Happy Birthday zala!

1989 seems just round the corner but it’s past 20 years already. Only tells me this younger brother of mine has left his teens even. And they tell me you need mirrors to know your age. Wrinkles hardly tell you anything. Younger siblings do better. But lets not always mourn one’s age that’s galloping at a very fast pace. Sometimes we ought to enjoy memorable occasions also, like my brother’s birthday.

Well, I have a faint recollection of our elder brother carrying a lump wrapped in some cloth and I had gone “Yucks, that’s some pulp!” But you were beautiful! You must know you were a sport even before you were born. You challenged your mom to a race and you won it because you were born in the ambulance even as it was reaching just half way to the hospital. You were born lucky on August 20, 1989. You were named lucky moon too, Tashi Dawa.

You must know that I was 9 when I carried you as a baby. Our blasted two eldest sisters and brother were studying in boarding school and I and my immediate elder sister bore the whole brunt of a hefty you. Boy, were you heavy! You had a head bigger than your cute body and we would laugh as you involuntarily toppled on one side with regard to the position of your head. You were fun, of course only until you came on my back. You must have wondered why I, being the elder brother, am shorter to you by almost a foot; well young lad that’s because I lost a foot fighting gravity and your insurmountable weight on my tender back. You are taller now because you didn’t have to carry anyone. That’s the charm of being the youngest isn’t it? Well, I too enjoyed being one for 9 years at least.

But I have no regrets. I look at you and see the love in your eyes, I am just too glad I was there. I am just glad you came to this world. You are a changed man now. I can see you have the sense of a mature man. There was a time when you would be scared by clanging of the cymbals, beating of drums and you would cling to me as I would console you. There was this time when you would just go ‘huuuuuuuhhhhhh’ in long breaths and that would mean we have to stop whatever we were doing and carry you to the loo. Oh, I hated it when you did that while we were eating.

Now times are a changing and you are too. You have become more private with your issues and I am just glad about it. It only assures us you can take good care of yourself and won’t be that baby anymore. You must know that your parents are proud of you because you are growing into a fine man. You must know that I am proud of you because you are turning out to be a good brother. You must know that we all have decent expectations from you. Do not let us down!

You must also know that while mom called you this morning to wish you a belated happy Birthday she was trying to sound mirthful while she had tears in her eyes. And she was crying as she put off the phone. Yes I am jealous of that but then I know she will cry for me too as I also leave soon.

Well young lad, I sacrificed a foot carrying you. You better live yourself up to it. Study hard and keep in touch!

Happy Birthday zala!