Happy Birthday Di – Love you >>Infinite number of selfies you click

To my princess and verily a part of my soul – Birthday Greetings to you as you enter the final year of 20s and begin the countdown for 30s. It would be a cliche if I say, it looks like yesterday that Sister Almeida came and placed the little bundle of infinite joy in my grateful arms – that is an oft felt thoughts of any father who is fortunate to have someone like you in their life. But then IT IS TRUE! We never realise the time flying away and this little bundle of joy has grown into a beautiful damsel. Happy Birthday Di.

With Sister Almeida when she was born and then 25 years later – Wasn’t I right in 1st paragraph of this piece?

A popular joke around the world is about 29th Birthday. They say this is one birthday that is celebrated so many times for many years by everyone. That feeling and urge to continue staying in 20s is irrestible. I am sure this will be your only 29th Year. Finding words that can truly express what I feel for you is tough first time and if you chose to celebrate 29th Birthday for the next 21 years, I would be language bankrupt.

While there – here is one of the most popular Humorous wish

Most birthdays come around just once, except for your 29th! You’ll notice in the years to come that every now and then you’ll be recelebrating your 29th birthday again and again!

A few days back – when my Nephew, Adharsh clicked this as she sat on my lap – IT WAS JUST LIKE IT WAS 29 YEARS AGO

These are not just words of an emotional parent – with every year you seem to be getting more beautiful, cleverer, more mature and most importantly – MORE CARING and LOVING! Every time I feel that it has saturated and it is humanly impossible to be loved or cared more, you pleasantly surprise me. Be just the way you are – Happy, Joyful and Cheerful because it is INFECTIOUS. You ensured that everyone around also become just like you, Chirpy, Bubbly and Blissed!

Statutory Warning during Pandemic – Her Cheerfulness, Joy and Smile is Contagious (It always was)

As I get to this stage of this piece, I suddenly am afflicted on what I have described in the past as Blog-Fear (like Stage-Fear). There is so much, so much to write but lost for words. You are in that phase of life when there is so much for all of us to cheer for. Resisting the urge to yell from the rooftop. Let it be for now! This moment is yours and yours alone and don’t want to preempt it and leaving it to you to TELL OR YELL! The law of nature is keep everything continual and cyclical and it is your turn now. Congratulations and Greetings on that!

On that day, which was Important Milestone of your life – Before you set on to build another Home with Arun

What I personally love the most about you is the fact that you touched 1000s of lives positively, just like you touched ours. Needless to mention, my only wish is that nothing takes your quality of loving, caring, dignifying and cheering up the world SELFLESSLY! This is a blessing from me to you and a prayer to the Divine from me – continue being the priceless GIFT to us and continue being one to the world. We learnt the joy of giving selflessly, the random act of kindness from you and we truly consider it an ornament not many apart from you can wear it naturally.

The Precious one from my Precious One
Happy Birthday Divya/Akhila (our Everything) – With loads of love from us

We love you far more than the number of selfies or photographs you get clicked. May Divine shower you His choicest blessings and more on this wonderful day and every moment of the year ahead. Your presence in our lives only proves that the Divine loves us really, else why would HE deliver this precious gift 29 years ago to us.

No tribute or gratefulness piece of mine ends without dedication of a song. This time a Tamil Number which is a favourite of my Princess and mine too. She hooked me on to this song and it is a regular one during our drives out of town. My pick of the stanza in that song (it is not just Velli, which means silver, it is something priceless)

Oru velli kolusu pola
Indha boomi sinungum keela.
Aniyaadha vairam pola
Andha vaanam minungum Mela.

Sung by one of favourite singers – Mahathi who also was/is closely associated with us (for many years now)

25 can be Gold or Diamond too – And It is!

At the risk of sounding repetitive (since nothing has changed but it only got better), I start off this piece with almost same lines I have penned earlier

This is to the one who has colored up our lives for 25 years, a miracle who never ceased to be miraculous 

As it happens every year,  I am experiencing something called Blog-Fear (like Stage-Fear) when I thought of writing a few of my thoughts for this wonderful Angel of our lives – who is “Everything (Akhila)” literally ! It is considered Silver Birthday – but not for us. It is more valuable than Gold or Diamond. Here I go….

On this day 25 years ago, I was handed over a wonderful gift wrapped in woollens, a gift that me as a Father could have ever ask for: I am so proud of the fact that you have become so beautiful within heart and outside it, and you are not just my daughter but also my best friend.

Life was never the same for the entire family. The first Queen of the family after generations of waiting was not only cherished by all, but celebrated. With all those pampering, what I admired in you the ability to keep that head firmly on your shoulders and not getting carried away.

Every moment of the past 25 years has been filled with Joy thanks to whatever you did. Unfair not to mention Vishnu too who enhanced it for the 18 years of them.

What I also love is that love for life that as Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji advised – You “Lived” every moment, not just existed – You grew up, not just aged.  In the process, you ensured that you sprayed this perfume of happiness on everyone around you. If in doubt, ask everyone around who were touched by you and the difference you made in their lives. (Just confirm that it is not a blind love of a father, Was all those due to my genes? YES :-P)

A click that I cherish – 25 years back – Clinging to the treasure like my life dependent on it (Fact)

Here is a birthday Wish from all of us – we been trying to find the right words to say for quite a while now, but we just could not! So let us leave it at –  we love you for whatever you are. We thank the Divine for the wonderful gift we have in our lives. Happy Birthday to the Wonderful Soul, a friend and daughter, sibling, everything.

And both Sindhu Akka and Swathi di  also send their hearty wishes (and gifts in person)

Here is my customary song dedicated to you. Reserved it for your 25th (saw this about 5 years back)

Miracle that never ceases to be miraculous – To My Daughter

To the one who has colored up my life for 23 years, a miracle who never ceased to be miraculous,

Starting off reminding you by rerunning this piece that I wrote => True to the Name – Everything  – every bit of what is in this is still valid and true. Only difference it that the things only got even better.

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Vividly remember that warm summer morning, 23 years ago – when I became a father for the first time, the day life changed from super happiness to bliss, When I held the little bundle of unquantifiable bliss so close to my heart and felt that very subtle breath, held it so dearly as if my life depended on it (truth is that it does depend on it), held it like a TROPHY and it indeed was a trophy directly from the Divine!

8:36 am on 3rd April – Wow!ght (no no, it is not a typo) a day it turned out to be in our lives. When I set my eyes first, I knew here is the princess who is going to light up our lives and everyone’s around her. The way you looked at everything around when midwife brought you out of the labour room for the first time and our eyes met – It is like I almost never took it off you.

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Your grannies, grandfather and myself – relished that moment of our much longer lives than yours. Here is a picture – being carried by the Doctor and carrying yourself with so much of dignity today, 23 years hence.

Divya with Dr Almeida
Then and Now! Photos separated by 23 years

This was the bundle, an angel who made me feel worth everything to live for, One who loved us and everything around her. She gave me a reason to love Aparna even more. With Unmatched sense of humor (I am sure it is from my side) and lovely looks (again from my side) 😉 Commitment to love and serve (it would be a lie even for a joke, if I don’t say it was from Amma) – Don’t dismiss this to a father’s blind affection, check with those around her.

When she wore a crown :)
When she wore a crown 🙂

Time flew past and let me tell you, the hug that we gave each other 23 years back has only got tighter and each time it is as exciting as that day. Thanks my darling for being you. Thanks Aparna for bringing her on to the planet and Thanks Divine for the wonderful gift.

You made us proud so many innumerable number of times that I will herald your next birthday if I were to list them. But here are the three that I was really proud of

Divya-Dance
Navaratri Guru arpane in presence of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji

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If you carefully observe I held a far more precious TROPHY than you. What made you different is your need to reach out and make a difference to the under-privileged (financially, physically or mentally) – The work you do for the needy is truly inspiring and many cannot even dream to match. You spread Joy and laughter to the world like an epidemic. A real Seva Warrior, my princess.

Astha

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For having come into my life – here is my wish on your Birthday! No special wish for a special person like you. Just that as you celebrate your birthday today, I pray that it’s the beginning of the best of all the great things, which are about to come your way. May the year ahead provide you everything that your heart wishes for. Have a great day and year ahead. Happy Birthday my Darling! From a proud father!

With love, with our love
With love, with our love

 

Here is my selected one for you. A famous Tim McGraw number.

Gotta hold on easy as I let you go
Gonna tell you how much I love you
Though you think you already know

I remember I thought you looked like an angel
Wrapped in pink, so soft and warm
You’ve had me wrapped around your finger
Since the day you were born

You’re beautiful baby from the outside in
Chase your dreams but always know the road
That’ll lead you home again
Go on, take on this whole world
But to me you know you’ll always be, my little girl

When you were in trouble that crooked little smile
Could melt my heart of stone
Now look at you, I’ve turned around
And you’ve almost grown

Sometimes you’re asleep I whisper ‘I love you’
In the moonlight at your door
As I walk away, I hear you say
“Daddy, love you more”

You’re beautiful baby from the outside in
Chase your dreams but always know the road
That’ll lead you home again
Go on, take on this whole world
But to me you know you’ll always be, my little girl

Someday, some boy will come
And ask me for your hand
But I won’t say yes to him unless I know
He’s the half that makes you whole

He has a poet’s soul, and the heart of a man’s man
I know he’ll say that he’s in love
But between you and me
He won’t be good enough

You’re beautiful baby from the outside in
Chase your dreams but always know the road
That’ll lead you home again
Go on, take on this whole world
But to me you know you’ll always be, my little girl

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To sign off, Di I love you so much more than the number of selfies you click of yours and both of ours put together – that means Infinite Love

How do we forget this moment when the Divine blessed us all. Ever grateful Pujya Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji for making our life so fulfilling and blissful

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 Update: At the stroke of midnight a good deal of her friends landed up with a cake and made it even more special for her

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