Gotta Catch them All

Like any end-of-year reflections, this year has had several eventful moments to fill my memory bank - adding baby A to our family tree, Sr. A becoming US citizen, team Acumen wearing new hats and strangely, the rage that one has seen with Pokémon Go. 

If you have even remotely come across a Pokémon fan, you would know the rage it created especially over the summer with its app apart from its very existence to gamers alike. For me, this was introduced by my six-year old K who is a huge fan of the Japanese cartoon. 

The premise of this series is these Pokémon creatures (over 200 of them and perhaps still growing) habe a range of special powers. Main role for them is to battle against other creatures based on the command from their respective trainers. What makes them unique in their existence is the evolution into new forms and with new names. For e.g., there is a Pichu who evolves into Pikachu and then into another form Raichu. Each evolution gives them an inner strength and more powers.

This very nature of evolution to me is most striking! So many parallels to be drawn from it especially when we reminisce the year -  the way we continue to play different (new?) roles (aka forms), the way many of us aspire for new skills, and several of who are drawn to higher form of being. I wish I knew details about the process these Pokémons go through - for instance, the relationship they share with their trainer, the challenges they face in taking new forms and what happens if they fail their battles. 

For now, I will spare myself (and you) of getting more spiritual than this and stick to the fact that I am inspired by the overall nature of evolution that these Pokémons go through. With the new year comes an opportunity to explore new forms; a chance to engage in habits that could lead to new forms; to engage in trainer connections. Overall, really just remind myself constantly of creating opportunities for myself. If I don't then the flip side is I won't evolve. So as 2017 unfolds, here's to an intersection of Pokémon meeting the new year and a chance to "gotta catch them all!"

Happy new year!

Stronger Together America

Eight years ago, this time, one of my blogs captured the essence of 'yes we can' in its glory form! That day still echoes in my memory amidst all that has changed over the years (for one, I haven't written in a while and two, I am now a mom of two boys but that is for another day). 

With a polling center across from our home, it feels unsettling to think about the possible outcome of election.



And then I have my 6-year old who recently came home from school and commented on how one of the candidates calls all women 'pigs'. So as a mom of two boys, it naturally makes me wonder how much this election would impact their growing-up years. If anything, what this election has taught me as a parent is to ensure the kind of upbringing I should offer them:

- that first and foremost, they will both learn to respect women;
- that there will be 'consequences' otherwise;
- that they associate responsibility that comes with the power to lead; and
- that they eventually would understand the importance of good governance.

In many ways, I have faith that the realism we see today in social media, news channels, movies and more make us come to terms with where we are and that itself would force us towards a brighter future.

So as this nation comes together once again for a moment of change, I hope that the fundamental truth behind the "American Dream" remains intact for all irrespective of our race, religion and origin.

Here's to yet another "Yes We Can" moment America!