Dear Reader,

I need a minute to breathe. I need a minute to make a list of everything I need to do - to pack ten sets of clothes, my laptop, my tablet, my Kindle, each with its own charger for my trip to Manali. I need a minute to help the September baby with her to-do list - buy socks, get foreign exchange, and get a suitcase to replace the old one that has squeaky wheels.

I need a minute to get out my saree and mix and match one of my embroidered blouses and to lay this out before I get ready for the shareholders meeting I must attend. I need a minute to gather up the girls’ debris, the paper and plastics scattered all over the room as they sit about and try on budget clothes they have ordered from an online store.

I need a minute to centre myself - to move mentally away from our weekend trip to the Kochi backwaters to celebrate my mother’s 80th birthday. Three days of being with the three generations of our family had amazing moments. There was the........

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