Toastmasters Project # 1: Ice Breaker

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Fellow Toastmaster and guests, Good Evening

I am the eldest daughter of Re and Vij Pai. I was born on Valentine’s Day to a happy mother and a disappointed father. My father wanted a son.

My sister was born a year later increasing my father’s disappointment. After a gap of 7 years, my father’s prayers were answered. My brother was born.

Since both my parents were bank employees, my upbringing happened at my maternal grand parents’ house. My grandfather was a freedom fighter. Although he never went to school, he could fix any mechanical device all by himself.

My grandmother was a homemaker. She was a religious lady.

My first beautiful memories of childhood start from here.

As I close my eyes, I see myself running in the small garden outside their house plucking leaves and flowers.

My grandfather hauling me up on the baby seat of his bicycle and drop me to my nursery school. I can still smell the smell of my lunch box packed with hot Rice with Milk. I can still see my BIG class room with its semi-circle shaped wooden mats.

I am among the lucky few who got to study in 8 different schools in a span of 8 years.

After schooling, I did my bachelor degree majoring in computer science from SJR College.

In between school and college, my father had resigned from bank services to open his own restaurant.

This being close to my college proved disastrous. As I entered, boys would welcome me with comments on how little chutney was being served or that the prices were high. Some even suggested that I take them for a free lunch one of the days. How embarrassed I would feel?

Being born on Valentine’s Day, I grew up with the thought that I should marry only for love. I really do not recollect when this thought came to sit firmly in my head – but it did. During my graduation, I was more in love with the thought of falling in love than love itself.

So, when one of my classmates proposed, I was over the moon. I was so happy that I even took to writing poetry and singing those old hindi romantic songs :P

Well, this definitely had an impact on my Pre University Board results. I barely managed to pass with 60%. My dream of studying medicine ended. So did my romance.

I learnt an important lesson – never mix your personal life with your professional career. I decided not to repeat this mistake ever again.

When I was wondering on next steps, a cousin suggested MCA. I took his suggestion and passed out of MCA with distinction.

My first job was with Iflex Solutions.

Now that I was professionally settled, my parents wanted me to marry. I was in a fix. How could I marry someone who I did not know anything about?

One day as I was walking, someone called out to me. I turned to see Sr, my college-mate waving at me. We had not been in touch over the last 3-4 years and to meet after a long time was really good.

Little did I realize that fate had something in store for me? Several months later, over coffee I shared my concerns about marriage with him. He suggested “Why would not anyone marry you? All you have to do is find a person you like and ask him to marry you.” My hasty reaction was “It is easy for you to say. Will YOU marry me?” He laughed and said “YES, ofcourse”. I was shocked. It took sometime for this to sink in. I accepted humbly. May be this was a mistake because even today, he accuses me of tricking him into marrying me :P

Today we are proud parents of 2 naughty but sweet children – Akash and Aditi. Akash is 5 years and Aditi is 8 months old. All my free time gets spent in their company leaving me with no time to pursue my hobbies of Reading, Stained Glass or embroidery.

There were turning points in my life where I had to take decisions. Today, when I look back, may be:

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.