Dearest 16 year Old Avani - Happy Sweet Sixteen.. or fifteen ? : )

Dearest 16 year Old Avani...😊(okay fine 15 ! ) 

I always count a year more because I can't forget the 9 months You grew in my womb  and more than 3 long months I spent hoping I was finally pregnant with a girl child 😅 now you better forgive me for always running a year ahead of your true age 😊

I am typing this sitting in room no 641 of the Jupiter hospital observing Lata Aajji's tranquil face - the forehead that always adorns her trademark maroon bindi - she is so particular, that even if it slips in her sleep, she will put it back on - this gesture of hers tells me there are a million ways we can express love for our life partner. 

The way Aabba and Aajji are both sailing through their hard and hopeful days, speaks volumes about not just how inseparable they are, but how eternal, the bond of marriage is and how "Love" is the only thing that can hold it together. 

Theirs is a marriage made in heaven for sure - I wish every married couple an eternal bond like theirs and every eligible bachelor a match that is as suitable - taking turns at being the sunshine and the rain - to ensure there is a flowering garden they can enjoy. For them, this has been all the children and now the grandchildren of the SuperAwesome family ! Needless to say, both You and Aadvik are their whole wide world !

I can only sit back and feel immensely grateful that they have lived a fulfilling life and still have incredibly rewarding years ahead of them - not everyone is lucky to reach that life stage - may those blessings rub onto to us so we can both live to be called "grand ma" at the right time & stage of our lives too  ! 🙏

I know over this past year, both You and Me have sailed through so much change - You personally, Me professionally and I feel incredibly proud that You stayed so graceful & resilient through it all ! 

In fact on more occasions than one, I couldn’t tell, which of us was the mother and which one the daughter.. that’s how much You've matured - almost in a flash to be honest… 

- You backing and being there for Your best friend as she recovers from her father's loss..

- You raising awareness against bullying people that seemed less normal..

- After an ex-students suicide, you reinforcing the fact that help is always at hand if you choose to reach out - no matter what - taking one's own life, no matter how hard the struggle - is against our core human values and beliefs of living a life full of gratitude..

- Acknowledging that not all people are meant to get along with everyone and still choosing to keep your equations separate, precious and reconciling differences while guarding your sanity and friendships…

- Your magical ability to establish connections of the heart with every living being from a dog to a bird and having deep conversations across every age group from an infant to an old person is beyond admirable.. We always described you as a baby who can make even a stone talk ! In your company, anyone and everyone can only feel energized and happier ! 

- You choosing to proudly wear your own skin, no matter how flawed it may be vs. hiding it behind make up..

- You putting on a pullover on an off-shoulder top as a mark of respect for the elderly folk arriving on the scene unexpectedly

- You being conscious of not wearing black to a temple..

- You walking up to a door keeper to ask if he had his dinner..

- Giving to the needy, buying from the streets under-paid..

There have been numerous occasions over the last 2 years where I have stood back and been swept off my feet with your kind and matured behavior ! My heart has swelled with pride for every value you have exhibited - of empathy, humility, courage and kindness and on every occasion the words just echoed louder and clearer - 

" That's OUR daughter AVANI ! 💖😇💞💞" 

You truly are, one of a kind and I have immense confidence that as in the past and the present, so will You in the future - continue to Live Your Best Life reaching Your fullest, truest potential ! 

Today as You turn a year older and wiser, it's not just Kalpana Aajji, Baba, Daddy and Me, but the entire extended maternal & paternal family, friends and even our work connections who are rooting for Your progress and eager to see You succeed with whatever You choose to do and be in Life ! 

There is only one person that can continuously improve to experience supreme happiness & fulfilment from Your life and that person is YOU ! 

Happy, Happy Birthday our lil gurl turned little woman - we will forever be Your best-est Cheer Leaders Dear Ava ! 

There is only two cents I want to contribute to Your understanding at this age : 

1: Nature's clock is not just for plants and animals, but it is also for Human's to respect. Stay true to Your name Avani - Nurture Nature - she is our only savior. 

2: Human life stages evolve in a sequence and unfold with time, for the right reasons - let your life be reflective of those stages and timing. There is a reason god put teenage years before adulthood and after childhood and old age as the wintering years. Do not forget the importance of fulfilling the purpose of each stage of Your life and do it in time, but most importantly, remember to thoroughly enjoy every single stage to the maximum. The very essence of Life is to journey through the struggles - so might as well struggle with all our might and grace spreading happiness everywhere we go. Ensure that You will always be the reason of leaving every dead thing and each living human, a little better than You initially found them ! 

Prosper, flourish & smash your goals - willpower and discipline is all it takes ! 

Loads of luv, luc and cuddles dearest Ava ! 

- Mumma (You and Me are the luckiest girls in the world ! 😇)

Dearest 12 Year Old Avani - Earn Your Tomorrow's !

June 1st 2021 : Last year as we had a close knit family celebration at home, we made promises of seeing everyone in person for a real birthday party this year. Today, yet again, we find ourselves on video calls with our most loved members of friends and family. It has been a year more challenging, than the last. What seemed to be, only a momentary struggle with the pandemic, spiralled into a nightmare with the second deadly wave of the corona virus. While the world learnt to come to grips with their stories, we too lived through our suffering. 

We no longer have your great-grandmother around us in this home. Genie, who very fondly made you fall in love with dogs forever, is gone too.. Two deaths exactly a week apart, certainly brought about immense pain and a sense of permanent loss. There is a hole in our hearts which I'm afraid will never firm up. It brought back the feelings we had when panji-ajji passed away in the December of 2014. You pointed at the skies and asked me if she must have now reached heaven - You were just five then. 

Today as you turn twelve, You have learnt to express your pain, the sorrow of losing someone you related to, the grief of never being able to see them, the sense of never being able to touch them, feel them, or even smell them, ever again…! You still have an innocent resolve to break world records by being a mother-daughter pair who live to become centenarians. 

As a mother, I can only pray to God that may you be granted even the smallest of Your wishes true. But, I also want You to understand that our lives should never really be measured by how long we live, but by how we contribute in making this world, a better place to live ! 

So fret not, if we don't make the world record - There will always be a bright shiny star You can forever look up to ! 😇

If there is anything this pandemic has taught us it is this - 

"Death is a door through which every human will pass, a glass through which every human will drink - Death is, the only certain event of Life, once You're born". 

If one can learn to embrace this certainty without fear, one can truly feel fortunate for having being given an opportunity to contribute to humanity by showing Your Love ! As we express gratitude for being given yet another day as a gift, I want You to read this poem...

Have You Earned Your Tomorrow?
by
Edgar Guest

Is anybody happier because you passed his way?

     Does anyone remember that you spoke to him today?

This day is almost over, and its toiling time is through;

     Is there anyone to utter now a kindly word of you?

Did you give a cheerful greeting to the friend who came along?

     Or a churlish sort of "Howdy" and then vanish in the throng?

Were you selfish pure and simple as you rushed along the way,

     Or is someone mighty grateful for a deed you did today?

Can you say tonight, in parting with the day that's slipping fast,

     That you helped a single brother of the many that you passed?

Is a single heart rejoicing over what you did or said;

     Does a man whose hopes were fading, now with courage look ahead?

Did you waste the day, or lose it, was it well or sorely spent?

     Did you leave a trail of kindness or a scar of discontent?

As you close your eyes in slumber do you think that God would say,

     You have earned one more tomorrow by the work you did today?

                                                     As a Mother, I can only say, 

Let Your answer be a "Yes", every single day !

In a world where there are and must never be any free meals, I wish You all the courage to Earn Your Tomorrow's !  

Stay Brave and Be Kind ! 😚

Happy Birthday Dear Ava, Love You to no ends...!!! 💗

Hugs, cuddles and kisses... 😘
- Mumma.  

Once on Your Lips.. Always on Your Hips !!

Have u ever thought that chocolate could influence your childhood in profound ways ? 

A dairy milk always taught me to “share” and “eat in moderation” owing to its pre designed cubes ! 

Whereas a 5star always taught me to indulge ! 

Right now .. I feel like having this entire bar .. even that 25% extra and I know that happiness is only going to be momentary and guilt ?? 

Once on ur lips .. Always on ur hips 😃😃 ! 

No wonder why I’m still a dairy milk fan ! 😇 Chocolate taught me to love ! 💕💕😃😃