The Beginning - My Workout Saga.

My Workout Saga...
May 25, 2016

Ladies n Gentlemen... here I present my personal trainer.. 27yr old Chris Schneider from RC Gym... He is a very patient, very shy, modest fellow but very intense on his job... sometimes I have to remind him that I am his mom's age so he should reduce my punishment by even a quarter atleast? I often remind him that he would loose his income if I die on the elliptical.. ha ha..but he is relentless..!! Jokes aside.. he is a sweetheart and very patient.. its sheerly my fault the results don't show on me as it should.. yeah blame the bread n icecreams.. but he did make Meena B. loose 35lbs in 7 months and me 25lbs in 12 months. Not bad yeah?

          Well, I have been thinking of writing this article for some time because of what I was forced to learn from this boy of mine.. yes I am his self-appointed “Cedar Rapids Mom”.

          He opens the gym at 5am so he is up before 4am and in bed latest by 8:30pm.. a 27yr old bachelor.. I was reminded of the 2am walk to 7eleven for a hotdog in the SMU campus on those whole-nighter research at that age.. a complete nocturnal schedule. I have been trying to metamorphose in to this early bird schedule for the past 17 yrs. Even now a good late night movie followed by a night cuppa can easily make the clock hands go past 2am.. !!  So when I go to train with him at 10:30am he had already finished his lunch..!! He is a constant reminder to me of what discipline is.

          Our sessions are a lot of fun.. We exchange happenings, upcoming weekend plans, philosophy of life,  new projects to try etc. I learnt that even in parties he avoids all unhealthy foods and if he has ice cream.. just 1 scoop.!!!!!. and yes he looks like this and he is 27yrs…. Talk about discipline..Man..!!!.. No wonder one of his mentee became the employee of the month.. She had lost 100lbs under his training..!! Moral of the story.. One cannot be an effective teacher unless one practices his/her own preachings.

          Since I started this exercise routine, I don’t know what mountain-load of bad-karma I had done in my past life/lives… I have been getting plagued with one trouble and the other.. bronchitis, back pain, knee pain, gastritis, gastro problem, thyroid, inflammation arthritis, you name it I had it.. So I am forced to skip lessons… but Chris never gives up on me… he is an embodiment of patience. Always encouraging.. always meeting with a smile, lauding the fact that I showed up.. yeah.!! .. training different muscle groups avoiding the problematic ones.. always a total body workout…  with me always leaving with a happy feeling that being there has been a worthwhile accomplishment..

          Nowadays I see FB often flooded with muscle flexing pictures of achievement more-often bordering on narcissism. Of course the attires are purposefully worn to showcase the taut glistening flesh which is supposed to serve as an inspiration. Chris is never seen in sleeveless Tshirts. He runs 36hrs races, triathalons etc.. There are no certificates on his desks, no trophies, no pictures.  So I asked my boy, ‘ How come being a physical trainer you don’t showcase your achievements atleast some pictures or certificates?’ His answer was so startling: “ Nah, I am not that kind. I do not like to brag or showoff. ” Sure enough, Holy Mother had always talked about modesty (in attire as well as in behavior) and since She is the Universal mother its applicable for all human beings. I realized, though this fellow is so shy and modest in his self-advertisement –field of work, yet because of his virtues, Holy Mother is providing him with a constant flux of satisfied clients. Virtues always pay off.

          We glorify the astronauts, actors n actresses, players, who’s who s.. but even in our day-to-day life there are so many heroes exhibiting lessons worth learning in their quiet, simple, humble ways .. It fascinates me and I conclude this musing with an eager anticipation of a fun workout this coming Thursday…!

Thanks Chris… God Bless you my boy..!

A Story of LOVE - Mother’s Day – Part 1

May 31, 2015; 11:30am:    Just a usual Sunday with Tirthankar happily chatting with my mom on the phone, catching up with all the news from both sides of the world in details. Yes, my mom and her son-in-law were greatest pals. After an intense 45 mins of chatting, both sides hung up completely satisfied. No, I was just listening-in busy with my housework… I never got on the phone.  I was still cleaning the living room floors, my weekly routine; when the phone call came around 2pm. My sister was calling from Kolkata, India- my mother had a heart attack. After a benumbed 30mins..  another call from my niece .. mom is gone forever..! She had breathed her last in my sister’s arms in front of the shrine of Damodarlal whom she had served so lovingly everyday for almost 40yrs.

            I could leave only on Monday, June8th, 2015 by an early morning flight to participate in the last rites. Everyone was stunned and friends, well-wishers all flocked with their heartfelt condolences.

           On Friday, June 5^th, 2015 around 11am I get a call from Enanga Daisy Fale: “ Hi, How are you? Can I stop by?” I was preparing to receive our guest arriving at 2:30pm that very Friday, for a spiritual retreat that weekend that was arranged months ago (yeah talk about timing!)… So I asked “Sure Enanga, where are you? When would you like to come?” She answered: “ Oh I am close to your neighbourhood..!!!” I was shocked.. and said..” Of course, come on baby, you can come anytime.” Enanga is my CR daughter since our FMS days in RockwellCollins. …. And she zooms right in and gives me “the HUG”.

           Enanga  was working for UT at Rockford,IL which is about 3+hrs drive from Sarada Cottage.  So, I offer her something to eat for she is too polite to ask/inconvenience her mother… and of course I bombard her with questions like: “So, how come you are here in Cedar Rapids on a working day? Are you here for SWE meeting? What’s going on with your life? Etc etc..”..

Enanga just shakes her head and says casually: “ No, I came to see you, to give you a hug before you left for India..”
          In utter disbelief I echo:" You drove 3+hrs to give me a hug before I left for India on a working day?" With a casual shrug while munching away: "umm, anhanh.." was the reply..

          After a stunned silence I asked: “ So where are you going now? Why don’t you stay back like you do?” She again shakes her head : “No, I have to head back to attend another appointment at 9pm in Rockford, tonight.”

          Now people have started to trickle in for the retreat and she gets up ready to leave. The whole week had passed in a haze and food-n-grocery was the last thing we gave importance to. So madly I scramble to find something maybe fruits (apples I think) and I ran after her to put it in the car before she pulled away.. Gratefully she says: “Oh thank you.. this has been the first meal of the day.. I just made the decision to see you before you left and rushed out.. didn’t have time for breakfast or lunch in the hurry..!”

          In the bright blazing afternoon sun I dimly saw the white Lexus pull away from the drive.