Happy 17th Dearest Ava !

Dearest Ava,

It was somewhere in Feb/Mar the dates for the graduation ceremony for my IIM-Indore Chief Digital Transformation Officer (CDTOP) program were announced - I was hugely disappointed that it would coincide with your 17th birthday. I contemplated between missing it / bringing you along / going by myself. It was a hard decision to make. 

Today, I’m here with my cohort that I am meeting in person for the very 1st time. I am also at a campus where I may never return as a student again. 

You are there in Pune surrounded by family and friends that never cease to shower their priciest blessings and eternal love ! 

And this should mean a lot to BOTH of us  - because they’ve made every effort to ensure they make up for my absence. And yet, I know Lata aajji and Abba will surely say - “There is no making up for the absence of a mother.” 

Nearing adulthood, You will soon start to realise - life is going to be a little like that - we always want every occasion to turn out perfect in every way - we want all the people we love to surround us all the time - in the best and even in the worst of our moment’s. 

But, more often than not, a place left vacant by a loved one will surely be filled with another special person - and when that happens - always remember to be grateful. 🙏 

Be deeply grateful for the ones who are with you in those moments - you may not have the same kind of fun or share the same jokes or exchange the same stories or cry the same happy tears - but whatever you share with these people, in these moments, is the universe’s way of telling you - you are immensely loved and blessed. 

So go ahead and make “Your kind of special memories” with these wonderful people while you continue to hold dear the loved ones that are not around.

Life is a set of tradeoffs - you will NEVER have it all - for you to win some - you will need to learn to loose some ! 

Like your article on Substack taught me - every decision involves an opportunity cost. Which trade offs are we willing to make as a family to shape the life we want…? 

Which trade offs are you willing to make as a person to shape the life YOU want…? 

And this year more than ever, we both are going to have to make some really painful but intelligent trade offs that will give us all a brighter future ! 

Prosper, flourish and go for NOTHING but the BEST - cause “You’re totally WORTH IT !” 😎❤️

It takes both rain and sunshine to make a rainbow ! 🌧️ 🌞 🌈 

Happiest Birthday Avani ! You n Me to Eternity and back ! 🌙 

Luv, luc, hugs n kisses,

-Mumma 😘

P.S : this was a nice clean path until the storm hit, then the rain and then the flowers fell to the ground - and it still felt beautiful - there was a charm of a different kind - if we only chose to see it ! ❤️