I am a firm believer in destiny. Whatever is destined to happen will
happen. We should not worry.
Life is a celebration
Meet our always positive, ever-smiling, and active senior, 69-year-old
Mrs. Shalini Gupta, happily settled in Mumbai with her family. She grew up in
Mumbai, amongst her siblings and cherishes her childhood memories. After
marriage, she got busy with her household chores, and in taking care of her
husband, children, and other family members. “I have always been fond of
cooking, and whenever feasible, I used to attend cookery classes. I learned to
make ice-creams and sweets, and would always try out new dishes at home,”
recalls Mrs. Shalini. During that period her husband used to travel a lot due
to work, including overseas travels. But, Mrs. Shalini, who was fond of
traveling, could not join him in any of the trips as her children were small
and could not be left alone.
Fun ride with family
In 2006, Mrs. Shalini and a few of her friends did their
first all lady’s trip. They traveled to many places in India, including
Banaras, Gaya, Mathura, Lucknow, and Allahabad. “It was my first-time travel
without any family members, but we had a lot of fun. We planned the itinerary,
and made our own arrangements. We enjoyed our road travels, visited temples,
chitchatted, played games and bonded well with each other,” says Mrs.
Shalini. She soon joined a social community in Mumbai and became a member of
their travel group. She visited many overseas places with them. She also got
involved in their cultural activities and started to participate in their
celebrations. Her family has always been very supportive and has always
encouraged her to travel with the group. She fondly remembers her US visit in
2014, which had its initial challenges at the planning stage. But in the end,
things went off well. Her memorable moments of the trip were the amusement
parks, where she enthusiastically waited in the long queues to experience the
exciting rides. Mrs. Shalini feels that traveling without her family took her
out of her comfort zone. It made her more independent, confident and
responsible.
She also looks forward to family trips, and occasional
visits to her daughter’s place in Singapore, where she spends a memorable time
with her friends and family. For her, family vacations are equally important.
It provides the opportunity to relax, connect, and build good memories.
Mrs. Shalini is a happy wife, content mother, and a proud
grandmother of four wonderful grandkids. She says, “I am thankful to almighty
for giving me such a wonderful life. Both my son and daughter are well-settled,
and happy in their own lives. My grandchildren are doing well in their studies,
and they share a beautiful bond with their grandfather and me. I proudly call
this the Golden Period of my life.”