From last post of Manali to here - life has transpired.
My wife gave birth to our son Mehtab on January 20th 2025. A whirlwind journey from the impending checkups, building up to the D-Day combined with the anxiety of when and how it will happen - to it finally happening. When things did finally roll, everything just lined up one after the other and the process was as smooth as it possibly could be, for both mother and son.
My mother and I, saw him the first time and the boy was fully alert and active - upholding his arms in air, blinking eyes and twitching toe fingers. Thereafter, was a flurry of calls and visits from near and dear ones - quite a happy environment needless to say that the event turned out to be quite a sieve, filtering out the actual near and dear ones from the presumed ones. Regardless, it was a happy time.
After immediate supportive care by my mother, we reached home on Feb 8th thereby starting the process of life getting back to its routine with a new member imbibed in.
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Sleepless nights, learning patience and Mehtab growing on all of us has been the prominent order of life lately and I am happy it is so. While my mind is unable to imagine any futuristic scenarios when it comes to Mehtab, I am just taking it by the day. His sisters - Reshman and Noreen have been a terrific support and as I said earlier, the brother is growing on his sisters as well. Quite a journey it is to see him develop as he completes his two months this day - thankful for the opportunity to live it.
As I compose my thoughts on this early morning in Leh, I am thankful for this life. Work has been supportive during this phase of time and there is a renewed sense of happiness, unlike anything I have experience before. Here in Leh since day before, went to Nubra Valley for work yesterday and it was a trip across the famed Khardung-La Pass after 17 long years. My first bike ride with Col. Raina and party in the year 2008 was when I first traversed these roads and needless to say, there is a sea change between then and now. Nubra Valley was not even 5% of what it is today as human habitation has spread far and wide. The administration now allows civilians to go upto the Siachen War Memorial based at Siachen base camp - a solid one way 5 hour hop from Leh.
It's on my to do list and Inshallah you shall read a post about it soon, until then - Allah Hafiz
Khardung-La Pass 2025 |