Wednesday, March 21, 2012

My 32nd birthday: Or why I have only turned 26 today.


On my 26th birthday - six years ago - I hit rock bottom. 
According to the “plan”, I should have finished my studies, gotten married, travelled a bit, and had my first child by then. Instead, I was still stuck in Mumbai, single as hell, and had been struggling for two years to get a good scholarship to cover a masters somewhere outside of India. Obviously, there was no child in the picture (much to my parent’s relief I might add). 
It was then that I first considered the possibility that I may never get married, never have children, never travel the world and never do that blasted masters in some vague liberal arts subject that I so dearly wanted to do. After all, just because I wanted those things didn’t mean that the Universe in any way felt obliged to give them to me. 
Funnily enough, it was between that birthday and the next that I finally cadged a scholarship to an arts master’s programme, got my first passport stamp (to Switzerland) and most importantly: met Sid. How far could that baby be?
Six years afar it seems. On my 32nd birthday today, I can finally say that yes, I have finished my studies, gotten married, travelled a fair bit, and yes, yes, yes, I am the mother of a two-month old baby girl. 
No wonder, I feel have finally turned 26 today. 


Happy Birthday to me!

12 comments:

Deniseysa said...

Ahhh thats a lovely wee blog. Glad everything is working out. It gives us hope.

globalbabble said...

Thanks... yes, there is hope as long as you don't mind waiting six years :-)

Checked your blogs - liked the film review one.

C

jaimit said...

My guess - if things play out right - you will grow more in the next 6 than you have in the last six. Blame motherhood.

globalbabble said...

I like the way you say - if things play out right.

Aseem said...

All of this takes time... ahh... but the impatience of youth... and well as you just mentioned... it could've been in the reverse order too and then you'd been 32 before you knew it... :-D... As always... count your blessings... Cheers Chetna...

Lex said...

Love that you ticked off ALL the boxes! Wonder if the same will happen for me?

globalbabble said...

@aseem thanks... yes, Ib guess it is question of whether the glass is half full or half empty.

@lex Of course it will.

noteven said...

happy birthday, and a late congratulations!

Preethy said...

Belated Happy Birthday, Chet! Nice to have accomplished all of that? Did you not wish to visit red-light districts or watch strip shows or drunkenly drive an open-top rickshaw on the streets of Delhi? No? So many of our Hindi film heroines seem to want to :-)

globalbabble said...

Hehehehe... No, I was not zany enough - I just wanted boring things. Funnily enough, I wrote a blog about it: http://gebachenthoughts.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/ek-main-aur-ekk-tu-new-found-zaniness.html

Prerna said...

Chetna.You write so beautifully. You took care of your lil' sis. You forgot to mention that you have been a great sister. That too is an accomplishment. I love you so so much.I know in next few years you are also going to accomplish your professional goals ( your site) because you nver give up!
Take Care
P

globalbabble said...

Sniffle Sniffle ... thanks Prerna. You are a lovely sister too Ms Honesty. You take too. C