Nostalgic November

November dawns! I start to feel very special. As if this month is a celestial month of magical things about to happen. I have no clue why I  love this month. I think it’s the best month of the year. I  feel connected to people who share their birthdays in November. Maybe I  have a hang-over from reading too much of Linda Goodman in college. My birthday falls on Children’s day, that’s another reason why the day feels unique! Now I use it as an excuse to explain my infantile behavior.

When I turned 12, I once invited the whole neighborhood to my house for cake. My mother had said I could invite who ever I wished and I took advantage of it. It felt so great walking around with a beaming smile announcing to all and sundry that it was my birthday.

Although we are four years apart my sister and I have just a day in between our birthdays. For both economic and reasons of convenience my parents preferred to keep our birthday party on 15^th November. (Mine being on 14^th and her’s on 16^th).

 14th November started with festivities. On waking up I would discover goodies kept under my pillow the previous night.

 A vanilla scented eraser, a chocolate, a tin pencil box or a comic would send my young heart soaring in glee. My mum being a doctor and always hard pressed for time still managed to make my favorite dishes on this day. At school a treat awaited me since all schools distribute sweets on this day. The next day, on 15^th, there would be further gaiety to look forward to.Cousins and friends would come over with gifts to wish me Happy Birthday! Who was I to disagree? I was happy on this day too, regardless of me being born a day before!  Everyone pampered me, said nice things to make me happy and I would  be walking on sunshine these two days of the year!

Cut to the present.The day begins with cheerful wishes from family and close friends.  I get an fb page full of birthday wishes. My daughter paints me a beautiful card with loving words.  I go to work as usual. Its children's day and the children have an excuse today to behave rowdily. We have to be extra polite to them. It’s their day they keep reminding you.It’s a tiring day for teachers. The dim and indiscipline often gives me a headache. I come home tired from work and invariably decline my husband's proposal for a dine out. I prefer to curl up with t.v dinner and some peace.This is how I prefer to celebrate my birthday now.

 It feels foolish these days telling others that it’s my birthday. (Naively doing this right now on a public portal though!!) I shrink at the thought of someone asking me my age! Whoever said age is just a number is in denial and needs serious counseling.

That remarkably unique feeling on my birthday diminished with time. More pressing things need attention now. That magical day when I walked about with a grinning happy face and childishly announcing to all “It’s my happy birthday today” is long gone. The starry eyed adolescent grew up after all.Although she did take a long time doing so.

 I guess all good things must come to an end!