Phew! Time to make difficult decisions again. I wish my mom had named me 'Jane'. Then I'd be able to say quite plainly that I want all 3! But neither am I Jane, nor is IL going to allow me to do that!!! I am not going to beat around the bush and shall directly come to the point. In the spirit of the month that was, we will celebrate the human spirit and resilience that shows up in so many ways and in the most testing of times. Having seen so many disasters - personal as well as natural - being reported all over the world, I cannot but marvel at the emotional strength we, as Indians show when the chips are really down. Like the Pheonix, we rise from the ashes. Hence, coming back to the point, the prize for the Finest Narration goes to @Thyagarajan for his Post in Memories of Working Life. I really like his simple way of narrating everyday events from the past. They go straight to the heart and one can easily relate to those memories, especially if one was witness to those times as an adult or even as a child. It is instances such as this, and which bring out the innate strength of character, resilience, spirit of helping others as well as ingeniousness of the typical Bambaiyya. The Finest Contribution prize goes to @Aarushi for her post Dating After Divorce And Remarriage - Sharing My Experience. The big "D" word is something that we all dread. In the worst of situations, it could still be gut-wrenching to take such a decision especially in our social milieu where it is still not so easily accepted. But thanks to Aarushi, who had the courage to stand up and make this important decision and most importantly to FIND A LIFE BEYOND that event, we have hope for other women on this forum who are in similar situations. A marriage can be a great event in life, but unfortunately it can also be a mistake. It is important to understand that living with a mistake is not necessarily the best way of going forward, especially when it is dictated by fears of society and of the great unknown. Eventually each one has to make his or her own decisions, but most importantly, one should never give up on themselves or lose hope. Thanks a lot Aarushi for sharing this wonderful post and being a beacon of hope and guidance for our fellow ILites. Heartiest Congratulations to both the winners. Congratulations and thanks to the nominators of the two posts @iyerviji, @GeetaKashyap, @Mistt, @kcb and @Anusha2917 . A big "Abhinandan" to all of you. Here's looking forward to a lot of nominations in the coming month and wishing you a fresh beginning with spring in the offing.
My dear Satchi There is a dialogue from a Tamil Movie, translated in English of course. 'Even if I come late, my style will be the latest' Just remembered it! That's your specialty. A straight shooter! Loved your selection and the choice of Winners is as perfect as they do in the Oscar. Good going Satchi. Sri
My dear Thyagu My hearty congratulations to you. Whenever you win this coveted award, I remember the old adage 'Ippadai thorkkin eppadai vellgum' (If this Army loses, then which Army can ever win?) Great going Thyagu! Sri
My dear @Aarushi My hearty congratulations to you! It is a wonderful piece of writing that has won you this honour. Trust this will enthuse you to come out with a lot of winnable pieces like this in the future. Sri
Congratulations to @Thyagarajan Sir and @Aarushi for winning the finest narration and contribution respectively for the month of February 2019. Thyagu Sir, I enjoy reading your post almost on a regular basis and almost all of them deserve awards. I had a chance to read @Aarushi's heartfelt write up systematically how a woman can transform her life even after a painful divorce. Hats of to you @Aarushi. Viswa