Cakes, candles and some birthday thoughts

Come adulthood, I still look forward to the early wishes and the inherent chance(s) to catch up on old friends and have interactions with those who call

It was recently my elder brother’s birthday and my thoughts went back to childhood days when, for me, my birthday excitement would set in at least month prior to D-day (Bhaiya has always been the more grounded one). I remember how I would wear casual dress (uniform wasn’t compulsory on the students’ birthdays) to school that day and the entry in the class itself would be a matter of great pomp and show as all the students would start clapping and cheering upon seeing the ‘colourful’ dress’ – it was something everyone did for everyone in the class back then. I would distribute sweets in the class and carrying the sweet-basket to all the teachers in their respective classrooms, too, would fill me with pride. I might be a kid-like person in this matter but my birthday, till date, fills me with only mildly subdued elation. In fact, I have a conviction that every person, regardless of age/ sensibility level, feels at least a bit on cloud nine on his/her birthday.

Birthdays are ‘a-good-chance-to-talk-to-friends-and-family’ dates. (Shutterstock)

My brother once sent me a birthday wish: Happy birthday sis. You may fly today, but land back safely tomorrow. Come adulthood, I still look forward to the early wishes and the inherent chance(s) to catch up on old friends and have interactions with those who call.

Also, there is this typical kids’ birthday celebration with a cake, friends donning bright birthday caps (the largest one being worn by the most special person of the day), samosas, gulab jamun and some refreshing drinks (tea for elders). Don’t know why but this standard operating procedure for young ones’ birthdays fills me with a glowing warmth.

For the more balanced, collected and stable ones, like my father, birthdays are just another days. He smilingly and lovingly thanks everyone and goes about his business in his calm and graceful manner.

However, he did recently share that his birthday does make him stop and wonder about all that he has done and/or he wants to be able to do ahead. There’s a philosopher insider everyone – mine tells me to seize all the opportunities to smile, laugh and celebrate – even if it means that I myself remind a particular cousin to wish me! – while my father’s philosophy is to neither be over excited nor overly sad.

With social media platforms abound, it’s easy to remember and wish loved ones on their special days. Yet, I still treasure my beautiful green-coloured pocket diary with a monthly calendar that highlights all these ‘a-good-chance-to-talk-to-friends-and-family’ dates. While the content of those conversations remains similar – ranging from ‘How are you celebrating’ to ‘It’s been so long we talked”, but these itself re-establish the connections that otherwise run the of risk withering with time.

Also, a quote by the revered Mirza Ghalib that I recently read comes to my mind, “fakat baal rangne se kuchch nhi hota Ghalib, kuchch naadaniya bhi kiya karo jawan rehne ke liye.” Once in a while, as we all know, it’s okay (rather desirable) to let free the child inside everyone. What’s a better day than birthday for this? Though I remember I actually used to feel slightly mentally deflated a day or two after my birthday, but seeing the streamers, decorations and balloons (which would be taken down after a week or so) would remind me of the wonderful time I had with my friends and fill me with joy again.

All in all, whatever our takes on life and our in-built thought processes, it’s totally worthwhile to pamper ourselves and bask in the happiness of all the wishes on our special days. On the same note, Happy Birthday to those who have it today!

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