My dear parents had waited for a while before I was born to them. Earlier, they lost their precious twins. I am the third born of the family.
My dad always vividly recollected and described the sight of him seeing me for the first time in the world, he said, “When I saw you for the first time, your eyes were very beautiful, your dark eyeballs were in very pure white eyes, and you were staring at the ceiling fan”. Whenever he described the moment his face lit up to be filled with joy.
My parents made sure that they made every birthday of mine truly memorable. I was then studying fifth standard at A.G school and on my birthday, my dad took me to a bakery where he ordered more than 200 cakes to give it to people to celebrate my birthday. He bought the best chocolates like Eclairs, Milky Bar (hundreds of them) to give to my friends.
He took me to meet important people all around the town, like his boss, to receive their blessing. One was Haji Mustafa Textiles' owner; it was one of the famous shops in Tenkasi. He was a very old gentleman with the Muslim cap and beard. He smiled at me and blessed me with all his heart. My dad was so proud when he introduced me to him.
My parents used to buy at least two new dresses for my birthday. My dad used to choose frocks and skirt and top which were unique. His selection used to be very colourful yet very cool and modern kind (his artistic instincts played a role). Whereas mom’s selection used to be ethnic yet trendy.
When I left home and stayed at college hostel, I know my parents cannot be with me on my birthday. It was August 27, the next day was my birthday.
I was in the hostel gym room, then there was not much equipment. There was this long steel table and a green bench near the tread mill. A green bench was there near the exercise bicycle and a waist twister equipment. A few dumb bells were also there. This is where short hostel meetings for the leaders will be conducted. I was sitting on the bench and a senior was talking with me. I was missing my parents and controlling my tears. It was very close to 12 A.M. Some of my seniors came and told us that it was time and they will accompany us to the dorm, as we drew nearer I was blindfolded which left me a bit puzzled.
We went inside the dorm, and I was standing before my cute little cube, and they released the blindfolded shawl from my eyes. I was in for a total surprise. They had decorated my cube with colourful shawls and lights, the night lamp on my table was covered with a beautiful pink cloth and so it shone forth the pink light in my cube. Pink is my favourite colour. Beneath there was my birthday cake. When I was mesmerised at the love of my seniors and the beauty of the place, I came to reality with a thud sound followed by sparkling colour papers which fell over me and the cube (came from the burst of a balloon, above my head, which was stuffed with colour papers). All my dorm-mates started to sing “The happy birthday song”. I was drenched with the love of God which came through the sweet girls who were singing around me. I cut the cake and all of us shared it. They also gave me a present, a dolphin shaped pink coloured alarm clock.
When everybody returned to their cubes, I closed my cube and thanked God for having given these awesome people in my life. There was this wonderful senior who was very beautiful who went by the name Sowmya, she always amazed me with her leadership skill, she was the dorm representative and was the brain behind this surprise party. This was one of the most unique birthday parties I ever had.
One of the persons who makes everyone's birthdays special in the college is professor Dr. Betty D'coute. Whenever a girl approaches her to get madam's blessings for their birthday, She’ll give her a warm kiss on her forehead and will say “God bless you” with her bright smile. I have learned to cherish others on their birthdays from my parents and next from these lovable lovely James Doakians.
In later years, when I was doing my PG degree; I was staying at an amazing hostel named PRB(Panditha Ramabai Hostel). My roommate’s name was from a famous Shakespeare’s work. Yes! her name was Juliet. She was a Roman Catholic, she studied math. I have seen her literally memorizing math!! She had some superpower I believe. It was her birthday and, when she was out, I decorated her space, especially her study table, by making a beautiful paper bouquet and filled it with natural flowers from the campus. Along with it, I placed a small gift and chocolate. Above all, I wrote some nice birthday wishes on a chart and placed it on the wall.
Juliet never expected of anything of this sort and when she entered the cube, she was so surprised and joyful to see her beautiful table. Doing a surprise for someone rather than simply giving gifts, adds more meaning to the celebration.
There was this calm, godly, loving friend named Jemima Sabrina. She was someone who always stood with me during my tough times at college. 2014-2015 was my last academic year at LDC. I was staying in the second floor of the PRB hostel. The surprise plan was made. We celebrated our dear girl with all our hearts. She was surprised with the game named “treasure hunt” which ended by finding the gift. Her room was decorated with a chart which carried all our signatures. This dear friend still keeps the gift with her, and even today shared the picture of the gift.
My friends who did the M.Phil research studies with me celebrated my birthday by arranging a party in the lunch pavilion. The cake, teddy, candles and last but not least friends made the day very special.
The most memorable celebration was the send off, we PG friends did for our beloved naughty class rep named 'Rebecca Jeyani', who devoted her life to serve God. Not in our wildest dreams we imagined our class rep to do such a noble thing, but it was God's will and calling. This girl was very special, one day all of us were asked to go for JX Miller library, our mischievous Rebi was sitting in the cement seating which was under the huge tree and was making fun of everybody saying one thing or another, my turn came, she started to roast me, I was there waiting for God to do something on my behalf, Rebi was sitting in a very casual position and was laughing at me. Something in pure white and warm fell from the tree which settled right at the center of her head. It was crow poop! All of us whom she was roasting before, couldn’t control our laughter at what we saw, sometimes God answers right at the time. The awkward situation ended with a funny incident.
When she decided to serve God, we wanted to give her a send off, at her request we got KFC chicken instead of cakes and chocolates. All of us gathered near Wilcox Hall, shared all good memories and thoughts we had about her.
Our hearts were sad, yet we know she is going to be in the great will of God. Later I met her and was awe struck at how God moulded her and kept her as a blessing for many. Somebody wise once said “Do not judge a book by its cover". We never knew what can become of a person when they are in the great plan of God.
Life runs with a speed of lightning, in a blink of an eye people are gone, scenario changes, everything becomes a part of the past. Only way to keep good memories is creating one. Enjoying the present, celebrating the people in your present life can bring joyful memories in the future.
Celebrate my friend, celebrate life.
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