A letter to my son

                   A letter to my son on the occasion of Ahoi Ashtami

Dear Ansh,

Years ago, my darling, when I was pregnant and you were on the way, I started a new thing, and that was fasting on the auspicious festival of Ahoi Ashtami. Though I was advised to eat and drink something through the day, I decided to keep a ‘nirjal vrat’ for you my love. Not that it was healthy or advisable but I felt a strong urge to do something which I had never done for anyone ever. (Karwa-Chauth was different since I’d seen your dad and you were not yet born) My heart was flooding with love for the invisible life within me.

Just like any new mum-to-be, my heart was fluttering with joy at fasting for the well-being of the little life that lay kicking inside me. I decided that very day, to love you and protect you from all that is harmful. Just like a tigress fiercely protects her young one, I was all determined to be your protector and guide.

Once again, this festival is here, and it is for the 15^th time that I’ll be fasting for you. Over the years I’ve seen you blossom from a little cherub to a young adult. It’s great to see you grow but given a choice, I would love to time travel with you to the past and celebrate your childish innocence once again! Not sure whether you would want to do that though. Anyways, just as this day is approaching, a lot of thoughts are flooding my mind. Since talking to you these days is proving to be a little difficult, I thought, I might as well pen down my thoughts.

I know that life’s not really shaping the way we all would have wanted it to. You have different expectations from life, and we are still a little old school but still at the end of the day, like any doting parents, we just wish well for you.

So here are some pointers I’d like to share with you. Do take out some of your precious time to read them.

1.     Set your priorities right – I know this is quite a debatable one given that you have a different set of priorities but I still thought I should let you know, that you need to think over it again.

2.     Limit your time on your gadgets – Say whatever you want to, but you really need to cut down time on those gadgets.

3.     Spend some quality time with us – I know what you’re going to say. You’ll say that we don’t have that time for you but my dear, quality time can be anywhere, anytime. While having food, while driving, while hitting bed…..just about any time.

4.     Make more friends – As much as we would like to have you all for ourselves yet we can’t be the only people in your life forever. You’d need a set of friends on whom you can depend, those with whom you can share your secrets, those with whom you can experience something new…maybe whacky!

5.     Laugh more often – This house and our lives get brightened up with your laughter, so laugh my child, we love to have our home reverberate with your candid laughter.

6.     Have fun in life- Though this might appear a contradictory statement in light of the priority thing I wrote above yet that and this are two completely different things. Enjoy life as this time will never come again. Live every moment of it.

7.     Be true to yourself – Now this one is very important. Even though you are my baby and you’re mine in flesh and blood yet no one understands a person as much as he himself does. So, son, stay true to yourself at all times because when you think you are deceiving someone, it is actually no one but you yourself, whom you are deceiving.

8.     Love yourself – This one definitely is the most important cause if you do not love yourself you will never be able to love anyone. Accept yourself with your goodness and vices. Brace your evil with love and you will be able to transform it magically to goodness. You my love, have the power to shape your life into anything you want to and if you’ll truly love yourself then you will be proud of your architecture one day.

Looks like this is it for now. I’m sure you’ll call this nagging but believe me, it’s not. It’s just my love poured out into the form of a letter. 

I may not be the best mother but I’m trying my best.

I love you sweetheart. God bless you.

Lots of love,

Your doting maa