Happy Thanksgiving Y’all

I landed on the American shores in 1986 in the beautiful green pastures of Kentucky.  Had never experienced or heard of thanksgiving as I had obviously missed the Dallas/Falcon Crest/Knight Rider or the A-Team episodes where they must have celebrated thanksgiving.

I realized very quickly that it was a big deal in the American culture. My friends and their families opened up their doors and hearts to invite this foreign student into their house and made me feel like family.  I will never forget my friend DeeAnn, her sisters, her mom & dad and even her friends for making me a part of their lives for so many thanksgiving feasts in a lil Indiana town. I remember the cool crisp breeze, the crunching of the leaves with every step, the pumpkin festival, the gold fish (long story) and even the carnies.

Beautiful Red Rocks in Sedona - Thanksgiving 2010

After I moved to AZ in 1991 and after being here a few years, I was blessed with my friend Chris & his amazing family.  His mom/dad/stepdad/sisters/brother in laws/neices for that matter even step dad’s mom/dad invited Vivek and I every year and made us a part of their thanksgiving ritual.  After my friend Chris & beautiful wife Lisa moved out of town his family continued to invite us into their home like we were one of their own. The cool crisp air had turned into a balmy 70 degree thanksgiving and gone were the sweaters and fall colors but the love still remained.  Every year Scott & Lynne would prepare a feast with two different types of Turkey, couple of different types of stuffing and oh not to forget those yummy deviled eggs. Then we would all sit around raise our glasses of wine and give thanks.

So gonna miss Scott (Chris’s step dad) this year and all the love he showered upon Vivek & I.  I know he is an angel that will watch over us forever.

Thru my years in KY I learned to eat Turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, stuffing, green beans, and oh the warm rolls right out of the oven. I was not sure I liked all that at first and am still trying to fall in love with the cranberry sauce idea.  Thru the thanksgiving years in AZ, we learnt to not only adopt thanksgiving rituals with Chris’s family but also our family & friends here.  Out came the desi (slang for Indian) turkeys with indian spices & stuffings -we even had a Tofurky (tofu turkey) one year..(can’t say I was a big fan). Also picked up Turkey from Boston Market one early thanksgiving in AZ(true sign of turkey desperation). Hey It’s thanksgiving and gotta have me some Turkey.

Msg from a Turkey....:)

Thanksgiving is more than just eating Turkey…it’s about being thankful (oh and not to forget FOOTBALL ).  I am thankful for everything that I am and everything that I have become. I am thankful for my lovely family, friends, and all the encouragement & love that they give me.  I am thankful for all the real people in my life that love me for who I am .  I am thankful for DeeAnn & Chris’s family for all the love they showered upon us and made us truly one of their own.  The memories are etched into our hearts forever. This year we will miss my BIL/SIL & cutie pattutie niece that we have spent so many thanksgivings with over the years(Not sure if there are Turkey’s in Africa..hmm!).

As you update your Facebook statuses and tweet out your thanksgiving grams this year…remember to not only give thanks on the outside but to stop and think for a moment on how truly blessed you are. Thankful for each day that has been given to you and all the loved ones that are in your lives.

Happy Thanksgiving Y’all and gobble gobble!

Please do share your thoughts on what you are thankful for.

This post is dedicated to Scott…”Lord called Scott home………because he needed an angel who can really, really, cook.” words by LaMont Mann

Love Takes 2..

So the buzz lately has been all about Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries “marriage” and the walkout after 72 days.  Somehow I don’t think we can even label that as a marriage..it was a wedding planning photo shoot. Do you agree or not?  She spent more time planning the wedding than she did staying in it.  Kim’s earning of $18 million breaks down to $10,000 an hour for the 72 days..not a bad earning don’t you think? I for one never watched the wedding on Bravo but I did checkout the pics in the People Magazine.  Had always wondered who the Kardashian’s were but never really cared.  But after hearing about all the wedding hoopla, I finally googled them to figure out what their claim to fame was and most importantly “Why are they so famous?and why do we even care?”. So it was all thanks to OJ..wow!!

Photo By Ruchi G. Kalra

The one and only reason two people should join together for marriage is Love.  Most girls grow up believing in romance/fairy tale weddings/prince charming - thanx to all the chic flicks/bollywood movies and romantic songs that surround us.  I am sure guys wonder if that stuff really works on us…It does!! It really does!  I always give my hubby a hard time as I never got a proposal..nope never did!!! Even till today I joke with him as I watch a movie and a proposal is about to happen…I ask him “What’s the guy doing on his knees and why does he have that ring in his hands, and what does a proposal mean anyway, oh my he’s gonna hurt his knees.”  He just rolls his eyes and laughs and knows that he is never gonna live that one down.  He knows I am joking but oh!! It’s so fun to tease him.  I am sure the guys have always had a lot of pressure and now with the growth of the social media world it’s become harder not easier to live up to the Jones..(oh that darn family strikes again..LOL).

Jaan & I....16 Yrs ago

I didn’t have a big ole’ grand wedding, or a big diamond, or the designer lehnega(indian bridal outfit), or the most unbelievable wedding location or photographer but it was special as it had my family and I was gonna marry the love of my life (thanx to my amazing brother and sister-in-law).  What more could a girl want?

Nowadays the wedding planners/photographers work amazing wonders.  They work tirelessly to meet all the requests of the bride & groom and make sure everything runs smoothly and beautifully to make it a wedding to remember.  But their job stops there and your work begins.

Looking at the amazing work of my wedding planner friend -Ashley Gain (Ashley Gain Weddings & Events)and my photographer friends- Sameer & Sonia Soorma(Sameer Soorma Photography) makes me want to get remarried (of course to the same guy).

But we also need to remember that a marriage is not just about the wedding day… it’s about the journey of life that the two people are promising to take together. You can have the best venue/the most fab wedding dress/the most stunning jewelry/the best DJ in town and the best wedding planner & photographers…. but if you don’t have love to sustain that marriage you have nothing.

Photo By Ruchi G. Kalra

A couple of quotes from friends on marriages: “Respect each other and love each other for who they are” &  ” Marriage takes effort, work and commitment”.  So go ahead make that dinner reservation for a date night as Love Takes 2.

I will end with the advice I give all my friends getting married…”Be the best of friends with each other and everything will fall into place”.   What can I say..I am a hopeless romantic..still!!

So lets not focus on the failed marriages but instead on the successful ones…..Would love to hear your thoughts on what makes a successful marriage…Thanx!

http://www.sameersoorma.com/

Light up Your Hearts This Diwali…

All About Henna Candle: www.allabouthenna.com

As the world of Facebook and Twitter light up with Diwali messages from indians all over the world – you may or may not be familiar with what Diwali is depending on your heritage.  Diwali is the Indian festival of lights and it signifies the triumph of good over evil.  It’s a festival that is celebrated throughout India and has a huge significance with the Indians worldwide.   Diyas(earthen clap lamps) are lit up, prayers to the Goddess of wealth(Lakshmi ji) are performed and then people go visit their friends and family distributing (mithai)sweets.  The sounds of fireworks fills up the ears for hours on end.

Map Of India lit up on Diwali night.. Courtesy of NASA

I always sit down every year and wonder what I am gonna write in our yearly family message wishing all our friends a happy Diwali.  Every year I hope to not only send a message to our friends but also use it as a reminder on how to live my life in the coming year.  I send the messages to all my indian and non-indian friends including all the teachers that have been a part of my kids life so far.  My non-indian friends are always surprised by the messages at first but they graciously wish my family a very happy Diwali too.  Over the years they have accepted and respected my culture and shown so much love.  As soon as I start sending my messages, I start getting responses back.  I received an email from a non-indian friend of mine today and she reminded me of the time she was in India and these were her amazing words ” I remember my time fondly in India when the buses were crazy packed, everyone was dressed to the nines, and you could feel the excitement in the air.  Thanks for reminding me of that wonderful memory!  I hope you all have a beautiful celebration and a great year ahead!”.  Reading her words not only reminded me of the last time I experienced Diwali in India but also brought tears to my eyes. The last diwali in India for me was at the age of 8.  The sounds of fireworks and the excitement that resided in the air is still fresh in my mind.  Memories of doing diwali pooja(prayer) with my mom,dad & brother, getting all dolled up in my indian clothes. …aah all the memories come rushing back.  I would love to go back to India with my kids one day soon and celebrate diwali and have them also experience the energy that flows thru India during this festive diwali season.   

Rangoli by Riya- 2011

I never grew up doing rangoli(art typically done during diwali with colored sand)at home but it’s a ritual that I adopted after we first did it at a friend’s house several years ago.  My hubby and I have had our own rituals that we have come up for Diwali and doing rangoli is a big part now.  We wait for hubby to come home- have a quick dinner, get Itunes rolling and head on out to our front patio.  Our house artist (the hubby) draws the patterns free hand and the three of us get busy picking colors and filling the lines with colorful sand.  Neighbors out for their evening walk on a beautiful AZ evening will always stop by and say ” Is it that time of the year already!! “.   We have a few bickers and laughs along the way but all in all an evening of fun.  :)

Rangoli by Eshan- 2011

Ganesh Rangoli By Vivek & I

CINDI's charity in Africa that I give back to thru RGK D'Zines Jewelry

This year has been a year of giving back for us not only the charity in Africa but also working with NCL(a mother daughter charity league) that my daughter and I are so honored to be a part of.  So the theme this year was to give back and using a quote from my daughters poem that was part of the msg this year: “Were we supposed to share…
And treat this world with care……. Or were we supposed to make a foe …..Of the only home we know”

So go ahead and light up your hearts this diwali and Remember we all have something to give..Here’s wishing a beautiful and peaceful diwali from our family to yours and hoping that the coming year is filled with Lots of Peace, happiness & love…

Luv & Huggs

======================================================

Sharing diwali reminders of years past(if you are interested in reading and not fallen asleep yet :

2010 – On this beautiful Diwali..Let’s plan to celebrate with lights on the inside just like we do with lights on the outside..and focus on peace and happiness within and all that we have been blessed with.  Let’s love thy neighbor and  not only today but throughout the year irrespective of our race, religion, faith, caste, creed or any kind of division. 

2009- Rangoli color is just a plain simple color.  It’s true beauty is derived when added, blended and mixed with other colors to create beautiful and amazing works of art.  Let’s take this moment and remember that each and every person in our life is like a rangoli color.  They make our life interesting, exciting and most of all beautiful…

2008- As another year rolls on by, lets all remember not to spend our time looking back at things and wondering what could have been and what we wished it was. We only get to live this life once and nobody gets to live it backwards…so lets look ahead and make the most of the moments that are happening around us now and the people who are there with us.

2007 – We all have moments n our lives and how we interpret them and what we make of them is up to us.  So here’s to making the coming year a beautiful and peaceful one. A famous quote to keep in mind as we thru the year: “We are what we think we are.  All that we are..arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world”

2006-  We all know time flies when things are going well, but the same can drag when things are not going well,  Let’s all appreciate the good times, things and people we have in our lives and mke the most of the moments we have with them.  Quote by Winston Churchill: Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living not by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

Sign at Paz De Cristo Center

Are you Trendy?

Designer Diary Of Joli/RGK D'Zines Jewelry/Hermosa Vida Photography

So coming off of Phoenix Fashion Week where I was immersed in Fashion for 4 days and working with an awesome team of models, designers, stylists and photographers - it got me thinking a lot about Fashion & Trends.  It was truly an experience working with so many amazing and talented people. Every stylist and designer had a niche that they believed in and wanted the message to shine through with the show that they were going to present. It was the job of every model to make sure they showcased the energy that was required by the designer.   The stunning designs ranged from “Oh I can wear that” to “Wow..can I wear that?” to “Where would I wear that?”.  So another day or another magazine or fashion show later…you wonder how you can keep up with all the fashion trends around you.

We all want to be cool and hip and keeping up with those people next door (Jones’s is it?) is not an easy task.  But then you stop and ask yourself…do I want to even keep with the Jones’s?…or maybe …just maybe they are too busy trying to keep up with us.Hmm..Now that’s a thought!  (BTW how did the Jones ever become the people to compete with..:) ..Anyone know? )

Designer Blue Bird Denim/RGK D'Zines Jewelry/Hermosa Vida Photography

Are men as driven by fashion as women are? Do they put as much thought in to what they wear as the women do? Do they even care? I had a discussion with a  group of friends(all girls) one day about why so many girls put so much thought into fashion(bags/dresses/shoes/make-up/hair).

Designer Sebastien Millon/Earrings by RGK D'Zines/Michael Jordan Photography

There were two thoughts..well actually three. The first thought was that women dress well to show off to other women, the other was that women dress up to look good for people in general, and the last thought was that they do it for themselves as it makes them feel good.  I personally go with the last thought.  What do you think?

Read the Tea Leaves…

I believe that if you go with the TRUE you…you can be who you are.  That applies not only to fashion but to every aspect of your life.  Blend styles and go with what you think works well for you and who you are. Forget matching and try mixing up your own style..use unexpected color combos and new ideas to make a style of your own and add a dose of new.  Who knows  - you may just have started a new trend.:) You may just be the new fashionista in town. I had once heard an interview by the famous Indian designer – Sabyasachi and he had said…”Anyone can rock a chanel or a Louis Vuitton but it takes class and style to be able to rock a no-name brand”

Be true, Be pure but most importantly be Yourself….It’s YOU who puts the soul in your tread..oops I mean Trend  So do you consider yourself Trendy?

Thx for reading and would love to hear your thoughts/comments.

p.s: (I just have to add that I have a whole new respect for the models/stylists/photographers in the fashion industry with the amount of hours they put in and all with a smile on their face)..They truly rock!

Friends – Till Facebook do us Part….

Hey Friends…

So honored to have a blog published on the awesome site Lassi With Lavina. LAVINA MELWANI is a New York based writer who has lived in India, Africa and Hong Kong. She has written for an eclectic bunch of publications including India Today, Worth, Newsday, Asia Inc., Hong Kong Standard, The Hindustan Times, Bride’s, Art and Antiques, The Week, Beliefnet, Winds – the Japan Airlines in-flight magazine, Gafencu, the Shanghai-based lifestyle magazine, AM New York, Hinduism Today, Tehelka and The Indian Express to name a few.  The article was initially published on May 9th, 2011 on  Lassi with Lavina website: http://www.lassiwithlavina.com 

Thank you so much Lavina for the wonderful opportunity! Truly truly appreciate it!

*Please note that the post is written in pure fun! Would love to hear your thoughts/comments!

Are Facebook ‘Friends’ Really Friends?

By Ruchi Garg Kalra • May 9th, 2011 • Category: 24/7 Talk is Cheap – The Blog

Social Media has changed the nature of friendship

Guest Blog: Ruchi Garg Kalra

Friends – Till Facebook Do Us Part…

As I sat down this morning with my cup of chai, ignoring the several friend requests on Facebook, I wondered what the word ‘ friend’ means now. All these social networking sites have revolutionized the word ‘friend’. So what defined a friend in the good old days or let’s say, even three years ago?

There are as many definitions of friends as there are clouds in the sky. But for now let’s go to the Internet – our only trusted source of information today. According to the free web dictionary, a simple definition of friend is someone you know well, like and trust. Know well:  that would mean I have met this person at least more than once, spent at least more than 20 minutes talking to them. ‘Like’ would mean I know how they react in certain social situations, behave, and maybe have common interests. Trust would mean that they have my best interest at heart and vice-versa.

Now let’s define a friend in today’s world of social networking sites like Facebook. Take a typical scenario on a Friday night – you are invited to a party by a coworker, Sheena.  You’re not sure if you should go or not as you don’t know any of her friends.  You decide to make excuses of a dog wash night and then soon realize that she probably remembers last week’s lunch conversation on how you are allergic to pets. So, you decide to wash your hair instead and head out the door with a bottle of wine in hand.

Friends in social media. Cartoon By Hubspot

As you stand at the door about to ring the door bell, you have thoughts of turning around and walking away. But somehow your index finger reaches out and presses the doorbell faster than your feet can turn around. As you walk in the door, you’re introduced to multitudes of people. From the many short conversations of the night (longest lasting 3.5 minutes) people were like “Oh yeah, I have seen your posts on Sheena’s wall”,  You have an amazing sense of humor” and “Oh,  I loved the purple top you wore last week to your work party”, “You look so much like your mom”, and “How was your trip to Hawaii last month – loved your pink bikini- btw did you buy it here in LA?”, “Was that your boyfriend with you in Hawaii- he’s so hot and cute!”

You, Me and Facebook…

Wow, is this for real, it seems like all these people already knew you- your clothes, your vacations, and your love interests – maybe they even know what you had for breakfast, if you tweet!

Yikes! And you thought you were new to the world of FB. You had just recently started to figure your way around the profiles, the status updates and most of all the privacy settings, and how to write on other people’s walls – instead of replying back on your own wall! You didn’t realize how much personal info you had displayed on FB that your friends’ friends seemed to know everything about you.

You’re flabbergasted, there’s a flash and you realize you have been pulled into yet another group photo shot. During the shot one person is screaming ‘Don’t you dare put this on FB!’, while the photographer is screaming “Facebook!” instead of ‘Cheese!’ There were more pictures taken of you tonight surrounded by ‘friends’ – than the day you graduated from college!

Dazed and confused, you try and remember all the names of people in your head on the drive back home. As you plop on the couch at the end of a long evening, you decide to log into FB and see for yourself what all is up for public display in the world of FB. As you log in, you see 20 friend requests from the people you met at the party tonight.

Everyone is a friend on Facebook! (HikingArtist.com)

One of them even has a message inviting you to their 30th b’day party the next night! Isn’t this a big event, don’t they just want their close friends there? Well, who cares what they want….What do you want? Do you add them or not? Are they really your friends now? Do you really want them commenting on your every picture, do you want them to hit the ‘Like’ button every time you post a status update,  or comment on how anorexic you look when they barely know you? But without much thought you decide to add them, as it would reflect badly on Sheena if you ignored them or gave them only partial access to things.

Hence, starts the era of a new ‘friendship’….and you start rummaging thru your mind as to what you will wear to your ‘friend’s’ birthday party the next night…wait whose party was it again? Oh well, who cares? You’ll know more when you get there, but for now you can write on  Sheena’s wall and see if you can go together to the party….

The word ‘friend’ has become such a loose term now that we have forgotten the true meaning of friendships. Sometimes we end up caring more about what the virtual friends think and see of us. Twitter at least does not lead you into believing that your friends are following you, or you are following a friend. You are just a follower but you have access to everything from what they ate to what they are wearing to if today is the day they cut their toe nails. Do we really as a society care to know all these things about people? When you look at the number of people that join these sites daily – the answer is a resounding Yes!

Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Friendster – The Friend Finders…

Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and Friendster have definitely made the world a smaller place but they’ve also made it more open for everyone to peek into our lives. Our parents always warned us of the social effects of telling people too much of what’s going on in our lives. Before, people would gossip to find out more information about other people, but they don’t have to do that anymore. We actually invite them into  our lives with a click of a button and give them an open access to our lives, whether it be people that we met thirty years ago (wait, that would make me 7 back then…hmm), people that we met once, our chiropractor, yoga instructor, doctor, maybe even our bus driver. Where does this end?

I don’t think this social phenomenon will end anytime soon. We as a society always choose to go to the dark side of everything before we start retracing our steps and getting back to the world of normalcy.

Today we are defined by the number of friends we have on FB, by how many people follow us on Twitter, and how many people subscribe to our blog, rather than by the number of true friends that we can sit with and have a cup of chai. If only we could sit and sip chai with our true friends, maybe the meaning of friendship will shine thru the tea leaves…

Have a great day, my friend!

Ruchi Kalra

Ruchi Garg Kalra  launched jewelry studio RGK D’Zines to share her passion for culturally inspired Jewels. She started her blog RGKzines.wordpress.com to write about jewelry but she soon realized she wants to write about so much more.

What do you all think? Are FB friends real friends or phantom friends?

Do these friendships sometimes evolve into the real thing?  Do share your anecdotes!

Mother’s Day Poem Contest…

********Winner Rhea C. was announced Today May 9th- Congrats!!! Keep the good work (Poem – Moonlight Rose is  at the end of the blog)***************

Mothers..they love us unconditionally, they teach us to believe in ourselves.  They remind us that they are a safe base  and no matter what, we can always come back to that.  They teach us independence, they give us support, they become our friends, they give the best hugs…the Mother’s love is endless.

It doesn’t matter where we go or by what name we refer to them as (mom/mumma/mother/madre/ma/amma/ammi/mummy), it all stems down to the same emotions of love and security.

So honor your mom/your wife/your sister this week by writing a little poem/write-up on them and enter the chance to win a $100 Gift Certificate from RGK D’Zines Jewelry & a gift from Zaaina Skincare(valued at $50)*.

Please email the entries to ruchi@RGKdzines.com

No matter how you celebrate Mother’s Day, don’t forget to tell your Mom/Wife/Sister/Friend how much you love them and how special they truly are!

Here’s wishing my amazing mom/my wonderful MIL/my two lovely sis-in-laws/my sisters and my awesome girlfriends a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Here is a poem my daughter wrote last year for Mother’s Day (their loving names for me..moomoo/moomoocheeto) :

You & I
by Riya K.

Walking with you from dawn to midnight

Down the creaky bank past the flowing river

The wind howls, the trees rustle

I hold you tight knowing I love you as I look at the beautiful sight

The world spins under our feet, sliding with ease, gliding with pleasure

It is a treasure

That keeps YOU & ME together.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

www.zaaina.com

~~LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR ENTRIES (ruchi@rgkdzines.com) ~~DEADLINE IS MAY 7th, 2011~~WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED MOTHER’S DAY~~

Please check out Zaaina Skincare – 100% pure, natural & organic skincare at Website: www.zaaina.com  and LIKE their FB page: www.facebook.com/zaainaskincare
or email Purvi at purvi@zaaina.com

* The gift Box includes: Sugar & Honey Body Scrub 8 oz – Exfoliate dead skin cell is the best way to rejuvenate your skin and our 100% natural scrub is one of a kind which will polish, tone and stimulate your skin to give you the best body glow. Honey is a humectant, which draws moisture from the air to your skin and brown sugar is a terrific exfoliating agent that removes those dead skin cells that make your skin look and feel dry and flaky. Together these two ingredients make a winning team. There’s no easier way to pamper your self and feel invigorated! ingredients: Brown Sugar, Sea Salt, Coconut Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Shea Butter, Honey, Lavender Oil, Organic Lavender flowers.

Anti-Aging Nail/Cuticle Balm 0.68 oz – This powerful ingredient based nail/cuticle balm will leave cuticles softened and nails shiny and healthy. Carrot seed oil not only softens and smooth the skin, but also assist with cell growth. Hemp seed oil contains a high amount of essential fatty acids, which helps to heal skin, balance dry skin and fight skin inflammation. The rich ingredients used in this oil encourage healthy nail growth, reduce breakage and softens cuticles. Ingredients: Carrot-seed Essential Oil, Jojoba Oil, Almond Oil, Tea-tree Essential Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, Frankincense Essential Oil, Lemon Essential Oil, & Peppermint Oil

======================================

Would like to thank all that participated in the contest…and the winner is Rhea C (10 yrs) who wrote this beautiful poem on her mom!

The Moonlight Rose by Rhea C.

My Mother’s face

is the shimmering moonlight rose

that has just bloomed in the breezy fall night

My Mother’s eyes

are like two tiger- eye stones

that glisten and twinkle

Overflowing with sweet love

My Mother’s voice

is the soft, soothing angel’s song

calmly flowing through the midnight sky

My Mother

is the silvery moon

gentle and happy to see me

full of heart-warming joy

Loving me forever

 Love your daughter,

CONGRATULATIONS RHEA! Way to go!! The $100 RGK D’Zines Gift card and $50 worth of products from Zaaina Skincare will be mailed to you!

Would also like to thank the 2nd/3rd place winners – Vidya S. & Hina C. and also my judge Samarth M.

Thank you everyone & hope all of you had a great Mother’s Day!

To Belong…Finally!!!

Today is our 2 yr anniversary of becoming an American Citizen, and I am sharing with you a little piece I wrote back then on the emotions that I was feeling!!! (I know it’s long..I guess that’s why I never shared it before )

Photo by RGK

So we received our citizenship interview letter this weekend and it set off a slew of emotions and thoughts thru my mind from shock to disbelief to amazement to immense joy all in a matter of seconds.  At first I could not believe the day was here where I was actually holding this letter and a million questions started racing thru my mind at once -  is it for real?…is it really in writing…wow!!  I must have read it 50 times over to make sure they had not made a mistake….  Its been 23 years since I came to this country (legally)…23 years….thats more than half my life.  A thought that was in the back of my mind the day I sat down and buckled my seat belt on that Zambia Airways flight in 1986 to travel to an unknown land of opportunity. I didn’t know it then, and am just barely getting the grasp of the events of the past  23 yrs and the moments leading up to this day.  I always knew that the number 23 had a special magical way of following me in my journey of life.. If I had known then that it was gonna be 23 yrs later that I finally would belong to this country..  would I have stuck with this path in life or decided to give up and move on?  After all.. there were many other places in the world that offered opportunity…but somehow my life’s journey was meant to keep me on this path and experience all that I have been offered – good and bad.

After the initial set of flurry of emotions my mind started to wander as to what this letter really means to me..Is this it?-  Does this mean I finally belong to someplace, can I officially call it home? ( a feeling that I have possessed and felt for years but was never reciprocated the same way by  the US immigration system..), can I finally vote for the first time in my life?.  This is more than just a passport…..there are so many feelings attached to this letter.

Born in India, raised in Africa(I consider myself a spicy blend of Indian, African and American culture ), always living under the fear of being kicked out from your foreign home country, moving to the US with hopes of a better education.  As I moved thru the US education system a wave of knowledge flooded my mind on how to progress through the visa system: Practical Training to F-1 and then an H-1B and then to the ultimate ticket to freedom…THE GREEN CARD.  So many tested times to reach the green card stage.  There were many offers of green cards designed at home and marriage proposals (I am sure in jest..at least so I think) made by friends and coworkers. But the hardest time was 2001, where all visa doors seemed to be closing in on us and looked like hope was running out…Was it time?…the time for them to kick me out of this country, where do I go? what will I do? how will I adjust in a land unfamiliar to me? ….  But we survived one more curve in the road and continued on our Green card journey.  I think my dream of the green card seemed so unachievable at times that this day is truly a dream come true!!  BTW..on a funny note..I was shocked the day I learned the green card was actually not green!!

So where does one really belong to:  is it where you they were born? or where they were raised? or where their parents reside?  Is there any one good answer? What is that gives a person a sense of belonging?  And I am not talking about one’s heritage or culture, that is something that is ingrained in their upbringing and their value system.  My heritage has never been a question in my mind throughout this whole process.  That is something that was always very clear in my mind but this sense of belonging always mystified me…

Life has a way of working things out and with  love, support, hope and most of all faith…anythings achievable. I am not sure I know the answers to all of the above questions or will ever know but I do know today….that I BELONG here…right here with my three angels.   Angels that have been sent from above.. to love me for life and make my life complete and whole in a place that I can call home…OFFICIALLY!!

Thx for being part of my journey today…Would love to hear your thoughts..

Hoop It Up With RGK D’Zines…

No..I am not talking about the NBA Playoffs  I am talking about the latest fashion trend of Hoop Earrings this Spring of 2011.  With the World economy in recession, the fashion industry is reforming itself and providing some amazing antique/vintage quality jewelry at affordable prices without compromising the quality and the pizzazz..

Many hollywood celebrities have been seen sporting hoops this season from Kim Kardashian, Selena Gomez, Sofia Vergara and not to forget Jennifer Lopez.  So check out some of our latest collections at www.RGKdzines.com that have been worn by Hollywood celebrities like Ali Fedotowsky, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Valentina Quinn, Natasha Alam, Sarah Drew, Chelsea Kane, Ashley Jones, and Archie Punjabi to name a few. The pieces are unique blend of  Indian traditional with a modern fusion.

So have fun & make a statement this season with your RGK D’Zines Hoops that are  “One Of A Kind….For One Of You”….

For more information contact us: ruchi@RGKdzines.com and LIKE us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RGKdzines

24K Gold vermeil hoops with Turquoise stones and minakari work (www.store.RGKdzines.com)

24K Gold Vermeil Earrings with an antique look W/Tourmaline/fresh water pearls/green onyx (Can be worn three ways) (www.store.RGKdzines.com)

24K Gold Vermeil Hoops with Jhumkis/Fresh water pearls w/burgundy stone (www.store.RGKdzines.com)

24K gold Vermeil earrings with Fresh water Pearls (www.Store.RGKdzines.com)

24K gold vermeil earrings with light green Jade stone with onyx flowers & fresh water pearl (www.store.RGKdzines.com)

Two tone earrings with flatted/matted silver & Gold finish (www.store.RGKdzines.com)

24K gold Vermeil Hoops with Onyx drops (www.store.RGKdzines.com)

24K Gold Vermeil Kundan(Indian enamel work) Earrings with Minakari (Intricate colorful designs)work.

What Is Life?

Life is an amazing gift that we all have been given..its up to US to decide how we choose to live it..

Where did we begin?
Where do we think we are going?
Do we want to know or do we even care?

The path that we take
Is it chosen for us?
Or do we somehow get there and not know it

How do we decide?
Where to go, how to go?

Are some people born knowing?
And are some just searching

Which one would we rather be?
The all-knowing or the searcher

Life’s a tough game!!!
We can choose to be a shadow…Or be a leader

We can choose to be the driver …….Or just sit along for the ride

The choice is OURS….It’s up to US to Decide!!!

~~~Please do share your comments and also would love it if you would subscribe to our blog….Thx so much~~~

To Believe..What did u Want to Be When you Were 5?

There were so many things you wanted to be when you were young…and in your little mind you always believed that you would and could be.  My little guy who is 8 now had to sit down when he was 5 and write a speech for his Montessori kindergarten graduation.  The topic was “When I grow up”.  This was something that was being done at school as a surprise for the parents and these essays were gonna be read by them at the graduation ceremony!

A week before the ceremony we were talking about general things and I told him he could be whatever he wanted to be… He very adamantly told me he could not as it has already been decided. I was really surprised and taken back by his statement ….I said “What do you mean it’s already been decided?”. Then he proceeded to tell me that he had already written down what he was gonna be and he could not change it anymore as he had already turned in his essay to the kindergarten teacher and it was way too late!  I could only smile, hug him and marvel at the innocence…

He would be in his room, practicing and reading his speech and I had strict instructions that I could not enter his room.  So the graduation day finally arrived and as he stood among the 50 or so kids of his graduating class I wondered what he was gonna say.  Many kids got up there and they all wanted to be lawyers, engineers, scientists, there were even a few neurosurgeons(wow)…I anxiously awaited my son’s turn….he got up there and said..”When I grow up, I want to be an Artist & a Chef”…I was so proud of him that he could get up there and be himself.  Three years later he still has a lot of interest in cooking and  helps me in the kitchen all the time (except when there is basketball or football or golf or now even cricket on TV) He loves to watch cooking shows and will even ask me if he can DVR them.  His eyes light up when he sees Indian chefs on those shows..and will call out to me and say…”Mom, look they are making Masala Burgers”!! He was so excited when Aarti Sequeira won the Next Food Network Star, and had all kinds of questions when I showed him the article by Monica Bhide in the Food & Wine magazine on Chef Sanjeev Kapoor.

The only thing that gets in the way of us and our Beliefs is US!! As we grow up, we are always told of what we can and can’t do and we start to measure everything based on those bench marks.  So go ahead and embrace the little 5 yr old in you again and remind yourself that you can be all that you want to be…and it’s not too late!!

In fact it’s never too late..I will end this blog with a short story about a beautiful lady I met at my gym several years ago(9 to be exact).   She was in the pool every single day before my water aerobics class, she would stay in the pool for hours.  One day I went up to her and asked her, “Are you training for something” and she said “I guess you can say I am training….I am learning how to swim..something I have always wanted to do”!! I looked at her and smiled….Did I tell you that beautiful young lady was 95 yrs old…It’s never too late!!

Who knows where my sons dreams & beliefs will take him, but I do hope to be sitting one day at a table on the opening night of his restaurant called FUZZY(even though people may tell him what a crazy name)!!!  We all have TO BELIEVE!!

What did you want to be when you were 5?

Last Inspiring note: A poem written by my 10 yr old daughter(who is 12 now):

TO BELIEVE

Mountains are like goals

You are determined to achieve,

You will not succeed

Unless you really do believe

Beaches are like rolling stones

Moving you towards your fears,

You will only succeed

If you rise above your tears

Mountains are like goals

Beaches are like rolling stones,

Yell in a mighty roar

Believing can make you soar