Those Birthdays
People get emotional
on their birthdays. This time, hardly anyone from those whom I expected to wish
me on my birthday was left out. Those who were close to me wished me in person,
those who were far away wished me over the phone and on Facebook. But the one
from whom I expected to wish me early in the morning, my wife, finally asked me
in the evening what was the matter that I was getting so many phone calls
today.
That day, I had been
at my daughter's house for the last six months. Here, in Australia, in fact
everywhere where both husband and wife are employed, not only birthdays but
everything, even national festivals are celebrated on weekends. I am planning
to celebrate my birthday on the coming Saturday in a hotel outside the house.
But my birthday was made very beautiful by not one but three small incidents.
On hearing the sound
of me returning from my morning walk, my 5-year-old grandson left his bath in
the morning and ran naked to open the door and said Happy Birthday to me.
Today was the birthday
of three of his friends in school. All the children got toffee-chocolate
packets while returning. Sai told me this while returning from school.
He said- "Today was the
birthday of four of my friends."
I corrected him and
said- "Not four but three, I have also seen their names on the notice board."
He immediately said- "Nanu! You are not counting yourself!"
It took him at least
three hours to rein in his greed. In the evening, when I had gone to water the
plants in the backyard, he whispered Happy Birthday to me again and secretly
put the chocolate bar he got from school in my pocket.
11.12.2014
Growing up
For the last three
months, the entire family had been forcing five-year-old Sai to do all the work
himself. Today he jumped on the swing and started swinging very high. I once
again warned everyone that whoever wants to feed Sai by making morsels with
their hands and enjoy many such pleasures, should do so quickly, because now
Sai is not going to give many opportunities.
Now he will neither
wait for long with breakfast and food for someone to sit near him and feed him
nor will he procrastinate in other works. Now he will not want to lose the
opportunity to eat quickly and have fun. Now he will keep seeing so many things
to do. His age is increasing, now there is no need to worry if he eats too
much. After all, this is what everyone has been trying for so long.
I mostly used to do
the work of making him sit on the swing and increasing his swing by pushing
him.
Today I am very happy
and .....
04.02.2015
Sterio
I like the company of
children the most. There is an important reason for this. That is their
innocence. You also fill yourself with the same innocence and then see how
interesting life becomes.
At this time, everyone
misses their grandparents. This generation works as a bridge very well. Parents
get some relief, children get their moments of love and the elderly get the
hope of celebrating another birthday. I had the good fortune of spending six months
with my grandson, it was as if there was a shower of colours in my dull life.
There is no game that I played in my childhood that I would not have repeated.
From hide and seek, Ludo, snakes and ladders, elephant and horse, bat and ball,
to the new games of today like Ninja, Transformer, Spider-Man, Minecraft,
Building Blocks, etc. and what not. But one or two things were a must in all of
them, that was, fighting and always losing.
Now as soon as he woke
up in the morning, he would come to my room and give me the famous magic hug.
We became so attached to each other that it became a matter of concern for
everyone. Everyone would keep explaining to me that it would be very painful if
we parted. But I kept explaining to myself that when I had somehow overcome the
pain of separation from childhood and youth, then this was just six months of
heaven. I was definitely a little worried about my grandson. He would be so
engrossed in playing with me that if his grandparents called, he would keep his
attention on the game at that time only. So that the grandparents would not
feel bad, his mother would sit next to him and prompt him. Whenever such a call
came, five-six memorized sentences would definitely be uttered, like- Dadu
namaste!, How are you!, When will you come!, A toy has come for me! We will
play when you come! Take care! Namaste!
When two-four days
were left for returning, his mother would keep the child with her most of the
time so that he would not have the pain of separation. So much so that during breakfast
and lunch, she would sit next to him instead of me. While returning, everyone
came to see me off at the airport. My grandson also stayed with me till two
o'clock in the night. At the gate of security checking, he gave me a magical
hug very quietly. Both of us did not say anything to each other. I was not
speaking properly and was avoiding his gaze but he was not able to understand
what to do at this time. As soon as we reached our country, we talked on the
phone two or three times but I could not muster the courage to bring up the
topic of my grandson.
Today, after calling,
my daughter and son-in-law handed over the receiver to my grandson. My grandson
spoke to me very warmly- Naanu namaste!, how are you!, when will you come!, a
toy has come for me! If you come, we will play! Take care! I will also come to
India! Namaste! I took a sigh of relief; what is the use of warmth, it is a
thing of the past.
remembered those ducks of the nearby pond who had
become very friendly with me, they used to pick up pieces of bread from me
almost with their hands, but when their season came, I don't know where they
went. Then when they returned after a month, it seemed as if they had not taken
this separation to heart. The same must be happening with these children too. A
few days of sadness and after that left new friends, new toys and the business
of studies growing like Surasa. Perhaps the children are the busiest, the ones
who sit idle suffer, burning their time by sinking and rising in the
intoxicating lakes of their memories. How do I remember my maternal
grandparents or my late parents now? If some devotee posts their photo on
Facebook with a sad sentence, then like everyone else, I too press the
"Like" button.
05.02.2015
This is Life !
This morning, when I
reached the pond to feed bread to the ducks, I was stunned. Today, neither did
the ducks come running to me, nor did any fly to reach me, nor did any peck
from behind to indicate its presence.
The happiest moments
that I get to spend in the last phase of my life are either with children or
with various aspects of nature. Although I never want to miss sunrise and
sunset, but the sky and the clouds on it always keep me entertained. Trees,
plants, their leaves, the rays of sunlight filtering through the leaves,
colorful flowers always keep me thrilled. But when an animal or bird starts
showing affection, then I start feeling that nature also considers me its
friend. In the same sequence, sometimes I get close to the fishes of the pond,
sometimes I make friends with the squirrels by feeding them peanuts and
sometimes I feel proud by feeding bread to the ducks.
I have come to stay
near this pond for a few months and will soon go away from it. As the day of
going back is coming closer, I am worried with the thought that these ducks
will keep waiting for me after I leave.
But today the two-four
ducks that came to me with great difficulty and took the pieces of bread in
their beaks, they were all unknown ducks.
While returning, I
understood such a small but such a deep thing. My friend ducks had now found
some other home or today on the day of Magh Purnima had come their day to
return. And now new ducks will come to this pond from some other place.
Now I will not feel
sad to leave this place and return to my homeland.
15.02.2015
Long live the King
Today we will return
to our homeland after six months of stay in Australia. Early in the morning my
wife also got ready for a walk. She kept reminding me throughout the way that
tomorrow I will not see this, I will not hear that etc.
Today it seemed as if
all the ducks had returned to the pond for the farewell party. We had also
taken a lot of roti/bread. The Sun God was also spreading as much colour as
possible on the clouds.
I returned home. My
daughter had prepared my grandson for school. Today was the last time I was
taking him to school. Sai, who was always cheerful, did not talk throughout the
way. When I asked him, he said that he was sad. Then he raised his head and
looked into my eyes and immediately added - Naanu, it is not because of your
departure, but because I had a fight with Fenli yesterday. I did not say
anything. Yesterday, while bringing him back from school, I saw him hugging
Fenley as usual.
Lakshmi was right. My
experience was more surprising. When a distant aunt of mine was being taken
back to the mental asylum, she was very sad throughout the way. Seeing the high
gate of the mental asylum, her face lit up and as soon as she reached inside,
she ran to Dr. Mrs. Davis standing far away and hugged her with laughter.
I thought it
appropriate to WhatsApp Lakshmi that famous song from the film Boot Polish -
"Raat Gayi Phir Din Aata Hai. Isi Tarah Aate Jaane Hi Yeh Saara Jeevan
Jaata Hai".
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