My son comes back from school at 1:15 pm. The AC school bus drops him just in front of my society building. Y’day I went to pick him up and on way back home, I saw a baby, barely 2-3 months old sleeping on the roadside pavement. It was sooooo freaking hot and such small baby wrapped in a thin sheet was lying under a tree shade. I got terrified and gave panic look to her mum who was sitting beside the baby with other two kids. I asked her “itne chhote bacche ki aise kyo litaya hai, bahut garmi hai, loo lag jayegi (Why have u made such small baby lying in such heat. She may get heat stroke)”
She gave me a puzzled and faint smile and said, “madamji, gareebon ke bachhe to aise hi palte hain.(Madam, kids of poor parents are raised like this only)”

ज़िंदगी का मतलब – जब मैं और तुम साथ बैठे एक-दूसरे की आँखो से मन का संगीत सुना करते थे….
ज़िंदगी का मतलब – जब तुमने मेरी 22वी सालगिरह पर स्व-रचित 22 कविताएँ गिफ्ट की थी…
ज़िंदगी का मतलब – वो शाम जब Bangalore के ring road पर santro में घूमते हुए तुमने कहा था ‘these are the best days of my life’
ज़िंदगी का मतलब – सर्जरी के बाद बेहोशी में भी मेरा तुम्हे तुम्हारे ‘pet’ name से बुलाना

zindagi ka matlab jab main aur tum saath baithe ek-dusre ki aankho se mann ka sangeet suna karte the….
zindagi ka matlab jab tumne meri 22wi saalgirah per swa-rachit 22 kavitaayen gift ki thi…
zindagi ka matlab wo shaam jab blore ke ring rd per santro mein ghumte hue tumne kaha tha ‘these r the best days of my life’
zindagi ka matlab surgery ke baad behoshi mein bhi mera tumhe tumhare ‘pet’ name se bulana