Sunny Side Up!

"You must have the easiest life in this whole world!", my friend exclaimed over our Lunch!

"Why do you think so?"

"Because, you know, you're always like .. lah di dah.. "

Before I could say anything, the waiter interrupted, "Can I get you anything else?"

"2 Eggs, sunny side up!, Thank you. ". I said.

The eggs arrive!

Oh how gorgeous they looked! two golden Suns shining in a white sky, smiling back at me!

I cut it in two halves , so each of us could eat one of those smiling little suns!

And while cutting my first bite, I said,

"You know, we are all eggs, and life is a process of cooking those eggs! No matter how hard you try, you are going to get burnt! Everybody does! It's your choice what kind of eggs you wanna be!

You can be a scrambled egg, torn apart into pieces with all the life's worries and busy routines.

Or a boiled egg, which curls up in a closed, small space, shying and hiding away from the world.

Or an omelet, which looks wrinkled all over, old and exhausted!

I like to be the Sunny Side Up Egg. Of course it gets burnt on one side, but it still stays so smooth and bright on top. Fried on one side, but radiant and cheerful on top! As if it is smiling away in all it's pain, and that's the way to live!

lah-di-dah ... !!! :) "

And the Bumper-Sticker on my car says ...

I think everyone should get a funny bumper-sticker for their car ..

Ever since I got this, I see smiles and laughs instead of still-faces and frowns through my rear-view mirror. It's a nice feeling to make strangers smile just driving through the streets doing your daily chores.. Not that I bought it thinking of all this, it's just a pleasant side-effect!! :)

Dear Ajji ..

Ajji, (Grandma)
Is there anything I can do to be able to hug you just one more time?
I never really told you how much I loved you..

When I was busy running around in the house, I could see you watching me from the corner of my eye.. perhaps you wanted me to stop for a little while and sit by you.. tell you sweet little things from my world..
I know it wasn't a whole lot that you wanted..
then why didn't I give it?

When I came back home late with lots of colorful shopping bags in my hand, I could see you waiting for me at the door.. perhaps you wanted me to show you all those things one by one, and ask you to choose what looked best on me..
I know it wasn't a whole lot that you wanted..
then why didn't I give it?

When I came to India just for 3 weeks in a year, you would come and stay with us in our house.. perhaps you wished I could reserve at least a one whole day, just for you ...
I know it wasn't a whole lot that you wanted..
then why didn't I give it?

I still loved you Ajji! .. a lot!
Will you tell me once, that you knew it already?

Did I take you for granted?
I never imagined the possibility of the day when you'll go away.. vanish from my world, just like that!
I thought I can sleep resting my head on your lap, any time I wanted.. all my life!
I never knew that there's only so much of you, that I can have in my life..

I am writing this, hoping you will read it some day.. somehow..
and then kiss me on my cheeks, and say "Majhi Chhakuli!" .. like you always did..
Will you?

Majhi Ajji!My dearest Ajji!

The Ugly Duckling!

A friend sent me this message today as a response to some pictures I uploaded on facebook recently.

" Saylee,You are so beautiful. The pictures don't really
make enough justice. just a friendly praise for you :) "

I get a lot of emails from fans and friends praising me about my looks. I send a humble thank you note back with a smiley face and if these emails don't carry any other significant information or feedback, they usually end up in trash. But this particular email churned my thoughts for some reason, maybe because it was unexpected, but it made me think, took me for a ride into my past!

Have you heard the Marathi song - "एका तळ्यात होती, बदके पिले सुरेख?"

It's about this ugly little duckling which suffers abuse and gets mocked and laughed at by it's friends and neighbors. Poor soul is lonely and cries to itself in sorrow, until one fine morning, when much to it's delight and to the surprise of others, it realizes that it is actually a graceful Swan...

I feel like it's my story!

Growing up, I was always told that I was ugly!! They called me all sorts of names, made fun of me and laughed at my expense! Family, friends and even the people who had nothing to do with me....

... and I cried .. all alone, to myself.. nobody cared enough to notice..

Things changed as time passed.. How? When? I don't know! .. something unfolded on it's own!
Now, the same folks praise me .. perceive me differently.. treat me differently ... world seems like a different place to my same set of eyes..

But can I forget?

Was I really ugly then?

And am I really beautiful now?

I remember when I was a child, no matter what they said, I always believed I was beautiful! I was kind to them even when they hurt me. I helped them even when they laughed at me. There were no calculations, no revenges, no acts and no tacts! I cared.. I loved.. I cried for those who cried ..

I think I was a beautiful child! ..

How much of that purity still remains in my soul? I am not sure about now, but I sure was very very beautiful then!

A Shout-out to 3 friends I never met!

So, my latest album is in my mother tongue - "Marathi". I feel so proud of the fact just as I am typing this. :)

The previews coming soon at http://sailee-raje.com/

The Marathi album most likely will be named "Kshan Ek Bhalanyacha..." which means " A moment of Allure...". It's a beautiful and exquisite collection of songs full of Romance and Rain. Most of the songs are the poems my mother wrote long time back. This album was my surprise gift to her. One of the poems "Re Sajana" is by me.

But this post is not about me, but the 3 friends I never met!

There are also 3 other charming poems that were either sent to me as email forwards or found during my random search on the internet.

1. Tuzyatali Mi (Tuzya Saavalit ..)

2. Mi Harapale Re

3. Chimb Chimb Pavasane

Poems were great, neatly typed in Marathi .. the only thing missing was the name of the Poet, their creator! I have been searching for those, but haven't had any luck yet! :(

This blog is a call-out to these 3 poets who unknowingly contributed to the making of this lovely album. I would love to meet them. For me, they are my buddies already! It will be a pleasure to also add a credit to them in the album in the future reprints of the CD... Only if could I know who they are!!

If anybody can help me trace these folks, I would be truly grateful!!