Chumi Lakshmi

As I wore my formal coat for the third time today in the last 7 weeks, I couldn’t help but wonder how different God’s plans are from our own plans. When my husband picked out this coat for me in Thailand a few months ago, I protested. Why would I need a formal coat when I’ve got no needs for it for as long as I am here? And I surely didn’t see the necessity for it in a hot country. How ironic is it to buy a formal coat in a tropical country to be worn in another tropical country. But my husband insisted just because it fitted me well. He eventually won. When there was a need for me to dress up in formal attire for the first time 7 weeks ago ever since landing here 8 months ago, I had a coat in my wardrobe, all thanks to my husband. I was asked to coordinate and speak to about 100 national and international audiences. I was ready with the formal attire on that day, but I was the least bit ready with what I should be talking about, and yet, many complimented that I did a good job on...

Internet-less nights become sleepless nights. As I was searching for some songs on my phone to give me company to go to sleep tonight, I realized I only had one song stored in my phone, unlike in my laptop or in YouTube. That one song didn’t help me to sleep; it only got me thinking even more. It’s a song written in Tamil by some young youths whose testimonies I am uncertain about. All I know is that they wrote this song in times of adversity in their lives and families. In phases of such hardship, they chose to praise their creator and maker, acknowledging that God is all-powerful and mighty, that he is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings, and that all the earth should sing of His praises because His goodness is uncountable. I’ve regularly heard people say, God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. It’s become a common term that sometimes we don’t stop to think the depth of such a term. I myself have said it many times, without realizing its genuine truth....

Throughout my lifetime, I’ve been known by several names, nicknames included; Chumi, Lakshmi, potato baby, Lucky, pint size, bulb nose, gunda. I am particularly very fond of Chumi and Lakshmi. Unlike the nicknames that speak for themselves, Chumi and Lakshmi depict who I am.   Family and friends who know me as Chumi, know that I like chinese food, I love my bubble teas, I’m lazy and laid back whenever I can. Official acquaintances will tell you that Lakshmi means business and will get what she wants regardless of the circumstances. While I was in school, Chumi and Lakshmi were two distinct personalities in me. Those who know Chumi will not know Lakshmi and vice versa. Off late however, both the personalities have merged to become Chumi Lakshmi. If you give me a chance, I’ll show you that Chumi Lakshmi is an achiever. I’ve been the man of my house for over 2 decades, and I couldn’t be any more proud of it even if you think I’m too bossy for a girl. Regardless of fussy...

As the rest of the family and I were wishing one of my aunt’s for her birthday on the family WhatsApp group today, one of them asked what presents she got from the husband and son. To which she said her husband himself is a gift. Well done on being noble mami. Too bad the rest of the world is not like that. My response to that was spontaneous, not that it would have been any different even if I thought first before speaking. What more could you expect from someone like me other than to have my way in it. Pls don’t spoil the market for the rest of the world, especially me. Here I am, 2 weeks after my birthday, still holding on to my husband’s amazon log in and adding things to his wish list which will ultimately head over to the order basket, while short listing the list of things I could possibly ask my mother as my birthday present. I genuinely started thinking why is it that I’m so obsessed with presents. I don’t remember when I first started this, but all I know is that...

 When my alarm woke me up at 7am yesterday morning, it was a reminder that I had made plans to go to a new place that morning and I was going to spend sometime with my G’ma after. I had hundreds of reasons to not go out that morning. I slept late, I was tired, it was too early in the morning to get out of bed (7am is early when you are not working or studying anymore), it’s a new place, I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to, I can surely sleep in on a Sunday, it’s ok if I don’t go today, I can meet them some other time, I am lazy …. Were some of the examples of that hundreds of reasons. The fact was that I was lazy and I was taking things for granted. I eventually decided not to play dead while lying there on bed and cheating myself and got out of bed at 8.15am, rushed to get ready and left home at 8.50am. During my 45 minutes journey, all I could think of was about bed and breakfast. It’s was a Sunday morning and the roads were free… obviously.. cos everyone was sleeping in exc...