FAITHFUL FRIEND

July 26, 1992 - November 25, 2005

My dog, Gussie Sophia, was put to sleep last Friday. The day after Thanksgiving. My parents didn't tell me until that morning because they didn't want to upset me. But let me say, it broke my heart. I knew Gussie was old for a labrador, and that she was becoming weak. But I never envisioned not being able to say goodbye to my friend. I had wanted to be with her when she went, I wanted to tell her that I loved her, that she was the best dog anyone could ever ask for, that she was a good girl, that she would never be forgotten. Some of you met my dog, either in person, or in the pictures on my wall. She was a sweet dog, a good reader of people, no-nonsense, motherly, the best listener, and she was a huge part of my family. I felt like I was losing a sister or a beloved friend. I could only say good-bye in my head and heart as I counted down the hours and minutes until 4:30pm on that day. I kept calling and pleading with my parents, feeling like I was fighting for her life, for the both of us. I was away from home during my college years and then another year in Oxford, and I didn't get to say my good-byes. I didn't want her to go without having her ears scratched one more time, I wanted her to have as many doggy biscuits as she wanted, I wanted her to play with the frisbee in the house. I wanted her to be like I remembered her, vivacious, full of life, affectionate. I just wasn't ready to let go or say good-bye. I saw her 3 weeks ago before coming back to Boston, but was so rushed to get to the airport, that I never got to say good-bye. I never imagined my parents would do this without letting me know. Without giving me a chance to say good-bye to her. It hurt a lot, and I know that the decision was made with the best of intentions and that she was the family's dog and not just my own, but I would have wanted to know.

Thanksgiving was already too difficult and it wouldn't have been ruined had I known or atleast been able to let it sink in that Gussie was going to be put to sleep. My Nana got angry with me and yelled at me all morning as I tried to make mashed potatoes in record time. The night before my cousin, who is bi-polar, had lost his temper with me and said some extremely hurtful things. It just wasn't my best week, and to top it off, I was told that I would not be able to say good-bye to the one 'friend' who loved me unconditionally. The dog who grew up with me, who was there for me, and that put me over the top.

We all miss our chances to say good-bye to loved ones, or to let them know how we feel. I just thought, wow, if I left the world at this point in time, I would leave with so much hurt and bitterness. My cousin has a mental health problem, and he's a kid. Sure, he knew what he was saying, but he was beyond control. My Nana has Alzheimer's, and yes, I was running late, but I was sick that day, and she was stressed out and having a forgetful day. Sure, she blamed me for ruining her Thanksgiving, but to be honest, the dinner with family was nice. I got to see my cousins that I hadn't seen in a while, and my have those boys grown up. They're not boys anymore....and I remember helping to feed them as babies! My Dad loves Gussie as much as I do, and I know it broke his heart too. He felt the time had come regardless of personal feelings, that Gussie was too weak to carry on. We're all hurting. I don't like feeling bitterness, and when you let hurt feelings fester they can grow deep roots leading to anger and those roots are bitterness. Despite how much injustice you might feel has been done to you or has been done in general, you need to let go. For your own sake, and you'll find that relationships mend. I love my cousin, my Nana and my Dad. I loved Gussie. The ties that bind have to be stronger than the hurt that separates.

So, I'd like to write my dog, my faithful friend, my Gussie Sophia. I'd like to say my good-bye in my own way. I cried so many tears that Friday and I recalled so many memories, and all I wanted to do was hug her one more time and get a kiss on my cheek.

You were the best thing that ever happened to me
I remember we got to see you right after you were born
We didn't know it was you then, you were just "Miss Pink"
You had so many cute brothers and sisters
But you captured my Dad's heart first
You came home and three hours later I lost you
You had run away from me into the woods
You just wanted to explore
And I was a devastated ten year old
I ran inside and told Dad
He was mad
Then he went out and you were right back in the yard
He brought you in and I was crying so hard
You ran over, jumped into my arms and
You kissed my tears away.
You said, hey, I'm here, I'm fine
I'm a stinker
Do you remember 'snuffer?"
That was the game we played as kids
You used to love digging up and chewing rocks
We'd stand on the stump and throw them into the woods
And you'd go in and try to 'snuff' them out
But you made the funniest noise
You snorted like a pig as you searched
We loved it, we laughed every time
You loved the snow, we used to play 'catch' with snowballs
You'd run everywhere, trying to catch it as it fell
You'd dig into it
You used to pull the leash out of our hands
And run away down the street into Mr. Frye's garden
You'd dig it up every time
You'd run the the dumpster
You'd run into the woods
We had to trick you back into the van
You used to like cats
But one scratched you when you tried to play
And that was it....cats were public enemy number one
I remember you growled at that mean boy
He had called me pegleg and made fun of me
The teacher told his parents
His dad had brought him to the house to apologize
You kept looking at him and growled the whole time
You were just a puppy then, but you were smart
You figured he wasn't nice
You always read people to a tee
You never liked the ones who eventually would hurt one of us
You loved kids though, always a favorite
Everyone knew Gussie
From New Hampshire to Pennsylvania, you grew up with us
We used to get in trouble for all the holes you dug up in the yard
Remember when I'd come home crying from school?
You'd follow me up to my room
And I'd plop down on the floor, crying
And you'd put your head on my shoulder or
Try to kiss away all the tears?
I loved you so much!
You put up with so much too
Remember when I tried to 'train' you like a horse?
I had you running circles around me on a long rope
Gosh, you poor thing....those were the days
You used to chew anything wooden, you loved sticks
You were a regular vacuum cleaner, you ate everything
Toula would spit out veggies, but you'd gobble them up
You used to 'eat like a lady' and take the treats from my hand
As daintily as you could, rather than snap them up
We used to make you 'sit pretty' or 'dance' and you even 'crawled' for us once
But you were always offering your paw. Your best
You were the worst begger ever, you'd first whine
And then growl if we ignored you!
But you were never vicious
You were always gentle, even in play
Your growl and bark were loud, but I never took you seriously
Gus, I remember in Pennsylvania when I was home alone
I took you outside and the neighbor's pitbull got loose
He was running towards us in the churchyard
I had never seen you react
You started to walk with me back to the house
But he kept coming
So you jumped between him and me and snarled
You were a different dog
He bit you and you fought back....
I kicked him with my fake leg and finally his owner came over
Tried to say it was our fault
Um....no, he had run across the street, across the churchyard into ours
You were protecting me
I was so worried about you, I went inside crying
I kept looking for cuts, but found none
You were okay, thank God
You would never let any harm come to us
I remember when you tore all the ligaments in your knee
I slept downstairs on the floor with you for days
I'd wake up and you'd be crying
I was so afraid of losing you
You were seven then, and I needed you
We all felt so bad
When you had the surgery to repair the damage
We were so relieved, and it was then you must have known
We would do anything for you
My fondest times with you though were all those nights you'd come into my room
To 'check' on me, or else try to kick me off my bed so you could sleep there!
When you were a puppy you used to sleep on our stomaches
Lying on the couch or in bed
But soon you got to be pretty big
Eventually you stopped, but you always had to sleep with one of us
You usually picked me
I don't know why, maybe because I'd let you up, and I'd
Sleep in the most uncomfortable position, but I'd still do it
And I'd give you my blanket
Haha, yes, Nunny, we used to call you that too
You had me at first glance
When I used to have Mom and Dad's old bed
You'd have your own side and I'd have mine
There's a picture of you from when I was in high school
We had driven back from Massachusetts and
Picked you up at the kennel
I was sick and went to bed
The bed was against the wall one one side, and I was asleep
Somehow you managed to climb into bed under the covers
You climbed over me, I guess
But there's a picture of me sleeping with only my hair sticking out
And your nose!
I woke up all warm and cosy and you were asleep
With your head on my shoulder
You wanted to be with me when I was sick
You were always looking out for us
You were always concerned
You were always family
Gussie, you were the one
I could be completely myself with
You listened to me go on and on about meaningless things
But you were patient
You gave hugs and kisses
You did things without expecting treats or rewards
You were friendly and mild mannered
You put up with me trying to put hats and scarves on you
Trying to teach you the latest trick
Every scrape, burn, bruise or scratch you were there for
You always made me feel better
I told you all my secrets and you kept them
You used to lick my stump when I'd have those painful pinches
You were careful with me
I remember when I was young thinking about this day
I would cry and cry
I couldn't imagine life without you
You were that constant faithful friend
I used to scratch you behind the ears, and on your neck
Just knew your spots
I grew up and you grew old
It was inevitable and a race against time
I hope and pray you're in a better place
Where you can go swimming and run around
Where you can still feel the love we all had for you
But I wanted to tell you thank you
You loved unconditionally, and you loved back
I used to argue with friends that a dog can love back
You proved me right
You were a good dog, the best companion
And I was so blessed to be your family
You meant the world to me and I talked about you to everyone
Saying good bye is never easy and even my words today are inadequate
You were irreplacable and I treasure every moment I shared with you
You never saw me as different
And you gave me hope to never give up
I always had you to come home to
I'll always come home to you in my heart
I love you Gussie Sophia
You were my faithful friend, my sister

I will never forget coming home after two weeks away in high school
You greeted me with crying and wouldn't leave my side
You kept jumping up and barking at me
As if to say, "how could you leave me?"
Especially alone with Jared, huh?
You tried to unpack my suitcase when I left for college
You took my neatly folded clothes out
You grabbed the back of my shirt
I was crying when I left you
I cried when I said good-bye and left for Oxford
I thought it would be the last
You out lived all of our expectations
I'm sorry I couldn't be there with you
I wanted so desperately to be there
I felt guilty leaving you alone
I still do in a way
I remember talking to you on the phone when I'd call home
I'm sorry I didn't do that on Friday
I didn't want to cry and for you to get upset
You would be, because you always cared when we cried
I wanted you to have a good day
I heard you slept for most of it
I hope you had happy dreams, because I know you used to dream
You'd wake up barking or running in your sleep
I hope you were able to go having a peaceful happy dream
I would have wanted that for you
I miss you a lot
I will never forget you
I love you, Gus-Gus
You were a great dog

She smiles as she watches the little ones dance around. She wishes she could join them and feel that freedom to lose herself in the music once again. But she can't. She wishes she could go back to being the caregiver, but she can't. She is the one who needs help now. She feels bound by her frustrations, downed by her limitations....even her singing is different. The joy is gone, replaced by a kind of sadness. Little things hurt more than ever, and words cut deeper than before. Small slips and scares, she hates being afraid. She longs for the day when she can walk back onto that stage and sing her heart out without the fetters that bind her now. What others saw as her disability she saw as her ticket to freedom and now that it's been taken away from her, she's like a fly stuck in a spider's web, trying so desperately to fly out of it. Today she feels tired. Even though she knows she needs to keep going, keep trying to free herself, she feels more stuck than ever. A song comes back to her, reaching down through the ages, the familiar strains lifting her spirits. She's got to keep trying, got to keep going. Her freedom will come back, she can break the binds of this web. She sees the mountainous task before her and she takes a deep breath, cautiously trying out the notes again, remembering the melody. She closes her eyes, begins to sing, wavering on the high notes, until she becomes more secure, until she lets the words speak to her. No room for despair, no room for fear, only room for determination. Time to pull that stubborn tenacity out of the closet once again. She used to meet challenges head on, how could this sideline her so easily? Todo lo puedo en Cristo que me fortalace. She dreams that she sings like before, that she dances like before....it will come back. Her feet will remember and her voice will sparkle again.

I'm afraid that I won't be able to do all as before
I'm sad that I'm missing so much now
Where did my strength go?
Why did my spirit leave me like that?
My leg got taken away and I lost myself
That shouldn't have happened
Stuck waiting for the pain to knab me again
No, not this time
I will work through the pain
I did it before
I wish I was a child again
Safe my Mom's arms
Dad carrying me into the ocean
Never worried that I'd lose my independence
Oblivious to the worth of my prosthesis
Innocently singing my dreams
Not knowing the battle for them
Dancing a dance of faith
Riding that horse all by myself
Closing my eyes and feeling
Just for a moment
Like I was perfect in heaven
Gussie used to lick my tears away
When I'd come home heartbroken from school
I used to hate that leg with a passion
I saw it as my shame in a way
But I grew up and wiser
I began to love that leg
With it I could be as normal as you
I could dance, at first not so gracefully
It let me do things I never dreamed I could
It gave me my freedom
It was my blessing to bear, not my burden
It didn't matter what others saw, but what I saw
Oh I loved my leg, it was my friend at all times
Maybe now it's getting a rest
But when I look at it
It looks as forlorn as I
Sadly leaning in a corner
See, it gave me freedom, but I gave it life
It was just as much a part of me, my body

Don't worry my friend
I'm not down for the count
I'll get up and we'll be back on our feet
I can almost hear my old songs
Hope hasn't died, just got dimmed
We'll get you some new padding
So my stump doesn't hurt as the old callouses return
I'll get my little leg strong again
So you feel useful once more
We'll put on a concert of joy pretty soon I think
Cause I'm not down for the count
I'll get up and we'll be back on our feet

We used to make music, you and I
I long for the day
We can reach up to the sky
We can laugh and sing
Where the words are bright
And the tone not dark
And I get my voice back
And you get your foot back
And we make music again

We're not down for the count
You and me
Just you wait
I'll get up and we'll be back on our feet

Here's one of my favourite hymns as a child:

Come Thou fount of ev'ry blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy praise
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Calls for songs of loudest praise

Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it
Mount of Thy redeeming love

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be
Take my spirit like a fetter
Bind my wand'ring heart to Thee

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the One I love
Here's my heart, O take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above

Happy Early Thanksgiving!!! ; ) I know I'm a day early, but tomorrow I'll be too busy to write what I want to write, so I figured I'd do it now during a quiet moment in the house. So glad to be home for a holiday, sad to miss being with my Mom and Dad, Cait and Jared, but I'll be with my Mom's entire family here, and see all of my cousins so it will still be an awesome time.

So a quick update on me: Have finally started the official physical therapy (it's about time, eh!?) on Monday and let me tell you, it's great! I had an appointment at 8am today and it went well. I started some new exercises that target walking muscles and she stretched out my knee a lot. It hurt a bit, but was worth it! Next week, bring on the weights baby! ; ) Yep...we're going to try going through the exercises with weights strapped around my stump. I have a doctor's appointment in 2 weeks and I'd like to leave there with permission to begin physio with my prosthesis! So the goal for the next 2 weeks is to strengthen this leg....I mean, I have man's arms now, so I need to tone up the rest of my body right? ; ) hehe...It feels good to be told not to be nervous and just move my knee about, try different positions, etc. My therapist is just a few years older than me and really cool and friendly. So the exercises are: quad contractions with my leg straight, terminal extensions, hamstring extensions, and front leg raises with the knee turned slightly out so I don't cheat with my hip/stomach muscles, and the new ones are lying on left side and doing the leg raises with my hip forward just to work the front muscles of the leg, ones that work my gluteus maximus (woo-hoo), where i lie on my stomach and lift my leg up straight back, and lastly ones that target my inner thigh, where i lie on my right side and do a leg lift up with my left leg bent over for balance....Okay why all those details, I dunno, but it helps me writing it out to remember all I need to do. 3 reps of 10 on the new ones, and 3 reps of 12 on the old ones. : ) I am so determined to just gain my independence back! I will not settle for a jelly leg anymore!! : ) ; )

Alright! Thanksgiving!!! I am cooking 10lbs of Mom's baked mashed potatoes! Yikes!

Now, the most important part, I just want to express how blessed I am and how thankful I am for all of those blessings I've received this year. I wish I could name everyone, but I know I'd inadvertently forget someone and feel awful about it, so I'll just say what it is about people I appreciate so much.

This year I was blessed with the opportunity to meet and make so many incredible friends from all over, to study at a place where some of the world's best minds meet, to share my Oxford world with my parents and especially with Caitlin, my sister; In my biggest time of need to have so many warm friends around who made me feel so loved and who sacrificed a lot to help me, to be privileged to become an 'auntie' ; ) to witness the miracle that is life in the birth of little Oxa and sharing with Imelda in her transition into motherhood, to throw colours for Holi, to share in my sister's dream of seeing Ireland, to learn new languages, to meet my friends' families, to come home and hear from friends who I'd left behind in the States, to see my best friend, to stay with family, to sing in Hindi ; ) to make lifelong friends most of whom happen to be from India! ; ) I guess most of all to have the privilege to, as my friends from home tell me I do, to see God in those around me and in those I meet, and to be able to see them through God's loving eyes.

Inspite of bad things that may have happened in my life or in the lives of those who touch mine, I cannot help but see the good things and the blessings coming through. The thing Thanksgiving always reminds me of is hope. Hope for a better future for my friends and family, hope for better health, hope for a better tomorrow, but most of all hope to last when the challenges arise. Because without hope, there is no such thing as faith, and without faith there is no such thing as love.

So to those who know me, I'm thankful for all of you, I'm thankful for all of the times I shared and will share with you. Be blessed this Thanksgiving and if you haven't already, take a few minutes to think about the people and the things you've been blessed with this year. You'd be surprised how many you'll find!

Me and Sarah, the first time we met! ; )




Beautiful Manjari and me! She was the wonderful girl who took such great care of me after my fall! This is on her birthday!



Aman sent this one to me! Hahahahaha! I wish I was there with you guys! I would've loved to see you dancing! What exactly are y'all doing here? ; )



Me and most of my rescue squad!! : ) (Aarti, Manjari, me, Aman, Sridhar, Niranjan and Cheenu)

Hello again from Massachusetts! It's official, I start therapy on Monday at 11am. As it turns out, this seems to be an injury-prone time for a lot of people and it's hard to get fitted in for therapy, but they found an opening for me, so no long 3 hours trips into Boston traffic, just a 5 mile drive, and two of my Aunts have offered to alternate taking me. I was feeling kind of bad living at my Uncle's house rent-free, so tonight I cooked up a new pasta recipe with roasted red pepers and garlic....yum! Thankfully it came out great! ; ) I'm glad my Aunt is letting me help around the house, and it's kind of fun helping the kids with homework and being amazed at all the cool stuff they get to do in school (especially science class) that I never did. I played a recorder (like a flute) for the first time in years, it was pretty funny! Ryan's getting really good on his guitar, he's about to sing and play John Lennon's Let It Be for me!!

Saranya, thought of this! You'd be happy, my Aunt has me on a wine kick. I love white wine!!! ; ) My Uncle offered me beer, and I declined for wine instead!! ; )

I played a card game with my Nana today for a little while, and it was hilarious. She's like, "I don't know dear if I remember how to play this game." And then 2 minutes later, "pht, pht, pht, pht" she's discarded all her cards and gone out. 10 rounds, all lost my me, later, we took a break. I was like, "Nan, you kicked my butt!" and she's like, "I sure did!" She asked me if I could make my Mom's famous potatoes....and I said I would, but I need to ask my Aunt about it for Thanksgiving. It's a holiday coming up and I know everyone thinks it's about stuffing your faces, and I think for a lot of people it's sadly lost it's meaning. But, Thanksgiving is a time for family, it's a time to get together as one for a meal. And especially in this day and age in America it's a rare thing to share a family meal at all. For my family, it's a time to remember those who have gone, and be thankful for all we have been blessed with, to remember each other and share how much we mean to each other. Because, no matter what bitterness lies in the past, there is nothing to replace family and the bonds that we share.

I am sad that I'll miss my own family dinner and miss seeing my Pop Pops and my Dad's brother and his family. I haven't seen my Uncle in a few years. But hopefully I'll see them soon. I am so thankful to be with family though, and my family (Mom's side) up in Massachusetts has tried to so hard to make me feel at home, and I do! See, it's the act of loving someone inspite of themselves. You know, inspite of me sometimes laying down the law (so to speak), giving mislaid advice, being a bit bossy sometimes, my family still loves me! ; ) Despite all of our weaknesses, the bond that is family is so much stronger. So, this Thanksgiving coming up, I do have so much to be thankful for! I'm in the mood to share now, but Thanksgiving is in another week, so I'll wait and on the day, give you a summary list of all I'm thankful for.

You know, looking back, even in the bad times, I cannot complain because God was always there. His blessings always came through when I needed them most, and He's never failed me yet.

Today watched news and it's so heartbreaking what is on these days and the amount of hate and crimes against fellow mankind that one could get overwhelmed. I realized how desensitized over the years I've become to things like that. But just the same, I had to tell my cousins to leave, because they are just too young to see the things they show on the news these days. They are already anxious and overly cautious enough as it is. I mean the scariest things now for them are the wind blowing the garbage cans around in a stormy night. I think I'm feeling wicked overprotective of them, but in a way you kind of have to be. I mean if kids grow up only knowing love and laughter, then this world could be a better place! I know it's so idealistic, but I'm sometimes tragically too idealistic.....but one can always hope.

When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be.
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

And when the broken hearted people
Living in the world agree,
There will be an answer, let it be.
For though they may be parted there is
Still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be.

Let it be, let it be.
Yeah
There will be an answer, let it be.

And when the night is cloudy,
There is still a light that shines on me,
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be.
I wake up to the sound of music
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be.
There will be an answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be,
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

YES!!!! I am back in the Boston area now indefinitely getting physio and seeing my doctor in the city. But, guess what i am doing now!? It's been over a month since I last listened to Raaga.com, and I am finally able to do so! Bheegey hont is playing now ; ) My Aunt & Uncle's computer is great! It's really nice to be up here with family.....I'm not as down as I have been. I miss all of my friends. A very close friend went through some heart ache recently this week. She's a lot like me....in terms of never rationalising her passion....and some jerk guy took advantage of that. I want to tell her this: Don't ever lose that....

You are such a beautiful girl inside and out! You are a blessing to those who hold you dear and to those all around you. You're selfless, passionate, full of emotion, poetic, caring. You have a wonderful heart that everyone can see. You're a very pretty girl, with nothing to be ashamed of. You're funny and silly when no one else wants to be ; ) You're serious and listen with understanding when someone needs an ear. You're my best friend and I love you so much! This guy doesn't know what he's lost, because he never really knew you. He saw how quickly and easily you 'fell in love' so to say and maybe it scared him, maybe he took advantage of your vulnerability, but please know that there are great guys out there. There are guys who will respect you for you, who will love your passion, who will be appreciative of how deeply you can feel. Don't lose heart, and don't ever think lowly of yourself. Besides, white guys are pretty clueless ; ) ; ) Plus, people, this girl is so talented, she writes her own music, has perfect pitch, plays the piano and flute beautifully, can sing too, and and and, let me add, and she is a talented writer who is currently doing well in law school. ; ) You have so much to offer as a person and don't ever doubt yourself. I know the right guy is out there and when you both meet each other, he'll just love you for you.

I wish I was there to give you a hug
I know it's not exactly a cure
But I recall those times you were there for me
And it was your hug that made me secure
I wish I could erase the pain
I can't, but can only say I know how it feels
Don't question you, you were not wrong
It's your innocense that he steals

Maybe he didn't meant it
But play with your heart he did
Maybe too scared to commit
But create false dreams he did

It's not your fault, don't blame yourself
You are a wonderful girl
This broken heart will renew
It's like a baby pearl
You got a taste of love with a man
But you didn't actually lose your heart
Now you can know and appreciate
When true love does start
Maybe we're idealistic in way too many ways
But seriously, don't ever rationalise
That passion that gives you hope
The right man will surely recognize
Your beautiful heart, your you

A friend not too long ago told me not to rationalise my passion, and he made me appreciate something I had thought was a big weakness. It's not. I can't change who I am, and I can't ever stop giving so much of myself out to others. I can't stop loving so much. It's who I am....and there is someone out there who will understand and appreciate that for me and for my hurting best friend.

Thanks so much Saranya for sending me these pics!!!! This is me after my graduation on 1 Oct!! My family couldn't make it over to England, so it was great to have some of my closest friends there for me!

Here I am with my Graduation 'family' : )
Aarti, Aman and Saranya

Me and Aarti!! She surprised me with a champagne shower!!
It was awesome! ; )

Me and Amanji! Thanks for being there for me and getting all dressed up!

Me and Saranya!! Thanks bhaiya! : ) I know I had some real family there for me.

Stuti and Saranya!! It was so great to graduate with her at the same time!

Here's the whole crew from the MSc class who graduated on 1 Oct
There's Ed, Vedanta, me and Stuti who graduated and ofcourse
Aarti, Saranya and Aman ; )

Was a fun time for all of us, and I have to say Aarti's champagne escapade was the best of it! : ) I have to come back to see the three of you in your DPhil gowns!!! ; )