Thank You Pa
After a not-so-great Independence Day & after two days of my being home alone, mom-dad-bro came back at midnight, 17th August, which happens to be my dad’s 55th birthday.
Usually, I get cakes & gifts and throw a surprise at the midnight itself for every family member. Unfortunately, I forgot my dad’s birthday this time. Mom reminded, I wished and slept off cursing myself.
Now, 17th August happened to be a really hectic day for me. Meeting CEO of JAM Magazine in the morning, lunch at IIM-A, meeting VC in the noon, dean of CEPT & followed by a big press conference for the JOY OF GIVING WEEK. Late evening, had to attend an urgent core team meet of YUVA & a meeting with a special person, who was leaving Ahmedabad the next day was scheduled after that. Good Gods, how could I forget my dad the whole day? How could I miss a family dinner too with grandparents?
Unfortunately, this realization came to me only while I was returning home at around 10 pm. Driving at a speed of 40 km/hr near Ambawadi with Helmet on the head and the helmet glass covering half my face, cool breeze was shearing the glass & slapping my face as if I was a convict, making me feel guilty.
I thought about my birthdays, when my dad would manage a special treat, bestow me with some fundoo gifts and make me feel really special. I did not do even a bit of any such thing for him. I was wondering how dry I made his day, and obviously my big brother would never believe in ‘showing emotions by making someone feel special’ theory. My dad, even for a second, would have felt that “My children do not have time to celebrate my birthday now.”
I was trying to take a left turn from Shivranjni cross roads without showing the signal. Driving like a paralyzed-man; thoughts governed my whole body and hands merely played with the steering. Another bike passed across almost knocking me down, I realized I was on the road and so I started driving normally but the constant slaps on my heart by the cool breeze made me realize the worth of my dad. The guilt feeling pierced directly into my heart and heaved out all the tears from within.
I stopped by a shop and got the most eccentric gift for my dad, a BOURNVILLE. As they say in the ad, ‘you have to earn it’; I thought my dad had really earned it, making me realize my mistake and his worth too.
I reached home, parked my bike, wiped out my face, went in and called dad outside in the compound as I had pre-decided. I did not want to create a ruckus in presence of mom and big brother. Dad came out, I wanted to talk to him and explain to him. It is not very often that I have fallen short of words when it is really necessary to speak. Being unable to utter a single word, I just started crying like a baby and hugged him tight. What a relief that was! I couldn’t remember the last time I had hugged him, but I felt as if it did not matter, as if I was doing the perfect thing in the world at that time, as if no one else mattered to me for that instance, as if I was completely tension-free and care-free. I never ever in my life felt so light hearted.
They correctly say: speaking is not as much effective many a times. Believe me, it was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had in my life. Try it out, if you haven’t till now.
They correctly say: emotions drive us many a times.
