I was planning to write this little something out in time for Kanika's birthday, June 4th. Of course, thanks to Sumukh, everything that I plan runs into 'belated', it was already June 4th by the time I got this post ready for Kanu to read. And then I never got around to publishing it because so much has been happening in life with Sumukh. So here is a belated post about a dear friend:
Kanika Lamba Aggarwal, one of my very good friends & confidante.
What makes us such good friends? The simple fact, that she is everything that I am not. She has all the qualities that I lack, that I admire, that I would love to be but I am not because of my laziness or lack of expertise, lack of attitude, whatever you may call it :)
I always tell Kanika that she & I are like Bree Van De Kamp & Susan Mayer from Desperate Housewives.
Everything Kanika does, has a perfection to it. If Kanika calls you home for tea, you will be served high tea in the best teaware, delicious homemade healthy snacks, everything arranged so perfect in the most tasteful aesthetic manner. She is my dream homemaker, the perfect cook, always experimenting with baking, crochet, knitting, crafting, party ideas, decoration, organization... I walk into her house and find cute handmade knicknacks perched on her side tables, a cute crochet hanging adorning the wall, very thoughtful photos printed out & placed all over her house walls that scream out the love of life, she's just finished knitting a scarf with a pattern that is the latest craze... If you have any doubts on shopping, need reviews on any home appliance, dial Kanika- either she has first hand experience, or knows someone who has the relevant information for you, or she will at least definitely suggest on how best to go about finding a good lead. She is a queen, getting hold of the best quality at the lowest price possible, making her little nest so welcoming and warm for the loves of her life, her big boy (her Mitu) and her little boy (Mitu & Kanu's little heart Nikhil).
Now let me describe myself- the exact opposite of everything I narrated above about Kanika. I am the south Indian girl that is content with my stainless steel 'bartan', I am too confused to set things right, although I admire Kanika's skills, I never took the interest to learn such skills (probably because I know I will never succeed the way she does! :) If Kanika is the Bree Van De Kamp of my life, I am the Susan Mayer in her life.
The bestEST thing Kanika recommended to me, was to watch the documentary Food Matters, it has been life changing, it was the perfect time as I was pregnant and really valued the constant encouragement from her, we have continued it to date, confessing our bad diet moments to each other & sharing our proud clean eating moments. The moment I knew I was pregnant, I walked into Kanika's OB/Gyn's clinic, one of the best OBGs in Jersey City. Most of the critical decisions I needed to make during pregnancy (choosing a doctor, choosing a hospital) were already thoroughly researched by Kanika, I just copied her & enjoyed myself!
You know that popular line on how to recognize good friends, that real good friends are the ones who stick with you through your bad times... Well, in my experience, that is just a tiny bit of the story...
Real good friends are the ones whose attitude towards you doesn't change even if they achieve the best of highs, they stay as warm & welcoming with you. Also, most importantly, they stay just as warm & welcoming, as happy for you, even when they go through the lows of their life.
Kanika & Mitesh are truly made for each other in this respect, because both of them have this amazing quality- being able to smile genuinely for our happiness even when they had struggles in their life. And welcoming us into their joy & sharing it with us even when they achieved the greatest highs. Mitesh has helped each one of our friends with buying a car. In fact, we joke that he deserves sales commission from the car dealer he took all of us to :) And Kanika has cooked the first meals & invited us over, for many of our friends when we moved into St.Pauls.
Kanu, you are special to me for not forgetting me even during your highs, even during your lows. For not looking down on me when you were high, and for looking at me with a genuine smile even when you had your own issues to cope with. The best gift life can offer, is the gift of a friendship. Someone as talented & perfect as you, accepting my muddled self as your friend, shows how down-to-earth & caring you are.
A good friend is not one who has the same thoughts or the same habits & hobbies as you, a good friend is one who lends you a listening ear & gives you the appropriate advice, a fresh perspective, to help you not let your emotions go astray. I have found that support in Kanika, I can speak my heart out even on topics which are absolutely of no interest to her. She is a die-hard homemaker but I know how much I cribbed about my job hunt, CPA exam, office pressure etc with her. Although she never wanted that kind of life, she understood how much it meant to me, and baked me a cupcake when I landed a job :)
Today Kanika & I are mommies to two little boys, we are so engrossed and ever busy with our tempests, there is little time to comfortably keep in touch. We keep exchanging random messages offering each other support during our low-mommy moments and wows during our yay-mommy moments. It is a pleasure for me to read & listen to her stories of her journey with Nikhil, because it reminds me of where I was just a few months ago, it is a reminder to me of how fleeting childhood is as I relive my joys through her experiences.
Krishna & I moved to London, so Sumukh couldn't have the pleasure of sharing play dates with Nikhil.
Do I feel sad about being far away from Kanika? Yes definitely sometimes.
But the distance between hearts is not affected by the distance of geography. Sometimes people grow apart even though they live two blocks away. The only regret I have in relationships, is where hearts grow apart.
Whereas with little Nikhil's mother, moving away from her made me realize even more, how much Kanu & her Mitu meant to us. Mr. & Mrs.Aggarwal were the first friends I made in New Jersey, in Apt.no.6138, when they were just-married, like Krishna & I were. Looking back, I feel like we have 'grown up' together, from being a just-married fun loving couple, to tired exhausted parents, we have done it all :)
The other day Krishna remarked, a wholesome life is not just one with a good career & a stable family, you need good friends and that is something God gifted us with in Jersey City :)
A belated happy birthday to our lovely lady Kanika Lamba Aggarwal!! Mwwwah from Sumukh!
Life goes on, the years will roll on, but the fondness we have in our heart and the best wishes for Papa, Mumma & Baby Aggarwal will always be there!
I didn't want to talk about anything other than Kanika, since this post is supposed to be about her. But here I MUST add, one of the best fairytale moments of my life, was the surprise babyshower that Kanika & Shivangi threw for me. On the eve of my baby shower, these two wonderful ladies walked into my apartment & decorated it, I slept that night with the enthusiasm of a five year old that looks forward to her birthday party! The next day, they had so many surprises lined up for me during the party, I slept that night feeling like a princess living a fairytale! O my God, that was the best party of my life! I lived in a happy trance for several days, feeling like a Disney princess, a very Disney hangover ;)
Kanika Lamba Aggarwal, one of my very good friends & confidante.
What makes us such good friends? The simple fact, that she is everything that I am not. She has all the qualities that I lack, that I admire, that I would love to be but I am not because of my laziness or lack of expertise, lack of attitude, whatever you may call it :)
I always tell Kanika that she & I are like Bree Van De Kamp & Susan Mayer from Desperate Housewives.
Everything Kanika does, has a perfection to it. If Kanika calls you home for tea, you will be served high tea in the best teaware, delicious homemade healthy snacks, everything arranged so perfect in the most tasteful aesthetic manner. She is my dream homemaker, the perfect cook, always experimenting with baking, crochet, knitting, crafting, party ideas, decoration, organization... I walk into her house and find cute handmade knicknacks perched on her side tables, a cute crochet hanging adorning the wall, very thoughtful photos printed out & placed all over her house walls that scream out the love of life, she's just finished knitting a scarf with a pattern that is the latest craze... If you have any doubts on shopping, need reviews on any home appliance, dial Kanika- either she has first hand experience, or knows someone who has the relevant information for you, or she will at least definitely suggest on how best to go about finding a good lead. She is a queen, getting hold of the best quality at the lowest price possible, making her little nest so welcoming and warm for the loves of her life, her big boy (her Mitu) and her little boy (Mitu & Kanu's little heart Nikhil).
Now let me describe myself- the exact opposite of everything I narrated above about Kanika. I am the south Indian girl that is content with my stainless steel 'bartan', I am too confused to set things right, although I admire Kanika's skills, I never took the interest to learn such skills (probably because I know I will never succeed the way she does! :) If Kanika is the Bree Van De Kamp of my life, I am the Susan Mayer in her life.
The bestEST thing Kanika recommended to me, was to watch the documentary Food Matters, it has been life changing, it was the perfect time as I was pregnant and really valued the constant encouragement from her, we have continued it to date, confessing our bad diet moments to each other & sharing our proud clean eating moments. The moment I knew I was pregnant, I walked into Kanika's OB/Gyn's clinic, one of the best OBGs in Jersey City. Most of the critical decisions I needed to make during pregnancy (choosing a doctor, choosing a hospital) were already thoroughly researched by Kanika, I just copied her & enjoyed myself!
You know that popular line on how to recognize good friends, that real good friends are the ones who stick with you through your bad times... Well, in my experience, that is just a tiny bit of the story...
Real good friends are the ones whose attitude towards you doesn't change even if they achieve the best of highs, they stay as warm & welcoming with you. Also, most importantly, they stay just as warm & welcoming, as happy for you, even when they go through the lows of their life.
Kanika & Mitesh are truly made for each other in this respect, because both of them have this amazing quality- being able to smile genuinely for our happiness even when they had struggles in their life. And welcoming us into their joy & sharing it with us even when they achieved the greatest highs. Mitesh has helped each one of our friends with buying a car. In fact, we joke that he deserves sales commission from the car dealer he took all of us to :) And Kanika has cooked the first meals & invited us over, for many of our friends when we moved into St.Pauls.
Kanu, you are special to me for not forgetting me even during your highs, even during your lows. For not looking down on me when you were high, and for looking at me with a genuine smile even when you had your own issues to cope with. The best gift life can offer, is the gift of a friendship. Someone as talented & perfect as you, accepting my muddled self as your friend, shows how down-to-earth & caring you are.
A good friend is not one who has the same thoughts or the same habits & hobbies as you, a good friend is one who lends you a listening ear & gives you the appropriate advice, a fresh perspective, to help you not let your emotions go astray. I have found that support in Kanika, I can speak my heart out even on topics which are absolutely of no interest to her. She is a die-hard homemaker but I know how much I cribbed about my job hunt, CPA exam, office pressure etc with her. Although she never wanted that kind of life, she understood how much it meant to me, and baked me a cupcake when I landed a job :)
Today Kanika & I are mommies to two little boys, we are so engrossed and ever busy with our tempests, there is little time to comfortably keep in touch. We keep exchanging random messages offering each other support during our low-mommy moments and wows during our yay-mommy moments. It is a pleasure for me to read & listen to her stories of her journey with Nikhil, because it reminds me of where I was just a few months ago, it is a reminder to me of how fleeting childhood is as I relive my joys through her experiences.
Krishna & I moved to London, so Sumukh couldn't have the pleasure of sharing play dates with Nikhil.
Do I feel sad about being far away from Kanika? Yes definitely sometimes.
But the distance between hearts is not affected by the distance of geography. Sometimes people grow apart even though they live two blocks away. The only regret I have in relationships, is where hearts grow apart.
Whereas with little Nikhil's mother, moving away from her made me realize even more, how much Kanu & her Mitu meant to us. Mr. & Mrs.Aggarwal were the first friends I made in New Jersey, in Apt.no.6138, when they were just-married, like Krishna & I were. Looking back, I feel like we have 'grown up' together, from being a just-married fun loving couple, to tired exhausted parents, we have done it all :)
The other day Krishna remarked, a wholesome life is not just one with a good career & a stable family, you need good friends and that is something God gifted us with in Jersey City :)
A belated happy birthday to our lovely lady Kanika Lamba Aggarwal!! Mwwwah from Sumukh!
Life goes on, the years will roll on, but the fondness we have in our heart and the best wishes for Papa, Mumma & Baby Aggarwal will always be there!
I didn't want to talk about anything other than Kanika, since this post is supposed to be about her. But here I MUST add, one of the best fairytale moments of my life, was the surprise babyshower that Kanika & Shivangi threw for me. On the eve of my baby shower, these two wonderful ladies walked into my apartment & decorated it, I slept that night with the enthusiasm of a five year old that looks forward to her birthday party! The next day, they had so many surprises lined up for me during the party, I slept that night feeling like a princess living a fairytale! O my God, that was the best party of my life! I lived in a happy trance for several days, feeling like a Disney princess, a very Disney hangover ;)
This such a beautiful explaination on your friend and everyone will like to have a friend like Kanu, Vinny. You are blessed to have one.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely akka, I am blessed, not just for having such relationships, but for realizing it & appreciating it. All of us have positive vibes from well-wishers in our life, this is just an attempt to give thanks for some of those vibes.
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