Quality family time is followed by some cuddly moments! You can create your own moments by calling your family over. Send invites today! In the meanwhile, read how we revisit blasts from the past and find out what Adrian has decided about his love life. Join me…

In my earlier editions, you had read about Eleanor and her family having a great time during the Holiday season. Did you celebrate with your family? You can plan one right now and send online invitations! Coming back, there was a sub-plot to it. On the sides of the entire family coming together for some quality time, Andrew made a special bond with his grandfather, Frank. Frank has a great deal of fondness for this bright child. He feels that despite not being related by blood, they have a great deal in common. “It’s uncanny, you know,” Frank told me, “he scratches his head in the same way as I do when I’m thinking hard!”

Frank’s someone who would always go that extra mile to strike up a rapport, took it upon himself to read bed-time stories to Andrew. Andrew has a habit of staying up late if he doesn’t get his doze of stories. Usually his parents, after a hard day’s work, are not in the mood for fictional rides. So they read out a story from a book. But Frank didn’t want to take that way out. He recollected anecdotes and dug stories out of his memory pockets to regale his little listener. What a sight it must have been when Andrew cuddles up to Frank for his pill of stories!

There’s something about the music that you grow up with. Some songs always remind you of people who are special to you, and when later on in your life you listen to those songs, you cannot fight away the surges of nostalgia. Adrian compiled a collection of songs belonging to the early 1990s. He played the tracks while the two of us, Megan and Irina, played cards. Soon the flavor of the songs took over and swept us away to our teens. The cards got folded and we stretched back on the couch to listen.

It was Adrian who stood up first and bowed before Irina for a dance! Irina sprang up delightedly and they were dancing in no time. Megan looked at me with a twinkle in her eyes and soon we joined them. One track followed another as we danced away, forgetting how late it was or how stupid it may seem when people hear about it. There are certain things in life that you cannot have back. Those light-headed teenage days are never coming back, but what’s the harm in reliving those days with your best pals?

Work and other engagements keep you away from planning get-together sessions with friends. But you need to do those often, just to feel alive! Send invites right now and track RSVPs for the party. There’s no better time than now!

After the end of the Holidays, it’s time to get back to work! This part of the life’s cycle is sad, but as much a part of reality as the anticipation of the events about to come. When you find yourself checking your emails again, you have tons of Christmas and New Year greeting cards waiting for you. I wouldn’t advise you to spend a day answering them with a thank you note, but take some minutes off for the next few days to make sure that you’ve responded to the Holiday wishes that you have received.

That brings me to the part where I feel this surging gratefulness to thank you all for the wishes and emails that you guys have sent me. I feel overwhelmed and much privileged to receive such adulation and love. I want to thank you all from the heart for being part of this network. As we slowly move deeper into the New Year, I’d like to wish you all the best! Hope you’re feeling rejuvenated and raring to go for another year of hard work, commitment and perseverance towards your goal.

There is something contagious about marriage! That’s what we found out a few days back. You know that Kate is getting married to Henry this June, right? This incident acted like a catalyst on Adrian. He was toying with the idea of popping the question to his long-term partner, Cathy. Finally, Adrian has decided to propose Cathy on her birthday this February! He broke this news to me at breakfast. I was pleasantly surprised because I could never imagine Adrian would get this serious. Ever.

If the birthday plans work out for Adrian, there will probably be two weddings this summer! As this piece of information trickles out among our friends, excited calls and congratulatory messages are flooding Adrian’s phone. Most of them are as surprised as I was. Megan was hysteric with joy! Adrian was always the one we were worried about, because he was hardly concerned about going somewhere. His journey was always a casual stroll. It would be nice to see him take the highway of responsibility now.

Here’s a Mignon McLaughlin quote for our friends headed to the altar: “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.”