Grateful By Ketaki S. Vaidya

It was a carrier day for 5th graders at our school. Like many other adults, I was given a chance to speak to students about my job and different things I handle as a speech language pathologist. Students were curious and responded really well to my short presentation. One fifth grader asked me, " If you have so many roles you can play as a speech therapist, how do you chose where to work? You can work at hospital, clinic, skilled nursing facility and school. How do you take your decision where to work?  Why did you decide to work at school?" Due to the time limitation, I just answered him saying, "I chose school because I really like working with you kids. "  Though, if I really think about it, I definitely thought about things like compensation I am going to receive, distance from my home to work, benefits and holidays, convenience to work and also have enough time to give to my own kids,   I have more  reasons to be a school based SLP. Here are few of th...

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I remember being with you down the memory lane  till it becomes hazy We both know how nice our family is And how much it is crazy! We always had competition  We always had fights But whenever I was in my blues You helped me feel light You always treated me inferior  And you were never very fair But when it came to fights I have never felt so equal with anyone, I swear! I know you always care for me Whatever you might say In my dark and cloudy times I know you will only stay We have shared so many secrets  We have guided each other We have also felt jealous  For being favorite of my mother If I will ask you for a promise  It will sound very silly 'Cause I know even if no one is here You will always stay around as family 

Freedom, to keep the technology away  to walk in the woods. to listen to the bird songs to feel the breeze to touch the waves to realize that I am one drop in the ocean of life.     Freedom, to learn what is not influenced by anything to forget the biases to be curious to embrace the differences to give up fixed ideas to open up the mind to accept the world as a whole.   Freedom, to overcome the anxiety to walk beyond fears to explore one's potentials to enhance the perception to throw away the presumptions to see the things just the way they are. 

श्रावण म्हणजे हिंदू महिना. आषाढानंन्तर येणारा. श्रावण म्हंणजे, ऊन पावसाचा खेळ. अवचित गाठणारा पाऊस. पावसात भिजण्यासाठी "छत्री विसरले ", असा केलेला बहाणा. श्रावण म्हणजे आई-बाबांसोबत पावसाळी सहल. मुंबई जवळचा हिरवा गार निसर्ग. हिरवा शालू ओढलेले डोंगर , वाहणारे झरे. आकाशातील इंद्रधनुष्य, उडणारे बगळे. श्रावण म्हणजे शाळेतल्या पावसाच्या कविता. नवीन सौंदर्य दाखवणाऱ्या. कविता लिहिण्यासाठी उत्साह देणाऱ्या. तरल भावना जागवणाऱ्या  श्रावण म्हणजे श्रावणी सोमवार. देवघरातील पूजा. देवळातील गर्दी. प्रसादाची वाटणी. गोडा- धोडाची  देवघेव. मोठ्यांचा  उपास आणि संघ्याकाळी लवकर जेवणं . अळुवडी , पुरी आणि पक्वानं . श्रावण म्हणजे केवढे सगळे सुवास! पावसाने भिजलेल्या ओल्या मातीचा, अगरबत्तीचा, खमंग जेवणाचा.  श्रावण म्हणजे मंगळागौर . रात्री जागरण. खेळ  आणि गप्पा. नटणं मुरडणं . साड्या आणि दागिने.  श्रावण म्हणजे राखी . दादासाठी मिठाई बनवण्याचा नवशिका प्रयत्न. ओवाळणी आणि कौतुक. भावंडांची पुनर्भेट.  आता श्रावण म्हणजे परदेशात येणाऱ्या आठवणी. इंट...

When my feet started walking on the ground you were the one who was around we imitated each other and experimented with sound we played with toys square and round You were with me when the new school was scary we read together about a wizard and a fairy we raced each other to run that lap we performed on the stage to hear people clap we gossiped about boys, we discussed "serious" fashion we planned our future with interest and passion we talked endlessly and we laughed and we cried we ventured new things which we never before tried We are there for each other in smiles and in frowns It has never mattered how far are our towns You always lend a hand in sorrow and in fear I can always count on you when I need some one to share I hope you will be there when the last star twinkles When I will struggle a feeble walk in all my wrinkles  I will still laugh with you when life comes towards end and I will again tell you "t...