‘This is my last post as a 29 year old girl'.... Wanted to start my post saying this but then it felt too dark. If someone would read this, they would assume that I am no longer in this world. So I am going to beat around the bush and rant about me turning 30 tomorrow. So what is the 'big' deal in turning 30 and why are people around me not making it a 'BIGG' deal. While talking to a close acquaintance I was advised to finally 'Grow up' from today. My question is what am I now? Sitting on my couch, I am reminiscing 29 years of my life. So where do I start from -


Born on 31st Oct 1982 after mom suffered 2 days of labour pains, I was born and the family was overjoyed since I was the first child. Naturally and obviously, the most pampered one till my brother arrived 3 years later and the pampering got divided. I had rather have the most normal family and normal childhood which was full of day-dreaming, summer vacations, class tests and getting beaten up by mom once a day. The whole drama started when I entered the forbidden age - Teenage. Tried unsuccessfully to be a rebel but I had some fun in my own way. Bunked college to watch movies at 7 am in a dingy theatre, eating masala puri from a thela, one day trip outside Bangalore with friends without informing parents, creating extra classes out of nowhere, playing cupid for most of my friends, wearing my brothers clothes to college, having crush (es) on all hot seniors (who turned out be duds later), losing friends phew! What a phase. I can say though it was not all hunky dory but most memorable. Though it’s the most clichéd phrase that college years are best, for me it was!


As I entered my 20’s, I tried to act all grown up unsuccessfully again. Started working right after my graduation and meanwhile met my husband (friend then). Took parents for granted and hardly spent any time with family. Met new friends, made new relationships, kick started my career. Late nights parties, night shifts, office politics, re-thinking career path became the most important thing in my life. Naturally like all Indian parents, folks wanted me to settle down. I still thank god that there was no filmy drama when I revealed about my 'good friend'. To be honest I am still surprised that my parents understood and accepted the matter easily. Maybe they had their reservations but I never got to know. Then came the BIG FAT INDIAN WEDDING. This is where life takes a turning.


A new life, new family, new responsibilities on top of it A new city. Maybe I couldn’t digest so many new things so tried to resist as much as possible. In all this I never realized that 29 years of my life had already passed away so soon. Today when I look back, I see a lot of happy n sour moments, mistakes that could have been avoided, to be relationships which could have survived with time, friends who got lost due to lack of my effort to keep in touch, lost family time, guess the list never ends! Can’t I do it now? Of course I can. There would be no earth shaking moment when I turn 30. So while trying to stay optimistic,I would say this is again a new phase of my life which I live without any regrets.


PS - Maybe the only regret I will live is spotting of my 1st grey hair now and I am screaming my lungs out to my mom...