HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY PREESHA
____________________
I look into the mirror and express unhappiness over my frizzy hair, which is flying an inch above my scalp. The daughter watches me mumbling and silently replies, " Mom, your body, hair, and skin colour are your personality. Don't wage war with it. Accept it, embrace it, and be proud of who you are.
____
I fight with her father for trivial reasons. She watches us wrangle without uttering a word and patiently waits for the situation to settle down. After cooling down, she counsels me.
Mom, why do you poke him? You know it will not yield anything.
Don't try to change him, but change yourself, live life, and stop asking permission or approval for everything. Do what makes you happy. He and you do not have shared preferences. His work makes him happy. Stop waiting for him, go out, have fun, and live your life, you old lady. It would be best if you went on treks to understand the generosity of this beautiful creation. You will discover yourself with every summit.
____
I apply kajal and lipstick on some odd days; watching from the sidelines,
she comments
whoever you are going out with, come home early; I cannot give cover to you for long.
I dropped the kajal and chuckled, almost rolled on the floor and laughed out loud. She put up a straight poker face and wouldn't move a muscle or change an expression as if she meant it.
When I tried a long kurta and turned around in the mirror contemplating wearing/not wearing the leggings, she would encourage me; sexy momma, Let your legs breathe; expose them to this beautiful world.
She takes me back to the past, reminding me of friends from class for twelve days. She makes me feel youthful and energetic.
_______
She has some small savings; she asks me to buy a book for her every second day. When I complain about excessive spending, she silently asks me to deduct it from her savings. Every 10th day, she wants me to read her horoscope, promising to pay for it with her earnings in the future. When I remind her about outspending her reserves, she tells me to deduct it from her future inheritance from me.
_____
She names her bags, combs, street dogs, maids and pets. The terms are new and relevant to the character of the object/person/pet she is naming. She is good at understanding people and their problems. She is very caring, nurturing and giving. I often tell her you will make a fantastic healer, Preesha. Her immediate retort is that you always ask Bhaiyya to write, but you never show the same confidence in me.
When I praise her brother for his writing skills, she instantly creates an incredible poem to keep the sibling rivalry going.
____
She is a very watery person inside, eyes welling up for the smallest of the vitriols I throw at her.
When I reprimand her for being ultrasensitive, she confides in me. Samba, you are the only person I am fearful of in this world and the only person whose opinion matters to me, so it hurts when you criticise me. I wouldn't care if someone else did that to me.
____
We counsel and criticise each other in multiple ways every day.
She studies late at night, checks on us multiple times to switch on/off the AC, and corrects our blankets. Many nights, she massages my feet to help me fall asleep.
___________
Like every other fantastic daughter, my Preesha is a godsend. She is what she is because of the blessings of elders, guidance from her teachers and the divine grace of the creator.
____
As you celebrate your 18th birthday and step into college soon, you need to take charge of your life, make your decisions, and tread responsibly. You will be alone from here on preesha; enjoy the roller coaster ride.
Happy birthday, Preesha!
____________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment