Sick Days, Vaisakhi, and a Needed Reset
Reflection, family moments, and realizing it’s time to make a change.
This week started with Jasper getting sick.
It showed up right after Sunday at the gurudwara and carried through most of the week. Tuesday was definitely the worst of it — the kind of day where you can tell your little one just isn’t himself. By Wednesday, after “school” (his word for daycare), he started to turn the corner a bit.
Of course, daycare comes with its own realities. Toddlers share everything — toys, laughs… and germs. So we know where it likely came from. The timing just never feels ideal, especially with everything else going on.
Because this week wasn’t just any week — it was Vaisakhi.
A meaningful time in Sikh culture, marking both the formation of the Khalsa and the harvest season — a moment of renewal, gratitude, and preparation for what’s next. It’s one of those times of year that naturally brings reflection.
And this year, that part hit a little deeper.
We also had family coming in from out of town, which made Jasper being sick even tougher. It’s one of those parenting trade-offs — protecting your child and others means sometimes missing out on moments you were really looking forward to. Hopefully we’ll get that time back soon.
There’s also a lot of discussion around this time being the Sikh New Year, depending on how you look at the calendar. Whether it’s Vaisakhi or the start of Chet, the message feels the same — a chance to reset, reflect, and move forward with intention.
For me, that reflection is landing on something simple but difficult: technology.
It’s easy for it to creep in — a quick check that turns into 20 minutes, a habit that slowly takes more time than it should. I’ve realized I want to be more present. More intentional. Less distracted.
Less screen time. More real time.
More focus on Jasper, my partner, my health — even just getting back to basics like movement and routine. Somewhere along the way, I stopped tracking those things as closely. It’s time to bring that back.
The end of the week brought some much-needed balance.
Friday was more about home updates — getting a new fan installed and continuing to improve the space around us. But Saturday was the highlight. Jasper’s grandma returned from Arizona, and we spent time at her place — playing, walking, just being together.
Jasper and I even got in a morning hike and a solid nap — a rare and perfect combo.
My partner baked special cookies while catching up with her family in India, and we wrapped the day getting new outfits ready for Vaisakhi at temple. It felt like one of those full, meaningful days you wish you could bottle up.
Sunday at the gurudwara was beautiful — a great ceremony, great energy, and a strong sense of community.
But later that day, something unexpected hit me — the Sunday scaries.
Not just the usual end-of-weekend feeling, but something heavier tied to work. A realization that the current pace, the current setup… it’s not sustainable.
And that’s probably the biggest takeaway from the week.
This next stretch isn’t just about getting through it.
It’s about taking control — before the days start running faster than the life I’m trying to build.