing. Most of them remembered her face as she was the most beautiful and attractive girl there. After  four  hours of deep searching all the three persons back to the car very disappointed and sad. It was dawn now and they had to go back home —- Continued ———

Dharavahik upanyas Bhoot-Adbhut!(170)

Deepa’s  Father accompanied Raghav Chaudhary. They went to Bheema’s house. It was silent all over becau for Village people eleven or twelve in the night was a midnight. All people used to sleep at right thirty to nine, because there is no work in the night time, no entertainment, some students might be awake. Deepa’s father knocked hard  with the iron chain hanging there. People in the neighbourhood awoke but Bheema didn’t come out. He was a single man, does hard work of driving and used to have sound sleep. But after fifteen minutes of knoohe woke up and opened the door. He had questions in his eyes , Deepa’s father said ,” We need to go to the Someshvar fair now “ “ Now ?!? He had a long question mark in his voice. “ Yes now” But —— he wanted to deny but Raghav Chaudhary said “ I will pay double fair for that ride” Bheema’s eyes sparkled. He said “ Okay I am just coming . He went in changed dress and locked the house door. He then went to the side land attached to his house , where his taxi was parked. It was not a proper garage but the land owned by him. He started the taxi and brought it back. Raghav Chaudhary was sitting near Bheema and Deepa’s father at the back seat. Bheema drove the taxi towards Someshvar fair. ————-Continued———

Dharavahik upanyas Bhoot-Adbhut!(169)

All the passengers got down one by one but Vishakha was not there. Raghav Chaudhary shouted “ Vishakha Vishakha “ he again stepped up to the bus and started searching on every seat up and down but Vishakha was not there. Bus conductor and driver were also surprised that Raghav Chaudhary’s daughter couldn’t catch the bus. Raghav Chaudhary requested him to drive back towards the fair, but driver and the conductor politely denied, they said “ The bus owner doesn’t allow us for extra ride, he gives the diesel exactly which needs for the counted rides. It’s eleven o’clock in the night, Why don’t you go and call Bheema , as we all know he was the only taxi driver in that village and village people know each other by not only name but by family history and family status. Raghav Chaudhary and Kusum were so panicked they couldn’t think properly Deepa’s mummy and Papa were equally in tension and they were consoling them . Deepa’s papa said , “ Come on let’s go to Bheema’s house. They asked the ladies to go back home , at first they denied but then agreed. For Vishakha’s Mummy this was the toughest moment. She was continuously weeping.———- Continued—-

Dharavahik upanyas Bhoot-Adbhut! (168)

The bus conductor was shouting “ Come on come on this is the last bus for the village. Come fast and safely reach home.” The capacity of the bus was about forty five  passengers. But the rest Passengers happily ready to stand by holding the rod fixed  upside All running fast towards the bus . Deepa her parents, Vishakha’s parents also climbed up, the conductor whistled and the driver started the bus.The conductor any how collecting the money and giving the tickets .Deepa’s Papa and Vishakha’s Papa both bought three tickets each. Raghav Chaudhary‘’a eyowere searching Vishakha, but couldn’t see her he asked Kusum his wife , “ Where is Vishakha? “ She replied, she might have found a seat and sat down . Raghav Chaudhary felt relaxed with this reply. The driver was driving the bus with moderate speed as it was ten o’clock night and there were no street lights in interior small villages. The bus reached in one hour to the destination. All the passengers started getting down from the only entrance gate for passengers ( one was for the driver only) one emergency exit never used to open. ———- Continued ——-

Today’s tip !! Yes or No !!

 “*TILL 100 PEOPLE SAY NO…” — A BEAUTIFUL LESSON IN RAISING CHILDREN*

Yesterday, Dhruv went to Costco in Seattle.

Outside the store, he noticed a little boy, hardly five years old, standing with packets of chips and a small board that said they were being sold for $20 for a Scouts charity fundraiser.

People were walking past him.

With the innocence and confidence of a five-year-old, he would approach them one by one:

“Would you like to buy a packet?”

Some bought.

Many smiled and politely said, “No, thank you.”

But the little boy did not look disappointed.

He simply smiled, turned to the next person, and tried again.

Dhruv stopped and bought a packet from him.

The boy smiled brightly and said, “Thank you!”

Curious, Dhruv asked him,

“How many packets do you still have to sell? And how long are you going to stay here?”

His answer was something Dhruv—and perhaps all of us—will remember for a long time.

“Till 100 people say NO to me.”

Dhruv was surprised.

The teacher standing beside the boy then explained:

“It is not important how many packets he sells. What is important is that he learns, at this age, how to hear ‘NO’… accept it… and still have the courage to ask the next person.”

What a lesson!

We spend so much time teaching our children how to succeed.

Study hard.

Come first.

Win the competition.

Get selected.

Achieve more.

But perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can give them is to teach them how to fail.

How to hear NO without losing confidence.

How to face rejection without feeling defeated.

How to fall without being afraid of getting up again.

How to understand that one rejection does not define their worth.

Because life will not always say YES.

There will be examinations we don't clear, opportunities we don't get, interviews we don't crack, relationships that don't work, and dreams that take longer than expected.

Success makes us happy.

But learning how to handle failure makes us strong.

That little five-year-old was not standing outside Costco merely selling chips.

He was practising courage.

He was collecting “NOs.”

He was learning resilience.

He was preparing for life.

Maybe instead of asking our children only,

“Did you win?”

we should sometimes ask,

“Did you try again after you failed?”

Don't raise a child who is only prepared for success.

Raise a child who is not afraid of failure.

A salute to that teacher.

A salute to his parents.

And a salute to that little boy who taught a grown-up world a very big lesson:

*Sometimes, 100 NOs can teach you more than one YES.