Happy Birthday Divya

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

Ensures4 Comments

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)

Heart of Gold

Ensures

It is 10,227 to this day when I carried the best bundle of joy, a precious Gift that I ever carried in my arms – just seemed that the entire family waited for that day for lifetime to see her appearance into the world. The first Girl of the family in generations and how lucky we are to be her parents, uncle, aunt, cousins and most importantly Grandmother. (I so badly want to add Arun into the equation but then let me confirm if he really is :-P)

A lot of what I write here maybe a repeat, because she never ceased to be the great human being she was ever since she came along – it only got better? To write instances will need Terrabytes of webspace, but suffice to say “Trust me, ask anyone who has crossed her path – what I said is truth and nothing but truth”

From that day on 3rd April 1993, to a being a bride last year and first Birthday as a wife, you have grown gracefully into an amazing young (and beautiful – my genes you see) woman. You are that human being that I often wished I could be. You are beautiful, confident, smart, and well-liked by everyone.

This was the journey so far. My Precious one in my Arms at 28 hours and 28 years

Thank you Divine, for this wonderful gift – Akhila a.k.a. Divya – who has been more a friend than a daughter. It is always tough to write my heart out in limited abilities with words – because there is so much to write and to choose some is a challenge when it comes to writing about you. To start with, incredibly proud of you darling for the way you managed our expectations, by and large exceeded meeting it. You made up more than for small little disappointments when in the rare event you did not meet it. Looking back, it was great that you yourself set such a high expectations on yourself, which means you never ever felt you are undeserving of anything great that the creation has on offer.

As I have kept saying, I only pray that you continue to remain as confident and experiment. Best learning we all drew from you is not to be afraid of making mistakes. Many doors opened due to that, a lot of lessons learnt making you even greater person. As some wise man (don’t know why it has to be a man always :-P) said mistakes create the path to the amazing life one can aspire for later.

Isn’t it a great virtue of how you make friends and people are so easily drawn to you – highly magnetic feature that is everyone’s envy. You can go to a God forsaken place, half way across the globe, or into a desert, where you know nobody, yet I am sure you will come back with loads of new friends (and yet a few more of Whatsapp groups, Amma would say this). No adversity has ever dragged you down as we saw over the years. Just shed the moment and keep moving forward. I pray to the Divine that all these characteristics are never lost on you ever.

You are the best daughter, best grand-daughter, niece, sister, cousin, friend and now (assumedly) a great wife too. Keep smiling like you do while you make light of navigating the worst and most choppy seas of challenges. The way you, Arun and Vishnu managed along with everyone in the family those days when a lot of us were down with Covid, was simply unbelievable. Made it so easy for all of us to come out of it unscathed. Those words you wrote after it was over (in a week) was very touching – not showing any worry outside but what you were going through was so evident in that FB/Insta post. WoW Darling – You are unmatchable

Loads and loads of love from all of us here

Happy birthday Di, my beautiful and invaluable Friend! It’s still unbelievable that it is 28 summers ago on this day that we met for the first time – as a few minutes old, 3.1kg lively “staring” bundle. Keep your chin high and stay happy and progress in life retaining all those great traits that you possess. I love you more than you will ever know. Have a lovely day and a great year ahead.


From Grateful Dad

On this special day, here is my pick for you (or rather for me)

Illuminating our Path – Happy Birthday Divya

Ensures1 Comment

I never got why people always equate something precious and dear to the “Eye” like Apple of my Eye, Kanmani,  etc. Well! it was true until recently when I realized that I had something dearer than that decorating our lives.

She has magic in her eyes and more than anything she has the ultimate love & trust for the world. If you cannot accept that this is a beautiful world, see it through her eyes to realize it.

From the time when she was presented before us for the first time after her birth – I vividly remember the glance she gave and looked around. From the one who required care then, to someone who cares, this young lady has come a very long way in these 24 years.

Proud of those moments when she worked with disadvantaged children, differently abled children and her tremendous efforts at mainstreaming them through dance. An epitome of Nishkama Karma – never did anything for laurels, but it came by nevertheless.

Thank you Divine, for this wonderful gift – Akhila a.k.a. Divya – who has been more a friend than a daughter. Don’t go by her frail (but healthy) looks – she has a strong shoulder that many of us can really lean on for strength.  There was a time when I had to explain whatever you meant to us and wish on your Birthday. Gladly you have turned into a young lady and it is only appropriate that I write to you directly now.

Dearest Di

Me and Amma were go through the pictures of you growing up and realized how the time just flew past.  What is admirable is the persistence and never say die attitude. Learnt to take the punches that life threw at you on the chin and move on (after taking it head on). Whether you had these recognition coming your way or not… I would love you no less and you would continue to mean as much – but the icing on the cake is when glory came your way. A proud father’s tears of joy reliving those moments is inexplicable.

Knowing that the world is amazing but a challenging playground,  going by the journey so far, I am very confident that you would savor, steer, enjoy and live every moment. You also have taught many of us to live each day with a sense of gratitude due to which Life has honored us back. While you may not need it anymore than how much I need yours, rest assured that we will walk along with you all the way.

This would be incomplete if I don’t share some glorious moments when you brought everyone cheers and happiness – Proud moments so far and I am sure this is just the beginning. I am sure there are many more to be picked up on the way.

As I always told everyone, there is something special about you, and no parents could be no less prouder than us with whatever you ARE! I know you have a lot more to offer to this world. And as you do that, like a torch bearer in any procession, let me tell you “You illuminate our paths”. That is a huge huge thing for someone your age to do.

I still remember your conviction when you said, we will continue to help people in need notwithstanding whatever trouble some people create – If we back down, it is a victory for them. This world cannot be defeated by a few naysayers!

You are very true there, darling. Go and conquer the world, make it yours and spread the fragrance of happiness. In your little ways, you have touched not just the immediate family but so many countless number of underprivileged children and elders too. A speed breaker of life did not deter from pursuing what you thought was the right thing to do.

Loads and loads of love

Not sure if it is required anymore! But go ahead and aim for the skies in the firm belief that you will not be afraid to fall. Not just us, all those whose lives has been touched by you will be there, not to let you fall.

Have a great birthday and wish you countless more to come! Stay blessed and Keep smiling!