Before you scroll down and read my first blog post in this category, I need to tell you why I chose the title “Rambling with Ru”. While rambling typically refers to long, aimless or incoherent speech or writing, I believe it can also be a gateway to meaningful insights. Remember those late-night conversations with friends? — the kind that starts with making fun, but eventually things get serious as everyone gradually lets loose or feels comfortable enough to share their thoughts without holding back? These long talks often spiral into various topics, moving from trivial subjects to profound questions about the purpose of life, how to live life, and so on. In fact, I am sure most of you have felt, at least once in your life, that some of the most profound and wise ideas emerge during these moments of relaxed, unstructured and unexpected conversations. You know the feeling when suddenly, a seemingly unrelated anecdote or observation sparks a profound realization?

Philosophical thinking thrives on curiosity and reflection, and rambling creates space for these by allowing us to follow unexpected trains of thought, similar to what William James theorised as “stream of consciousness” in his Principles of Psychology (1890). By embracing my toddler Ru’s seemingly disjointed early speech and accompanying ideas, I have chosen to provide a riverbed for his stream-like rambling to emerge freely and share our journey of ramblings with you through this blog category. As an academic in the field of humanities, I often find myself digging into the works of renowned philosophers to comprehend their take on complex matters. However, in the process, the simple truths often get marginalised despite being right in front of us—like watching a child discover and make sense of the world through their fragmented speech.

Ultimately, in a way, rambling with Ru is also a rambling with my “Ruh” (soul)—inviting us to explore the world through both the innocent eyes of a child and the deeper reflections of the spirit.
On that note, I present to you the first phase of Rambling with Ru…

Baby on the Bus goes Uaan Uaan!

Context: While Ru is playing alongside, I am sitting on the sofa, feeling down after my mom left for India after staying with us in Germany for a few months following my surgery.

Me: (tears streaming down my face) (mumbling to myself) I miss her so much already… the house feels so empty now.
Ru: (happily playing on the floor nearby with his bus toy and making its wheels spin round and round) (then pauses, looks up at me, and tilts his head like he is figuring something out) Mumma?
Me: (trying to wipe away the tears) Yes, Ru?
Ru: (walks up to me, begins to sing in his cute little voice) The baby on the bus goes uaan uaan uaan! (complete with dramatic hand gestures)
Me: (startled, burst into laughter, staring at Ru in disbelief) (hugs Ru)

Sometimes, when life gets too heavy, it takes a little “uaan uaan” to bring things back into balance.