Dear

Dear

You have turned into a young lady now and I choose this day to tell you what a pleasure it has been to parent a child like you. You have always been an extraordinary child. I still remember the first time I held you in my hands. Unlike other newborns who can’t focus on a thing for long, you held my gaze for an instant too long , as a silent promise of our comradery. Your eyes have always had an intensity that could not be missed by anyone.  

I can vividly recall how the most fascinating part of the home's library for you used to be the place where your grandfather’s collection was kept. A glance at the old leathered spines of the books would make your eyes gleam. You would smell them with such occupied reverence as if they held the scent of antiquity. I saw you grow up into a person who developed an intimate relationship with literature. And it has been a joy to see the abstract charm it has added to your personality.

Ever since you were a little kid, the sight of you indulging in a chocolate cake has been the most delightful sight for me. You intently savouring the thing- smudging it all over your face (even now)- oblivious to the people watching you. It is the picture of a girl who believes in enjoying the things she loves , in her own way and on her own terms and has the courage to do so.

Challenges always amused you. I can never forget how you insisted on learning to ride the bicycle without supporters, despite getting bruised several times. That was so much you- pushing your boundaries and never giving up. How each time we went to your uncle’s orchard, you would land up on top of a mango tree with your older cousins - your face smeared with the juice leaking from the mango you were sucking at. I loved the smile of guiltless pleasure you flashed every time you did that.

It is your eighteenth birthday today and the whole idea of adulthood must be a little difficult to absorb. You will be asking life many questions- and while you will discover answers to some, you will define the answers to others. As you will move out of familiar spaces to discover new dimensions of life, you will find yourself pulled to many new, unexplored ideas and avenues. Knowing the kind of person you are, you will want to learn about and try out  many different things. All I want to tell you dear is that always take out time to reflect on yourself and nurture the  the depth of your personality. It is very important to be sensitive to the artistry within in order to truly absorb the creative knowledge outside.

Time will require you to make choices for yourself- the career, friends, partner. Choose a career which you love. Then you will not have to work a single day of your life. Your love for the work will transform it into fun. Choose friends who accept you in your worst. Some of the friendships forged now will have the potential to last a lifetime. And Choose a man in whom you can see a friend before you can see a lover; someone with whom silences are not uncomfortable; one who can hold the intensity in your eyes. He should be someone who commands your respect because that is the foundation of every relationship. True love inspires. The right person will bring out the best in you and will see the best in himself through you.

It is fun growing up. Play with the shades of life.Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Let yourself be. And with every passing year fall deeper in love with yourself. Happy birthday darling.

Love

Papa