Excerpts from the Dairy of a 16 and 18 year old....

The joy about growing up is looking back and being amazed at the road you took.
I happened to come across some of my old diaries mom has painstakingly preserved.

They had my poems, articles and feelings penned down. They also had some cards and letters I saved in them along with two flowers carefully preserved (for the life of me I don’t remember who, when and where gave them to me!!)

Some excerpts from the diary –

Friday, 3rd April 1998 (the day 10th boards got over)

“... I don’t want to leave; I don’t want anything to change and most of all I don’t want to grow up...”

I did leave, I did grow and I did change. Thank God I did! Though I don’t remember when was the last time I ever thought about the days in school or the days just before I moved to Pune, I do remember the process of change and the feelings I went through at that time.....

Class 9 (year 1997) – paragrph from a poem published in the school newsletter.

...The myriad moods of nature
Show only one reflection...
Mine.”

I was philosophical then I am philosophical now... just more realistic!!!

Letter from Mom (after major fight with the boyfriend at that time) August 2000

“Smart is the woman who can see through the act, yet give occasional boosts to the male ego BUT keep them in their place. It is a tall order indeed. And most of us would say – How? I mean we feel so helpless without the presence of a man in our periphery. So while you give their egos a shove now and then don’t forget to show them that you can do without them a d for that DONT EVER CRY IN THE PRESENCE OF ANY MAN. Because when you cry – you shatter all your build up – I am a woman of substance – and end up looking like a fool.”

Mommmmmy!!!!! I love you. I don’t know if I have mentioned it earlier but I have the coolest folks and my mom simply rocks. I love her for it. Nine years ago my mom was giving me gyan about men. Nine years later it still applies. (I guess I will need to refer to her beautifully written letters when I will need to give my daughter gyan because, men I guess will never change!)
Sadly, I did cry in front of a man a couple of times after that. All of them I realize today didn’t deserve it at all. Soon enough I realized and stopped doing it.

August 6th 2000 (Happy friendship day, handmade card by J)

“Keep the flame of friendship burning all the time” (with a flower looking thing made under it)

J is my bestest friend, if there can be one. I can be honest with her. There are no pretensions between us and that’s the best part. I know it must have taken her ages to make this and pains to write because – she cannot write/draw and most importantly show her affections.

Nine years down the line, we are still burning the flame of friendship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lol. (if there was a cheeky line contest this would win hands down!!!)

I’m off now, but my weekend project is to dig out old letters and more diaries and entertain my self... so there will be more of this coming ... read on !!!