tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42599894460847081542024-02-20T17:59:31.766-08:00A Safe HarbourA Blog where I share my thoughts and photographs on current events, travel, short stories and contemporary issues.Would love to have stop by and tell me what you think.Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.comBlogger454125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-7693203328178201812023-01-10T01:36:00.001-08:002023-01-10T01:36:45.367-08:00Revsiting the Euthanasia debateIt's a very difficult time for the family of a terminally ill patient under any circumstances, and it is even more difficult if that same family is called upon by doctors attending on the patient to take the final call on whether the patient should be allowed to continue suffering or take the option of letting that patient go- slowly but surely..All these thoughts as well as so many others Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-22195509735093010972022-03-07T22:53:00.001-08:002022-03-07T22:53:21.027-08:00The Turning Point, A Short StoryNitin and Varsha were invited to Sulekha's birthday party.Sulekha was Varsha's 'forever' best friend and the party was something that was bound to be a fun affair. Starting off as a leisurely lunch on a Sunday, it was meant to progress on to tea and who knew, the possibility of the cocktail hour loomed large as an exciting prospect as well.But things don't really change very much and &Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-13193147712393169992020-11-16T23:57:00.002-08:002020-11-16T23:57:58.289-08:00Sheer Coincidence or Divine intervention?Say you decide to take the Shatabdi Express from New Delhi station to Chandigarh, something that you've done at least a hundred times earlier.But this time, there's a real difference. For just after you've boarded the train and reach out for your wallet to pay the coolie, you realise that you've been pick pocketed.Far more important than the money you've lost are your ID cards, particularly thoseSunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-50238556978300121842020-10-30T02:56:00.008-07:002020-10-30T09:20:13.183-07:00Mummy, my brave and beautiful guardian angelIt was May 77 and a hot summer afternoon in New Delhi. After finishing her Yoga session at the Vishwayatan Yogashram directly opposite Bangla Saheb Gurudwara, a poised young lady was walking briskly, keen to reach home at the earliest.Just as she crossed the road, she heard a girl’s shrill voice, “Chhodo, Chhodo, Mujhe”( let me go)There was a note of terror in the girl’s voice and as she came Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-50348617760770790022018-10-03T02:15:00.000-07:002018-10-03T02:15:17.714-07:00What are best memories really made of?
Today, I spent some time looking at some old photographs.
Correction, they were not really 'old 'photographs, but they date back to just about four or five years ago.
And what I saw saddened me a great deal. Because many of the people, including both my parents, in those photographs were no more. In particular, those who were in their seventies then (I counted at least six Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-91345469458150351512018-09-10T21:45:00.000-07:002018-09-10T21:45:05.322-07:00Thoughts on Friends
Like many of us I love the thought of having friends-Truly something warm and comforting.
And have thanked God and my good fortune for the many good friends I've had as I've gone along life's journey.
The fact of the matter is that we can only really grow and flourish when we have the love and support of our friends who truly care. Care enough to tell us straight up when we happen toSunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-2185769152001988832018-07-22T10:52:00.001-07:002018-07-22T19:05:09.545-07:00Remembering my father- Sardar Harnam Singh Serna
My father-April 2018
My father Sardar Harnam Singh Serna left us on 14th of July 2018. It had been raining heavily almost all of the previous day, Friday, the 13th of July and with a distinct sense of foreboding, I just didn't want to go back home- all I wanted to do was stay at the hospital where he had been admitted for the last 4 days. As it happened that night passed and we Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-56952876207138137122018-05-12T08:29:00.002-07:002018-05-12T08:29:21.886-07:00Remembering Mummy on Mothers Day
"A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take."
( Cardinal Meymillod)
For those of you who have been following my blog, you know that I lost my beautiful mother Satinder on 17th October 2017 and life has never been the same since.
Every day, I realise, more and more, how much she shaped so many different aspects of my life and along with Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-55697947393330205122018-04-10T22:49:00.002-07:002018-04-10T22:49:42.669-07:00'Today' - the best day of your life
How many times have you found yourself thinking, "Oh, its all right, I'll do it tomorrow."
And I'm positive that its many, many, many times in one day.
But here's the thought that popped into my head and one that refuses to go away.
'Today' is the best day of the rest of your life, so if you can do that one thing thing today, make sure you do it.
And doSunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-18901979082735486772018-02-19T00:32:00.001-08:002021-03-24T02:11:57.628-07:00The Colour Red-A Short Story
There was a time when we were the best of friends.
In fact the word that comes to mind was 'inseparable'.
Rudra and I did everything together. We were born just five days apart -
on the 2nd and 7th of September 1985 with me being the older cousin.
Oh I forgot to mention that our fathers Uday and Pratap Singh were twins
and our mothers Ruhina and Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-30493549541850705162018-01-01T04:14:00.000-08:002018-01-01T22:15:39.531-08:00 2018 and a new phase of my life - After Mummy
I look at my life as distinctly having two parts.
'With' Mummy and 'After' Mummy.
My mother, Satinder Serna
I know it may be hard for some people to understand the logic behind these words but it really is so very simple.
I was a different person when my mother was alive and I feel like a completely different person after she has left us.
There is a hole in my Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-72005770568246223782017-11-17T03:31:00.000-08:002017-11-17T21:10:51.359-08:00On Mummy - A month later
With Mummy and Pop- Nov 2014Its the 17th of November and a month since Mummy left us. A month in which I've tried everything possible to deal with the grief that has followed- succeeding sometimes but failing more often. The tears can and will come anytime -It could be while having a cup of 'elaichi' tea, looking at my phone at 730 pm,desperately hoping that it will ring and theSunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-54683820696145770682017-10-30T10:00:00.002-07:002017-10-30T23:30:44.893-07:00Mummy -Our very own Guardian Angel
Mummy and me- March 2015
Mummy left us two weeks ago and with that life changed forever.
Grief lies coiled like a snake at the pit of my stomach and rears its head at any point of the day or night.
I try to control it momentarily, and succeed at times. But mostly fail as it works it's way up into my head and then spills out of my eyes.
I cry until it has passed, then Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-11658741379100514132017-09-17T01:37:00.001-07:002017-09-17T01:37:19.147-07:00Air Marshal Arjan Singh and memories of how my father inspired my love of storytelling, reading and writing
Arjan Singh, Marshal of the Indian Air Force
( IAF) and India's oldest, five-star ranked air force officer, died at 7.47pm on Saturday after suffering a heart attack. He was 98.
After hearing this news, a flood of memories welled up and this is a particularly relevant piece that I would like to share with all of you again.
Ever since people began to communicate with Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-11856927803489112282017-07-18T01:50:00.000-07:002017-08-25T07:48:11.041-07:00A Passion for Photography
Someone once famously said, ”A picture speaks more than a thousand words and I couldn’t agree more! In the last couple of years I find that photography has grown from a mere hobby to an all consuming passion and I clearly realize that some of my happiest moments are those when I am looking through the lens of my camera. And if I was to stretch that logic just a little bit Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-19805663016068129642017-07-11T22:13:00.000-07:002017-07-12T06:59:04.266-07:00The Turning Point- A short story
Nitin and Varsha were invited to Sulekha's birthday party.
Sulekha was Varsha's 'forever' best friend and the party was something that was bound to be a fun affair. Starting off as a leisurely lunch on a Sunday, it was meant to progress on to tea and who knew, the possibility of the cocktail hour loomed large as an exciting prospect as well.
But things don't really change very much Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-19794433483226802802017-07-10T00:08:00.001-07:002017-07-10T00:18:29.720-07:00Real life experiences in a world of contrasts
The mind wanders and various thoughts come and go. Some which register more than others. In which case, I try to put them down, before they go away. So here’s something which I observed during one of my evening walks.
We have a very large and well reputed Polyclinic in our complex offering a wide range of medical treatments and facilities. People of all age groups
(mostly Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-14899796911749684122017-07-07T00:29:00.001-07:002017-07-07T00:33:13.442-07:00The grey Lladro Vase
Crash… went the sound and my heart leapt into my mouth.
The cleaner was at work and I knew what I’d always feared had happened. I also knew exactly what had been broken, for there was that particular sound that indicated the breaking of exquisitely delicate glass.
I made my way to our passage, which was where the sound had emanated from, trying not to look as panic strickenSunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-19687315221383398732017-07-04T02:23:00.001-07:002017-07-04T02:53:04.557-07:00 Magnificent Prague, an unforgettable visit- my You Tube video
The iconic Charles Bridge, the stunning and legendary Prague Castle which thrives on the legend of Golem and so much more, our daily walks in the old town square, the midnight
( and really scary) ghost tour, the trip to the Jewish quarter which brought a lump to my throat.
The food, the flowers, the smells, the glorious weather and most of all, the superb architecture of Prague madeSunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-24085883866585107722017-07-01T22:34:00.001-07:002017-07-01T22:34:24.945-07:00Monsoon Magic
Waking up to this
The last fortnight in Delhi/NCR has been hard to bear on some days. With temperatures soaring to over 46 C its not difficult to imagine how daily life is impacted.
The weather man promised some rain but who knew how things would pan out.
Then this morning we woke up to this..
When a morning walk becomes a pleasureThe sweet smell of rain and soil Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-1114511178369096112017-06-22T02:42:00.000-07:002017-06-22T02:42:04.116-07:00Tales Of fathers and children-Tell me a story
Ever since people began to communicate with each other, "Tell me a story" has been a request of both children and adults. For there is something absolutely fascinating about sitting around and listening to words which come out of someone else’s mouth and trying to put picture associations to those same words. Then finding oneself transported into a the fantasy land which might comprise Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-77012073585755718672017-03-02T23:40:00.003-08:002017-06-22T02:25:06.270-07:00 The Berger Express Indi Blogger Meet, Delhi, Fun with paints and a whole lot of learning
All roads led to the Taj By Vivanta, last Saturday, the 25th of February as the eagerly anticipated Berger Express Indi- Blogger meet was scheduled to be held at the venue and I was one of the participants.
At the very outset, let me say that it was a day filled with fun, paints and a whole lot of learning. The icing on my cake- being a part of the winning team when our painting on the Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-61253168878838798252017-01-30T03:23:00.002-08:002017-01-30T03:33:12.543-08:00What if? Some random thoughts
1.What if Thomas Alva Edison hadn't invented the electric bulb? Would I be sitting at my computer today, and writing this? Or would there have been some other way, some other person perhaps, who would have invented something similar, and I would be doing this anyway?
( Image source-Google)
2. What if there was no chocolate?(!?)
3. What if I could close my eyes, visualise Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-49885464816924498492017-01-12T00:00:00.003-08:002017-01-12T00:00:46.273-08:00The Magic of Photo Apps
Let's say that I ordered a cup of coffee at my favourite coffee shop last week. If I know one thing about the coffee at that place, is that it's always spot on and made exactly the way that I like it - hot, very strong and with a nice design drawn on its surface. But this time it was even better, for it had a ‘smiley face’ on it.
So of course the lure of clicking it Sunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259989446084708154.post-7186169171521797412016-12-26T06:18:00.001-08:002016-12-26T07:26:06.129-08:00The magic of Hauz Khaz fort, New Delhi
" Where journeys end, stories begin".
As a student of History in college followed by Mass Communications as a post graduate subject, I firmly believe in this beautiful and intriguing phrase. And from the time I actually started writing fiction as a novelist, I've had a wonderful opportunity to have free reign over each of the characters, places and situations that I've first created inSunaina Serna Ahluwaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02730395725911184774noreply@blogger.com0