16!

Pari turns 16 tomorrow. To me, it feels like I was 16, not so long ago. The days are so fresh and vivid in my memory. Like Pari, I was in the 11th grade, struggling with the rapidly mounting pressure of advanced-level Physics, Chemistry and Maths after scoring very well  in 10th grade with nominal effort. Nobody and nothing had prepared me for this sudden acceleration in academic rigor and I remember having bouts of self-doubt. Pari is in the same boat and goes through similar emotions on a regular basis, and I try to support her as best as I can. It actually helps to remember my 16 year old self because I can relate to her challenges and insecurities so well.

It is a lack-luster birthday eve. My enthusiastic child, who starts planning for every birthday 6 months in advance, is quietly studying for her school exams that begin tomorrow. We had to move the birthday party to the following week to accommodate the exams. To justify the deferred celebrations, I pulled out the pre-natal hospital records and showed to Pari that the due date predicted by the gynac was 22nd Jan. The doctors had planned a leave from 10th Jan, not wanting to take a chance with my 'precious pregnancy'(that is medical term!), they extracted her on 9th Jan. Her actual birthday is 22nd Jan and a celebration any day before that is early instead of delayed. Always a logical person, Pari appears to be quite satisfied with the explanation and her initial disappointment has diminished. Happy birthday my lovely child, I am so blessed to have you.