My mother tells me that it was a spicy samosa and a rocky rickshaw ride in Pune that made me want to come into the world several weeks before my time.Thankfully, after this dramatic entry into the world, the rest of my life has been very ordinary: in fact some would prefer to call it humdrum.

My  normal childhood replete with sibling rivalry and teenage angst was interspersed  with frequent re-locations to several places thanks to my father’s transferable job. But blessed with a fine brain and the ability to cope I enjoyed the itinerant lifestyle which, my daughter says, has made me commitment-phobic.

However, after a glorious academic career at school and college (where I won numerous prizes and accolades), I settled down to marriage with a man my mother had chosen for me, in my early 20’s and embarked on the traditional  journey of a million other women: marriage and motherhood with its moments of triumphs and utter despair, adjustments, compromises and happy occasions. I travelled continents, crossed seas, met with celebrities and ordinary people,  each day of my life different and unique.

During these years I also tried my hand at several professions – bespoke tailoring, private tutoring, freelance writing, Mumbai tour operator, French translator finally ending up as a General Factotum and Dogsbody, helping my husband in his pharmaceutical trading business. In the meanwhile my two wonderful girls grew up into two wonderful women, both competent professionals in highly demanding jobs.

Today as a wibbly-wobbly grandmother in her early 60’s I am actively participating in the rearing of three adorable toddlers who have me crawling on my knees and keeping pace with their overactive imaginations and high levels of energy.

So this is my story – ordinary yet extraordinary enriched by the presence of  friends and family.

‘This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.’