Remember that thing about Apples and Tree?

We had a round aluminium electric oven in our house which, even today, Mom would lovingly reminisce that her sister gave it. Mom and Dad always baked together. And that involved a lot of sieving and mixing, as they always baked 2-3 cakes together with some cookies. Never was a lone cake standing on the table 😄

Today I baked a Marble cake with my daughter. She enjoys the whole process of sieving and mixing and she is deep in love with the smell of a nicely mixed cake batter. Like most people, I have a lot of my memories connected to food. And today, that first bite of marble cake took me back to my teenage days. 

I remember that Mom and Dad did a lot of things together. They enjoyed gardening, baking and interior decor. They shared same interests, but their strengths in each of these areas were completely different. I guess that's why I dont remember them having a conflict when they were planting and plucking or trying out a new layout for our furniture. They somehow ended up complementing each other naturally. In today's day and age we'll have to empty our wallets going for therapy to get a hang on this. For the other part though, like any marriage, they had their own demons to ward off. 

I always wondered how I never inherited any of these better traits from them. Plants never saw light of the day in my hands! Cooking was another chore to be done with! And I gave away interiors to my other half. He and my Mom synced at that level.

It took an extended work from home and a missed annual leave flight to know better. Over the last few days, I have had some extra stress free time on my hand. I have enjoyed baking and cooking some treats for my daughter. And there is a Lemon sapling proudly growing in my balcony. What can I say... it brings much relief, more than joy, to my heart to know that the (Drum Roll, Pls...)

"Lemon did not fall that far away from the tree".

The Generation Z

Come to think of it, we are the crossroad generation. Our parents are dependent on us the same way as our children. Our kids, once they grow up will go on to live their life. Expecting them to provide and support our old age is over rated. I feel we are that generation, who has three hearts to fill - the past, present and the future. And we are that generation, who can make a difference for the future ones. 

The other day I was talking with my colleagues about how as children me and my brother saved up all the small coins from our Dad. We would exchange those small coins for big notes at a nearby grocery store. Dad used to borrow money from us during month ends, to get through with those last expense bit and once he receives his salary, he would return it to us with a small interest. 

Today when I think back, there is so much of learning in that small gesture. He made us feel responsible and big enough to take decisions. He treated us as an equal at that moment. He was humble enough to ask a helping hand from us kids. Now, I am not sure if that was a reality check for him or a learning window for us. He taught us No matter what, Ego and Selfishness doesn't have a role in family.

I wonder how my daughter will learn these values in this generation of Screen time and Kidzania currencies.