Today I rode my Sunny to Broadway and back. It was my maiden voyage in the deep dark waters of traffic and crowds and I have my daughter Shloka to thank for it. She was my inspiration and cheerleader rolled into one major motivating force, a force to be reckoned with. I have been riding my sunny zip scooty in and around our colony for nearly 3 years now, but didn’t have the courage to cross the Thevara bridge and go into town.

Today, I had to go to Broadway market to make a purchase and as usual I decided to go by an auto rickshaw. But she put her foot down and goaded me into taking the sunny to the market. I agreed albeit reluctantly. The moment I reached the bridge I started thinking, was I making a mistake? An astrologer has predicted a major road accident in my future; I have been warned to be very careful. All these thoughts crossed my mind and I almost turned back. Turning back was an option open to me according to Shloka. She said "The moment you feel you cannot go any further we’ll turn back." Since there was a backup plan, I didn’t panic. Being a true Capricorn I plodded along, slowly but sure-footedly and painstakingly towards my destination.

I had been thinking about going to town on my own riding my sunny but had always backed out at the last minute. I needed that extra push, that nudge in the right direction, the right kind of encouragement. I think everybody needs a Shloka in their lives to make their lives richer, fuller and better. I am grateful to her for being my muse/guide. ‘Thinking about taking that first step is always the best thing to do. Once you take that first step, there’s no stopping you’ I have become a firm believer of this philosophy & I endorse it.

My first words to my darling daughter on our return home were "Thank you for giving me wings. Now I’m free to go anywhere." I was afraid to take that first step but courage has evicted fear out of my life. Life is beautiful and precious. Why should we waste even a second thinking about what will happen in the next six months or one year? We lose precious moments worrying about a time that might or might not come.