Googly, My Therapist with a Tail

There’s a particular kind of quiet that settles in after your child leaves for college. Not the peaceful kind. It’s more like, “Has the fridge always hummed this loudly?” kind of quiet. My daughter left last year, and even though I had time to adjust, she was home for a month recently… and now that she’s left again, the silence feels new all over again.

Thankfully, I’m not completely alone in it.

Googly, my beagle, has been with us for four years now. He didn’t come into our lives because the nest got emptier. He was already here, happily trotting around, demanding attention and snacks. But once she left, I realised how much space he really takes up, not just in the house, but in my everyday emotions too.

He’s the one who keeps my days moving. Especially during my usual 2 to 3 pm therapy slot. That time when I’m usually deep in session, holding space for someone else’s story. That’s exactly when Googly decides it’s time for a walk. Not later, not in ten minutes. Now. He doesn’t bark or whine at first, just appears quietly, gives me the look, and starts pacing like a little boss. If I ignore him, the sighs begin. Loud, exaggerated ones. It’s honestly very dramatic.

But that break he forces me to take? It does something. We step out, just around the society, nothing fancy. I say hi to neighbours, he sniffs familiar corners with serious commitment. And in that small window, I get to breathe. I come back lighter, more present, and sometimes smiling at how he tried to play with a leaf like it was a new friend.

When I find myself missing my daughter, which happens more often than I say out loud, it’s Googly who pulls me back. He senses it. He’ll sit closer, bring a toy, or just look at me like, “Hey, I’m still here.” He doesn’t say much, obviously, but it feels like he gets it.

Even my husband and I have started talking about Googly like he’s this third little creature shaping our world. From guessing why he’s whining again (he wants to play. Again.) to sharing how someone in the society complimented his beautiful eyes today, he’s become the center of so many unexpected conversations. And we honestly enjoy it. It’s silly and light and full of affection, and it fills the little quiet corners that sneak in when kids grow up and the house changes.

A dog doesn’t replace your child. They’re not meant to. But when the rhythm of your home shifts, and the room that once echoed with “Mamma” now just feels still, having a dog is a gentle reminder that love still lingers in the smallest, funniest, furriest forms.

Especially when that someone is named Googly Waghmare.🌼

5 things I am good at

Share five things you’re good at.

1. Living the moment then and there.

2. Being compassionate.

3. Being optimistic.

4. Love being the way I am.

5. I am amazingly adorable.

Pani Puri Passion

My Love Story in Every Bite

Pani puri, the crispy orbs of joy that stole my heart. Here’s my short poem about the everlasting love I have for this Indian street food delight.

One bite was all it took to become infatuated. Pani puri’s crispiness, the spicy potato filling, and that tangy pani – it was love at first bite!

From Pune to Delhi, I’ve sought it far and wide. Pani puri cravings are my constant companion, making every street corner an adventure.

Filling puris with precision, dunking them in the pani – it’s a ritual of love, a symphony of flavours that I never tire of.

Introducing friends to pani puri is pure delight. Their joy with every bite reminds me why this love affair is worth celebrating.

Pani puri suits every mood and season. It’s my comfort food, my celebration snack – a love that never wanes.

In the culinary world, pani puri has my heart. Here’s to more shared moments, more street food adventures, and an eternal love for pani puri!

Love Always 💗

Sejal.

The Irresistible Pull

In a crowded cafe, their eyes locked, and a spark ignited.
With a shared smile, their hearts began to dance to the rhythm of love.

From stolen glances to intertwined fingers, their connection grew,
Painting their lives with vibrant hues.

Under the umbrella’s protective shield,
Passions unveiled, desires unconcealed.

Raindrops fell, a sensual symphony,
Their bodies entwined, in harmonious harmony.

In that intimate space, desires set free,
Love blazed, a wild ecstasy.

The umbrella, a witness to their affair,
A hidden world of pleasure, beyond compare.

Blog by Sejal.

Pic courtesy – Anushka Kakad.

Footprints

I’ve been following signs
I’ve been searching through the lands
For a certain pair of arms
And a certain pair of hands

I thought I saw your footsteps
in the sand along the shore.
I mumbled empty phrases
that sang so well before.

That ravishing touch of your warm hands.
Inching each part.. taking the restlessness at peak.. makes the cravings long for more.

I wish that you were here or I were there.
Or that we were together anywhere.

~Musings by Sejal.