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.