Cakes, Flowers and the Bucket List!!!!

30 something years on this planet - No, I am not disclosing my age here...!!!!

As is customary, as the clock struck 12AM, the door-bell rang. And wow, bouquets and yummy sinful cakes from home, wishing me a wonderful year ahead, followed by a big hug from Neeti.

What followed was a flurry of calls from parents and close relatives! All this with a huge slice of the cake, hot tea and undivided attention and pampering from Neeti!

I never thought of bunking office in the morning (as some people had suggested) - the first day of the new year had to begin with work, setting the tempo for the year ahead.

The best gift I got that day was absolutely no traffic on the way to office. What a pleasure it was!

I have always endeavoured to keep my celebrations intensely private and restricted to the family. But this it was different. The birthday list on the office intranet had my name - something that I had consciously avoided till now, but missed out on doing it this time.

A flurry of calls and emails wishing me undoubtedly put me on a high. It felt nice. To top it all, my team ordered a cake for me in the evening and we had a small celebration in the workspace.

It was a very warm feeling, just like home.

Returning back home, I was looking forward to a quiet evening at home watching a DVD with Neeti. As I was snaking my way through the crazy Bombay traffic, I was in deep thought, reflecting on where I came from and where I am headed now.

Being 30-something is somewhat of a weird feeling - want to feel young but have to be prepared for the years ahead - the dreaded mid-life - wouldn't be pessimistic to call it a crisis.

There is so much to do in this world, so much to see, so much to experience.

The world is so beautiful, so vast, so diverse that I barely know about it all.

Yet I don't have the all the resources to do it all. Money, time, etc. etc.

I was thinking - Will I be able to tick off all the points in my bucket list before I go?

But then there was also this enticing, tempting thought in my mind that made me salivate - there's that yummy gooey chocolately truffle cake in the refrigerator.

What followed was a hot cup of tea with a second big cake slice and a quiet warm dinner with my better half, Neeti.... while keeping the keeping the hopes alive for doing what I want to do!!!