MY LOVE AFFAIR

Two big bars of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolates and one big bar of Kit Kat Chocolate, was what was handed over to me by my friend Rashmi when I was studying in the Pre University College. My mouth watered at the sight of the big chocolate bars and I even resisted the urge to grab them away from her hand as I have been a chocolate lover ever since I was a kid. I was utterly disappointed to learn from her that the chocolates were not for me, but to be kept in the refrigerator at my home!!! I soon learn't that the chocolates were gifted to Rashmi by her boy friend and the lass in love didn't want her family to discover about the affair. My response to her was a curt, "NO". "Rashmi has a boy friend!?!" I wondered with a sense of bewilderment.😲 As I presumed, she was a tall, lean girl, wheaties complexion, and I always thought that here facial features were of not the right shape and were not well aligned. More over her head looked much smaller compared to her body. If this was how she appeared to my eyes, apparently it kept me thinking how her boy friend appeared to look like. Least did I know that this girl with the characteristics of an ambivert could work her charms on Men. 

Back then in college, those girls who looked beautiful obviously had boy friends and some others who appeared skinny, dark and who looked ugly to my eyes in spite of their over done makeup also had boy friends. It was a time when we teenage girls brains were hijacked by the hormones. Romance, Beauty, Prince Charming, Chocolates, Valentines Day, the First Kiss, Love Letters and the like were on our minds and lips most of the time.💕 Amidst this Fantasy world that we lived in, who cared about studies! With so many things happening around me, I wondered why I did't have a lover in my life!?! I definitely didn't look bad. I was tall, fair and I had absolutely no pimples on my face. Its only that my figure was of a double XL size, it's not that I am slimmer now; I was an extremely shy person then, but you will definitely not find me shy anymore; I was comfortable studying in a Women's College and I hardly got an opportunity to interact with boys of my age. Top it all, my college authorities were extremely strict, and the boys from the other colleges were aware of this and wouldn't dare to venture near the college where I studied. Such being the condition, there went my opportunity even to have a look at boys. Sigh! 😞 It looked like life was preparing me to attain sainthood by creating a conducive environment for the same. But I lived with a hope that I shall find a lover sooner or later. And guess what? I did find Love, but many years later. 

It was a time when I was pursuing my studies in a Women's Degree College in Mangalore when I first caught sight of my Darling.💗 You will be surprised; one fine morning my English Lecturer introduced me to my Beloved. I fell head over heals at the first sight on seeing my Love. 😍 Just imagine, the entire college had assembled in the auditorium to have a glimpse at him. Oh No! My Sweetheart was no King of the land nor was he a Dignitary known to all. You should have seen the Confidence! what Charisma! the affluence with Knowledge! the subtle sense of Humor! how Eloquent! As I listened..., my heart beat as fast as a racing horse run a race. You will be doubly surprised; I was not listening to one person, but a group of cheerful and smartly dressed people who had taken over the stage. It was no drama, or dance or a song being presented, but the very first team of Toastmasters of the Mangalore city presenting the Toastmasters Demo Meeting in our college. I was in Love, Yes I was in love with the Toastmasters International (TMI).

I had not started a romantic relationship with a Prince Charming, but definitely yes, with an idea and a concept which I desperately wanted to adopt. I was hungry enough to lap up all that Toastmasters International could present. Sadly I had to wait for five long years to join the prestigious Toastmasters Club. What is Toastmasters International? Toastmasters International is a world leader in Communication and Leadership Development. For more information on the same do look into the website www.toastmasters.org

As soon as I bid good bye to my college days, I realized that I had a good job in hand. A job that not only kept me interested, but also paid me enough to pursue my much sought after Lover (TMI).😍 My first proposal to my Beloved, in terms of becoming a part of the Toastmasters family, was at the Bangalore Toastmasters Club. The suited booted men and the elegantly dressed women were a sight to behold. The confidence in each one of them was what that caught my attention. The members were a spirited lot, in spite of the fact that the meetings at the club were held on a Thursday which happens to be a week day and most of the members and guests were either pursuing a carrier or were students. What I loved about the club was that, in spite of the mistakes that were committed by the members while delivering speech, the audience didn't belittle them or shun them, but gently corrected them and cheered them mighty well. It was a rule of the club that guests had to attend five meetings as guests before being installed as a member. I had attended five meetings as a guest and after the fifth meeting, I, with much excitement accepted the membership form to be filled. But a board member of the Club gently asked me to join a club close to where I lived. Even though I was hugely disappointed, I knew the gentleman's words made a lot of sense as it took me more than an hour's time to return to my accommodation from the meeting venue. I was a fool not to have looked into the internet in the first place and learn more about the Toastmasters. My Darling was so close but still very far. It was a matter of a sip between the cup and the lip. So my first proposal to my Sweetheart was declined at the Bangalore Toastmasters Club. How Sad! 😞

As I put forth my proposal to my Love for the second time at a Toastmasters Club called the Mecon Communication Club (MCC), it was during the same time that I remembered a huge Crush that I had had when in college on the magnanimously vibrant art and skill called 'Dance'.😍 Back then, Dance to me was a means to express Joy; to forget all my sorrows; a way to enjoy listening to music and a means to a great physical Work Out. How could I have ever forgotten my huge Crush!?! At the same time I was told at the Mecon Communication Club, that I will have to attend three meetings as a guest. On the third meeting as a guest at the club, it came to me as a hard blow on my face when I was asked to attend two more meetings as a guest. It looked like my Beloved was testing my patience and wanted to see how deep and passionate my love was for him. As I didn't have very good luck with Toastmasters, I thought "why not pursue Dance!" The famous Indian choreographer, Shiamak Davar is noted as one of the first to bring contemporary jazz and western forms of dance to India. He has many dance classes around the country for children and adults which also includes children who are  physically and  mentally challenged. I had contacted the Dance class nearest to my accommodation and I found the time convenient and the fees affordable. By then I had already attended five meetings as a guest at the Toastmasters Club. I was now in a dilemma on what to pursue. "Toastmasters or Dance?" 😕

In the month of October 2008 I found myself inducted as a member of the prestigious Toastmasters International. I had never felt so proud in my life as I did on that day when I was addressed as a 'Toastmaster'. "Finally my proposal was accepted by my Darling". What joy!😊😍 I knew my world had changed. My excitement was at its peak when my first Toastmasters kit was delivered to me. It contained the first manuals, the Competent Communication manual and the Competent Leadership manual, which would guide me to script out speeches and also take up leadership roles. Mecon Communication Club was more like a launch pad. The club introduced me to some of the excellent orators; knowledge about Toastmasters and the world were imbibed in me; and I have also been blessed with a few intelligent and smart friends with whom I am still in touch. If professional and serious Toastmasters meetings happened every week on Mondays, there were occasions when the club would get together and have loads of fun at a far off resort. My one and a half years stay at MCC paid off really well.😊 That surely was not the end of my affair with Toastmasters International.  

In November 2010 I found myself in a 'Fun House' called the Mangalore Toastmasters Club (MTM) in my home town, Mangalore. The meetings were extremely 'Fun'; and the members were a mixture of young, not so young and old, who were a jolly lot, humble, very giving, extremely loving, caring, intelligent, talented, creative... (oops! I have run out of adjectives). Oh! Yes! The Fun quotient was high and the learning process was also equally Fun. I believe that when one finds 'Learning' fun, the process turns into a play. Picnic at the beach house, pot luck dinners at club members house; so  when learning at the meeting happens to be Fun, you can imagine the get together were double and triple times the Fun. It was here that my Love for Toastmasters had grown so deep that Toastmasters loved me and rewarded me handsomely in terms of confidence, knowledge, fun, friends, awards and rewards at the Club and the Area Level contests. After all 'Love Begets Love!' 💖 When my Love Affair with Toastmasters was at its peak, after five and a half year's relationship with MTM, due to unavoidable circumstances I was forced to activate the PAUSE button. How Sad!😭 It has been more than a year since I haven't been with my Beloved. I know that some day I will return to the ever evolving world of Toastmasters International.  

I have heard and read of passionate Love Affairs; I have witnessed a couple of them enter the wedlock; and have also witnessed some others that have ended with a broken heart. But my Seven years long Love Affair was one of a kind!😍 From my experience I have learnt that it is easy to find Love, well... in my case it wasn't that easy; provided that one is ready to fall in Love. Fall in love with a concept, an idea, a skill, an art, a cause, a sport and the like. When one pursues it passionately, there is always a sense of joy and satisfaction in it. In the world that I live in, I have come across many such passionate admirers who are still single in life, and those admirers who are married to a person who feels proud of his spouse's passionate Love Affair. So much so, there are those who have turned their passion into their profession. The famous Musicians who entertain us by playing music on different musical instruments; the Sports Persons who have won medals and have made our country proud; Writers who have authored many noteworthy books; Chefs who have created yummy delicacies and the list can go on. So if one can make his passion his profession, and if another finds nothing on this planet to fall in love with passionately, why not make his profession his passion. If not, fall in love with life itself and 'Live Life Passionately' till the last breath. 😊

As for me I still have my long term Crush, 'Dance' and a list of artistic skills to pursue, which I will in the near future. But as for now I am 'In A Relationship' with Blogging which I am thoroughly enjoying, improving my writing skills and letting people have a glimpse of my little world. 😊

So what are You waiting for? Come fall in Love...! 💖