Being me…

Two decades back the only “days” that called for celebration were birthdays and anniversaries in the home turf and in school there were Teacher’s day, Children’s Day. Parent’s Day & something known as “Gratitude day”. Till now I have no clue about why we celebrated Gratitude day.

Because we went to a Convent School Christmas celebrations were always way ahead of the actual date, mostly on the last day of our Annual Exams which was around the first week of December.

In those days we had few greeting cards to choose… and with a limited pocket money we could not possibly splurge on buying a dozen cards for friends. I remember my mom getting really creative with me and it was always the hand made cards that I sent my friends for either birthdays or wishing them Happy Holidays as the school closed for vacation.

That one small thing remained with me for a long time. However it does not mean that I’ve made personalized cards for each and every soul with whom I have shared great rapport. Because by the time I landed in college Archies & Hallmark gave me a sheer complex with their bundle of greeting cards and that too for every occasion!

The last card I made was ten years ago, when I was in head over heels in love with someone and it was the only moment in my life when something in me said “ he is the one I should get married and settle down… so what if he doesn’t owns a pink Cadillac… did not possess a fat bank balance….” And a decade later I still don’t regret this decision.

So I made this card for the man who’s been with me for a decade now like a shadow, who knows me in and out and most of the times does things for me which I have in my mind only….

The card was one long chain of memos in square shapes tied with ribbons and in each memo I jotted down the reason why I loved him. There were hundred memos!

Prior or post marriage I don’t recall celebrating St. Valentine’s Day. Not because we as a couple are unromantic but then why single out a day to profess and show your love when you could possibly do with small gestures and big surprises everyday round the clock.

Yesterday a friend wished me Happy Woman’s Day. I thanked him for his wishes and for also reminding me about it.  

Perhaps the best way I’ve celebrated Woman’s Day was during the period I was working. Being a product trainer for FMCGs especially cosmetics and toiletries, once we (me & my two colleagues) got a pleasant surprise when our H.R National Head said that we were free to choose any lip and nail colours we wanted on Woman’s Day. And our plight was like that of a mouse in front of a trap who didn’t know whether to choose the cheese or the bread! Better comparison would be an Assamese adage – “odhik masot bogoli kona” which translated would mean too many fish can make a crane go absolutely blind!

Another incident that flashed across my mind yesterday was a text message B sent me on Woman’s Day. Mornings are always a mad rush, when I was on job and even now as a stay at homebody.

I was rushing to go to work when my cell phoned beeped. I checked the message and it was one short and sweet message from B. It said, “Nappy Woman’s Day”!

I didn’t have to ask him what Nappy meant because I knew Nandini + Happy makes Nappy.

Its been a long time since that message but still I am fond about it….

Being me is perhaps Nappy!

Yeah!!!