A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about Generosity and How It Happens. I talked about the citizens of Delhi who seemed to have a more highly developed spirit of generosity than we do here in [...]

Train travel is what you make it. In the old days, when we first came to India, one of the best parts of travelling was planning for the journey: the food we would prepare, the entertainment we [...]

Many years ago, I studied to become a midwife. Most of the teachers were old hippies and their teaching style was predictably loose and relaxed. One, however, in addition to being a midwife, was [...]

Either name is too exquisitely perfect for the breathtaking beauty of this flower. Have you seen one? It is a profound experience. It is also a commitment. Although we have had this plant in our [...]

When we were kids, Mom always insisted that we make our beds and tidy our rooms before leaving for school in the morning. We bitterly resented it. “What difference does it make to you if [...]

Are people generous by nature or does it need to be taught? And why are some places noted for philanthropy and others are not? I’ve been thinking about these questions a lot as I work [...]

You’ve met Mummy before. At 93, she is the matriarch of our family – its oldest living member and one of the most respected and admired women I have ever known. We all stand in awe of [...]

This evening I made a cake (Joy of Cooking 4 Egg Special) and while I was frosting it, I thought about the one I watched my niece create for her mother’s wedding two months ago tomorrow. [...]

I had to do some work in the funny little town of Kathgodam on Saturday. Kathgodam is like Dehradun in that it’s at a bit of a height, but not much, and has a view of the mountains but the [...]

A few days ago, Moy and I were out for our usual evening stroll when we met these two young scamps. You could see the gleam in both their eyes a mile off. “Auntie!” They called [...]