As I cross another year to add a plus one to my age, I thought it was a good time to pen down some thoughts that often waver across my mind. In the hustle bustle of everyday life, I often tend to shove them away in the backseat succumbing to the demands of a corporate life and struggling to fulfill daily chores. There is simply no time to think and even if there is the mind simply wants to relax and escape any serious self introspection. Such has been the jaunt through the roller coaster ride called life over the last few years.
Birthdays are always a day to feel special. In this context I have the rare feat of feeling even more special since I happen to share this occasion with my father. Taking a peek down memory lane I still remember the birthday celebrations in the train (coming home from a vacation) wherein Maga and I distributed sweets and chocolates. The excitement of wearing a colored dress to school and cutting a swimming pool cake from Flury’s used to take over almost 10 days before- it was like a culmination of the winter events- a finale after Christmas, New Year, winter full of outings, fares and picnics. It seems strange that the little things of life like wrappers and stickers and hand written birthday card invitations were so important and valuable…somewhere lost today in the cyber and mobile age.
One universal thing across age and time that remains unchanged is the fact that birthdays are a time to celebrate and feel important. Our modes of communication have no doubt been altered and reduced from birthday cards to sms and quick std calls. But the sheer happiness of someone greeting, unexpectedly remembering you or the disappointment of someone forgetting your birthday surfaces a bag of special emotions-a reinforcement of past present and existing bonds, relationships, friendships and associations.
This year’s birthday was unexpected and exciting many ways. The prelude was colored by thoughts of how great it would have been at home and a recap of yester years. Being a Friday I did not have scope to celebrate it royally with dinning (am a converted veggie of course and all of you must be knowing that I fast on Friday). My friend was sweet and thoughtful to start the celebrations at 11 am in her house. It began with me cutting the cute cake. Life in a PG is fun with 12 o’clock celebrations. One of my buddies brought a delicious chocolate cake. I just managed to cut and quickly stuff a portion of the yummy cake at five minutes to 12.
Unexpected surprises are simply great on birthdays! I was expecting a cake from my cousin brother in 9th January morning which arrived at 12 am on Friday. The next two hours of the night and the day after in office was spent in being lauded by wishes and taking phone calls, visiting Arshiya (the girl from school)and the temple for while (did not manage much work at office).The celebrations went on till the Sunday birthday treat-the fun, frolic, food and cake cutting were special moments .I wanted to make the most of these experiences with the thought crossing my mind that I had no clue as to when and where I would be next year! Seemed to me that the unpredictability of life at times stimulates you to make the most of it.
Coinciding with the second week after New Year my birthday is always an apt time to coin and reiterate New Year Resolutions. As the year unfolds I always wonder balanced by eager anticipation and apprehension as to what the year would bring for me. I heard a very interesting saying the other day that life is full of alibis till we find true sense of purpose for it. Somehow I find a strange connection with my own life wherein things have just happened to me.
Coining a resolution and sticking by it would mean a little more effort on my part. Apart from focusing on work I would have a host of other things on the agenda. Being sensitive to feelings of others, nurturing relationships and associations, devoting some more time to unselfish ends (known as social work), concentrating on spirituality, value, being grateful for what Life has given me and above all stop complaining! (I cannot be hundred percent sure about the last one)
As a start point, I have decided to find the true meaning to life, to ACT and convert opportunities into options rather than wait for things to happen and in some way be closer to not living as an alibi.
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Good writing...shall be tracking the follow up of the resolutions..especially the last one...
ReplyDeleteMy father's comment which adds to my blog:
ReplyDeleteDear Kachu,
I wonder how I allow myself to be an unapologetic apologist for or responding to you. Having the same date of birth, the pleasant schism between mutual approaches to life in general ma have something to do in this regard. Nostalgia takes on me almost irretrievably. On my own, I tend to look backward when I used to have the affluence of elders. The texture might have changed but conspicuously different for yours. There is a subtle perception of mild angst somewhere and glimpse of recognizably definable identity. Ninth January has come up as a confluence of flows of experiences of different durations. I have around myself in reality only a handful and few more through cellphone, harping on returns of the day. At least I feel reinvigorated and sustainably so.
With love and best wishes,
Maga
Bathin said:
ReplyDeletehmmmmmm.......good...you still retain your writing abilities...also happy to see that corporate life has not yet snuffed out the sensitive person from my sis....