As you turn 11 today...
Dear Nithila,
Let
me start this letter with an incident that happened just two days ago. It was
your close friend Meera’s birthday and I was to drop you to her home for the
birthday party. Many of your schoolmates had reached and were playing on the
ground… we quietly entered the zone and to my utter surprise, your name was
being called out from all directions. From one side of the ground where girls
had congregated near the food spread and from the other side where boys were
playing football. I was holding your hand and I subconsciously walked towards
the girls, you tugging behind me, but you kept turning behind, looking for
someone on the other side… at one point, you wriggled out your fingers from
between mine and ran to that other side of the ground… Meera and another friend
Sehaj walked out of the boys’ group, you greeted them and the three of you
joined the football squad… you were the only three girls there amidst some 15-20
boys… I quietly walked towards the food table, had a short chat with Meera’s
mother, overheard the girls’ giggles and blushes , wondered why you chose not
to be part of those giggles and left after a while… Later in the evening I
picked you up and while driving back home, I asked why did you go to play with
boys instead of playing with the girls and your answer blew me off… you said
“Mamma, you know what they talk and giggle about? About having crush on boys
thTeens and Crushes happen together, some over giggles, some over kicks… whatever your mode, I have to accept your picks…
Such and more life lessons continue, surprises continue… in very many ways, in your approach, in your likes, in your interests… your interests vary from sports (tennis & football largely) to Art & Craft to Travel & Photography and recently to cooking & baking… you do all of them amazingly well.. these are your comfort zones, and the moment you are pulled out of them, you are totally lost…
For years now, you have followed tennis grand slams and watched your favorite players with great enthusiasm. This year, you showed huge interest in the Football world cup, so much so that you had the timetable put up on your closet, you had your favorite team and players, you watched their games till wee hours in the morning, you discussed the techniques with Papa and to my surprise, had me glued onto it too… As part of the process, we together also read articles on the various teams & players, their countries, their history.. This you can say was my value addition to the game !! And so we now have a list of countries we would want to visit together, top of them being Japan, Russia, Portugal & Mexico… I am not sure I liked watching football, but I quite like the outcome of the games, the ‘to-go travel list’…
Travelling, as I mentioned before, is another area of interest.. and a common interest between us… after our Iceland trip early this year, you had written a travelogue with the pictures you clicked… It was hugely appreciated by your teachers, friends and everyone who read it… after that holiday unfortunately, I had a bad year health-wise which prevented us from making any further travel plans through the year… all your holidays ended up being spent at home and you were clearly not ok with that… I promise Nithila, I will make up for this in 2019 with some fascinating travels & expeditions, that we have been meaning to do together – a beach holiday, a high-altitude trek and a long driving holiday at the minimum…
This interest in cooking that you have is quite something, you look up recipes online, message me the ingredients that are not in stock at home, and cook all those complicated looking recipes all by yourself… mostly these are cakes, muffins and such… this year you baked your own birthday cake, with a snow-theme… what a high point it was to see this taking shape in the kitchen… and I don’t know whom to give the credit for these cooking explorations you do… Definitely not me, I am in fact far from it… let us just say it is another channel you have found to express your creativity… creativity that is packed in abundance within you… it finds avenues on its own… you have also created a corner in your room where you cozily sit with your art and craft box and keep creating some or the other utility items or memorabilia… these days ‘slime’ has been the focus and I simply can’t stand that slippery thing, but it is your corner, your space, you decide… and you make that amply clear… your art reveals the softer and subtle side of you… my favorite pick from your creations is this recently painted snow-scape… quite a refreshing piece…
It is with enormous pride and fulfillment I see you grow everyday, nurturing your varied interests, which have shaped you in many ways… On this day, your birthday, I hope and pray you continue fostering all of them and more… on my part, I will make all attempts to encourage and support you… be your art buddy and create craft masterpieces alongside you… be your sports mate and follow all about the sport that you choose to follow… be your partner in cooking exploits and food hunts… be that ever-charged companion on your travels and experiences… and above all, be your confidant, be that book in your closet in which you write and etch your stories as you traverse ahead in life…
Happy 11th and many more such wonderful years…
Love Mumma
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