My First Published Article on "Dining Table Etiquettes in a Metro Formal Setting"!
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As far as my memory goes back, writing came naturally to me before I learnt to stir that spoon in the kitchen. As a child and a teenager, I wrote poems, proses, stories, made my own comic books, wrote plays for the neighborhood summer projects, directed them and it helped me to anchor myself as a person who wanted to express more.
The imagination had no limit and my parents and grand father were the force behind me. They encouraged, appreciated and critiqued my work.
In college, I was the youngest editor of the College Magazine. It was a proud moment. After college, life happened and I lost my pen somewhere and my writing was put on a huge hault. So much so that my husband and the friends of my adulthood didn’t know that I write, till I started the blog.
Blogging brought back my passion for food, sketching and writing together. If you ask me, sketching, how exactly? The artist in me, crossed the road from paper & sketch pencil to photography and slowly, I could see myself creating a scene, a display, an idea projection in my photographs for food blog. The wooden boards became my canvas and the props, the cutlery and crockery, the settings etc became my coloring tools in more 3-D effect.
I was happy and at the point when I was looking to give more body and direction to my work, Being Woman happened. They were looking for free lance writers on a common forum on Facebook and I raised my hand that “may be”, I can do it. Aastha, the sub-editor had been following my blog and said she already likes what I do so she would be happy to give me a chance. I sent the article and the pictures and the editor and sub editor loved it. It got published. A heartfelt gratitude to the Magazine and Editing Team for their confidence in me.
It was an overwhelming day for me. For years, I felt incomplete, feeling something amiss. The self worth is not about “how much are you earning” but for me, it is about “am I being fair to myself in the middle of being a wife and a mother?” Every woman has a calling! Believe me! It need not be compared with the fanning green bucks all the time. The contribution of any stay at home mom is huge. Choosing family over her career is not easy. But we all make choices and live with it. In the middle of it, it is important, not to forget to feed and treat the blue woman inside you.
Phew, if that is what the summary, I have written, then what would an essay be? ;). I stop here! I did pour my heart out today and here I am sharing the snippets of my first published work!
Wow! Congratulations Sonal! What satisfaction we find when we finally follow our bliss! Good on you – this is an accomplishment to be celebrated for sure! 🙂
Congratulations! You must feel so proud. What a fabulous achievement 🙂
Thanks Afra! I feel more humbled since this happened when i was not looking. There is a power who has a plan for everybody !
Congrats!! Being published is such a wonderful feeling, and your writing has more than earned it 🙂
Thank you 🙂
Congratulations this is a-ma-zing.
Sophie <3
congratulations! You go woman!
Thanks girl 🙂
Congratulations!! well deserved Sonal. The table is indeed beautifully set. So when you calling me for dinner? 😉
Just knock on the door girl 🙂
Bravo and congratulations, Sonal 🙂
🙂
Can you send me the PDF too, pretty please ?? [email protected]
Sent! Did you get it?
Aww Sonal, I am so happy for you xx Sending hugs your way 🙂
Thanks so much Naina :). This is a special post to me :). And your presence is much appreacited.
Sonal… I’m so happy for you!! Congratulations! How lucky that magazine is to have found you… just look at those gorgeous photos.. I’m trying to print the article up so that I can read it.. The table setting is absolutely beautiful..and the lasagna rolls are perfect with it! A standing ovation for you, my friend. Wonderful news! <3
Thanks Prudy :). I am so humbled by your kind comment. I have the magazine pdf. Send me your email address and i will email that to you for better read. I am not aure of the print would be readable in the printout.
[email protected]. Thank you Sonal! I cant wait to read it… ❤️
My email is [email protected]
Woohoo!!!!!! such a superstar xxx
Muaah Elaine :). Thanks for being there with me in my happy moment!
Thank you for sharing it x x x
Wooooow congrats dear Sonal well deserve n many more to come <3
Thanks Mel
Congratulations Sonal! That is so exciting, and your article and photos are wonderful.
Julie, a heartfelt thanks to you! This post is not about good but very close n special to me . Your comment on this is so appreciated :).
Way to go Sonal! Bravo! Your blog is always fun and interesting to read and a visual feast to admire!
Thanks Gerard 🙂
Congratulations n wishing you many more to come..
Thank you so much Srividhya 🙂
Congratulations, Sonal!! Looking at the final piece, I wonder why you would ever doubt that it would NOT be accepted?!?! It is f a b u l o u s! Your photos are outstanding…such a gorgeous table setting too! (Off to click in to read the article now.) Bravo to you. <3
Thanks so much Nancy for the kind comment! This is special and your presence is much appreciated :).
Well done Sonal, totally understand the ambiguous territory between wife and mother, so pleased that you found this fabulous shade within it x
Deena <3. I hope with the shade I find my firm grounding too with due course of time :).
Wow congratulations great article I love it and your photo’s are amazing. Table etiquette is it seems lost these days and I love that you wrote this article.
This is a special post for me Suzanne! Thanks for commenting on this one specially. Thanks so much for appreciating as well!