Where did my sweet child go? Who is this stranger?
Adolescence– a period of stress and storm. A time of tremendous change and emotional upheaval. A time when your child becomes unrecognizable. Why is this happening? Is there anything I can do about it? Yes you can!
Join me as I talk with counselor and family therapist Deepika Pawar, and find answers to all your questions and solutions that make sense!
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Many of us lived too long in the slums of our mistakes. We lived in a gated community, that in the beginning, appeared to be both exciting and appealing. We roamed about freely in the fog of its deception, oblivious to the cost that it would eventually extract. In our false sense of euphoric meanderings, we stumbled over our broken promises, inflicted pain, and became burdens to those we professed to love. We abused ourselves and others and continued down a dangerous road without as much as a quick glance in the rearview mirror. We hardly noticed the retreating exits as they slammed shut behind us. Until that is, we were sealed in. Suddenly we found ourselves gridlocked, flailing about in our own crap.
Some of us searched endlessly for an escape route. We considered a variety of ways out. There seemed to be many options. Paths marked: You can do it alone; drink only on weekends, switch substances; only drink at home. Some of us traveled down each and every road but to no avail. It wasn’t until we were exhausted and beaten to a pulp that we saw off in the distance, a small crack in what had become our prison. It was just around the corner from the very last signpost. Unlike the others, it offered no excuses, led not to easy fixes, nor did it minimize the situation. It simply read recovery and attached to it was a key to unlock the gate.
For those of us who were willing to dump our false pride, box up our misery, and leave it behind in yesterday’s ruins, a new journey began. The road was less rocky, the scenery was paved with petals of hope, and we were never alone. Those who had traveled it before dotted each and every turn with outstretched hands and giving hearts. The journey is not a means to an end, but rather a never-ending path to enrichment that gets better and better, one day at a time.
Once clean and sober, we learn that in recovery we can participate in creating a brand new environment; one specifically designed to lift us out of the mire of our past and point us in a new direction. Suddenly, we discover that we have choices. A new future is spread out before us like pieces of a puzzle waiting to be fitted into the framework of our willingness to move forward.
Who would have guessed that we could move into a new neighborhood chock full of hope and promise?
Podcast: A Cup of Chai Short Story 1/2
Your wait is over!
Presenting Part 2/2 (concluding part) of A Cup of Chai!
This short story was published in my newest book Under the Shade of the Banyan Tree.
Roma, is a recently married young Indian woman, who arrives in the United States. This story is about some of her experiences. Please do check it out. And check out the book too.
A Cup of Chai- Part 2 of 2
The podcast is available on multiple platforms such as Anchor.fm;Breaker; RadioPublic and others.
Please listen, follow and subscribe. You can leave your thoughts here or at any of my social media sites.
Check out my books HERE.
Find links to my social media sites here: https://simikrao.carrd.co/
Hi friends!
I’m trying something new here– narrating one of my stories.
A Cup of Chai—This short story was published in my newest book Under the Shade of the Banyan Tree.
Roma, is a recently married young Indian woman, who arrives in the United States. This story is about some of her experiences. Please do check it out. And check out the book too.
A Cup of Chai- Part 1 of 2.
The podcast is available on multiple platforms such as Anchor.fm;Breaker; RadioPublic and others.
Please listen, follow and subscribe. You can leave your thoughts here or at any of my social media sites.
Check out my books HERE.
Find links to my social media sites here: https://simikrao.carrd.co/
Chana masala served with naan
Who hasn’t heard of Chana Masala (chickpea curry). It’s everyone’s favorite. We don’t fail to order it when we go to the Indian restaurant even though we can easily make it at home. It’s not just delicious but it is also healthy and Vegan! What else could you want?!
So we decided to make some chana masala at home. This is our own recipe. You can try it too. It’s easy!
Most of the ingredients are easily available– the spices are available in Indian stores. The quantities/measurements are essentially estimates. They can be varied depending on taste etc.
She lay in her bed unable to sleep yet again, but this time for a different reason; Khanak was excited! She was impressed by how Shaan had come through on his word and so quickly and efficiently had got both their families on the same page. He was as he said a man of action, not just words. Things had happened in such rapid succession, she felt as if she needed to pause to catch her breath but then he always had that effect on her. She blushed with embarrassment and hid her head in the pillow, when she recalled the lessons he had planned for her. The funny part was, she knew exactly what he meant thanks to her education but was a novice when it came to the actual experience. It frightened and excited her at the same time. She closed her eyes tightly trying to wish away the images forming in her mind’s eye. It was to no avail.
Rituals, especially for those of us in recovery, can impact the quality of our sobriety. Established early on, mine has remained basically the same throughout the years. They require minimal effort on my part and include prayer and reading my daily meditations. They are my number one priority every morning. No matter how lackadaisical I might be in other areas of my life; no matter what kind of a mood I wake in, or no matter that I might be running late, I rarely leave the peace and quiet of my home without taking the time to gear up for the day ahead.
Poinsettias in rain by Simi K. Rao
Drenched in refreshing moisture, earth bursts into colorful melody-
Simi K. Rao
Monsoon in India is a special time. The overcast black skies, the drumroll of thunder, invoke the thrill of anticipation in the thirsty heart. This is then fulfilled by the downpour. And what a downpour it is!
Extending from June- September, the monsoon brings welcome relief from the stifling heat of the summer. The happiness is visible not just on the faces of the citizens but also on the parched earth– the fragrance of the soil, the blossoming of the vegetation, the songs of the cuckoo, the dance of the peacock.
Hi friends!
Announcing my podcast- HealthWise and Author Talk with Simi K. Rao. It’s another way I’d like to connect with my readers, have some in depth discussions about my books and medicine and more!
In the first episode I talk about my journey as a writer and a physician and I share my personal experience taking care of patients with COVID 19. Hope you will like it.
The podcast is available on multiple platforms such as Anchor.fm; Spotify;Breaker; RadioPublic and others.
Please listen, follow and subscribe. You can leave your thoughts here or at any of my social media sites.
Spotify:
Please read the associated blog posts mentioned in this podcast: An Unprecedented Time and COVID 19- an overview.
Links to all my social media sites can be found here: simikrao.carrd.co
I was handed a toolbox to build a new life
A gift freely given to alleviate strife
It contained all I needed to repair and reclaim
A flickering spirit in search of a flame.
How many tools do you have in your toolbox? Is it time to add a few more?
In the beginning, I depended on just three essentials to lay my foundation: Meetings, sponsorship, and the twelve steps.
The meetings were the brick and mortar that gave me a sure footing in order to navigate the peaks and valleys that stretched ahead. They provided a temporary shelter that housed a support system, where my equilibrium could be restored. Inside the rooms of AA, reconstruction was soon underway. Old ideas and beliefs that tethered me to my distorted view about the disease of alcoholism were swiftly replaced by new concepts, ones that promised hope instead of damnation. I learned that recovery, once I had put the drink down would be a choice available even to me. All I had to do was keep coming back and listen to folks who shared with me, the heartache of their addiction, and more importantly the miracle of their recovery.