Today is my little sister's birthday. She isn't little anymore... but I do recall that I called her "Baby" for many a year. I switched between calling her Baby and Bontie through the years, until per chance, me and a close friend of ours began calling her Pig. This blog post is dedicated to my lovely sister - Piyali.
Dearest Bontie, Pig, Baby, Piyali...
I just want to wish you a happy birthday, but those are cliched words, I really wish you all the joy, love, success and laughter today, this year and forever! I love you so much, and I am so grateful to have you in my life for 28 years! Ok I think we didn't see each other between 2001 - 2002 but after that we have seen each other once every year. It's unhealthy and unnatural for us to be apart... we have some weird familial, historical dynamic... something from our childhood, genetic, and spiritual bonds us. We are telepathic and you know it!
28 years! we've fought, hugged, cried, grown, argued, silent treatment, tickled, giggled, pulled hairs, played, slept, ate, read, wandered and wondered, lost ourselves, found ourselves... we've been through so much, and here we are sharing stories and growing even more. Some memories of our childhood which only we know, secrets, gross stuff, sparkly stuff... locked away in our hearts. Playing with you was always so much fun - imagining castles, our flying horses, and our light sabers... what wonderful adventures we had together, what awesome world's we lived in. Running barefoot in school, playing at the jungle gym, waiting for our car together under the tree and observing those red-diamond bugs, the powder -puff tree, the tamarind tree, climbing the mango tree, Tennis with Raghu, then later with Sundar, Mrs. Menon's singing class, Hindi tuition with Motoraj! Bengali clas,s french, class, German, class, dance class, swimming class... I almost forgot the naughty things we did - put on ma's make up, clothes, and shoes, skipping class, feeding the dog our breakfast under the table, cuddling with the bunnies at night, sneaking and eating all the chocolate, our search for stick-em-stones, the war over the trolls, the "i'm-gonna-be" game...
I lead, being the older sister, and you followed. You always tagged along on my birthdays, and got gifts on my birthday! But strangely I never got gifts on your birthday, or was allowed to tag along. Some double standard! Anyway, I remember approving of your crushes, and was always wondering why you fell for the geeks! It was because I was a geek! Which I had learned from our uncle first hand.
I remember you being fussy with food, the curly head of hair, the big innocent eyes-oh god- heart wrenching, and you were always a skinny little thing. You always said the cutest things, and the most absurd dreams, oh pig although I never told you then... you were always my best friend. The whole time... even when you were hurt, and they called me from class to go take care of you, I acted resentful, but when I saw you I thought- aww that's my sister (I didn't know the word "aww" back then though) I need to hug her if at all anything. I remember I would just hug you. Heck the whole school thought you were so cute though, they would all tell me how cute you were! Maybe I was a little jealous, but hey I got to tell you stories at night from the upper bunk, and share adventures with you on the weekends!
We were scolded together, and then we grew up and played politics and got each other in trouble. All in all I'm glad we've grown and aren't playing those games, but I do miss the imaginary games we played. Sometimes I think I described things to you as I saw it in my head, and only you know what worlds are in my head! You are my best friend, you are my secret keeper, my sister, my angel, (also ma's angel), my play time friend, my motivator, and inspiration. Thank you for the talk we had the other day, I really needed it.
You always protected me; once we were walking through new market and some guy did what any ingrate low-life would do: brush against my body. And you asked me: did that guy just touch you inappropriately? I confirmed your suspicion, and you were enraged and said no - one touches my sis like that. You grabbed the guy and asked him - aren't you ashamed? don't you have a mother, or sister? you should be ashamed of yourself. You tried to cause a scene, but as we know Calcutta did not and does not care what happens to its women. You were and are my hero pig! Thank you for being there, for standing up for me, and having major balls! I love you!
Pig there's so much I still want to talk to you about, sometimes I wish we could go back and be innocent again and play, and make mud laddos, but we can only travel in our hearts, to relive those moments, revel in the nostalgia. However I want to make new memories and spend more time with you... but time flies so quickly now... Those 100 day summer vacations are gone, they flew by! I know sometimes it seems I don't make enough effort to be there for you... but if I could I'd be there with you making tents out of blankets on a rainy monsoon afternoon, so we could play monster - monster. Or I would be there for you when you called, but grown up life is so different... did we ever imagine this? You've found your prince, and will soon be wed... I never imagined that! I never imagined you being the New Yorker, and me the New Yorker, loving midwest suburbia!
To more adventures and journeys together!
I love you little sister and hope to see more of you!
Your Dedly deds/ didi ...
Forever!
ps: loved doing yoga with you!
Breathe!
Dearest Bontie, Pig, Baby, Piyali...
I just want to wish you a happy birthday, but those are cliched words, I really wish you all the joy, love, success and laughter today, this year and forever! I love you so much, and I am so grateful to have you in my life for 28 years! Ok I think we didn't see each other between 2001 - 2002 but after that we have seen each other once every year. It's unhealthy and unnatural for us to be apart... we have some weird familial, historical dynamic... something from our childhood, genetic, and spiritual bonds us. We are telepathic and you know it!
28 years! we've fought, hugged, cried, grown, argued, silent treatment, tickled, giggled, pulled hairs, played, slept, ate, read, wandered and wondered, lost ourselves, found ourselves... we've been through so much, and here we are sharing stories and growing even more. Some memories of our childhood which only we know, secrets, gross stuff, sparkly stuff... locked away in our hearts. Playing with you was always so much fun - imagining castles, our flying horses, and our light sabers... what wonderful adventures we had together, what awesome world's we lived in. Running barefoot in school, playing at the jungle gym, waiting for our car together under the tree and observing those red-diamond bugs, the powder -puff tree, the tamarind tree, climbing the mango tree, Tennis with Raghu, then later with Sundar, Mrs. Menon's singing class, Hindi tuition with Motoraj! Bengali clas,s french, class, German, class, dance class, swimming class... I almost forgot the naughty things we did - put on ma's make up, clothes, and shoes, skipping class, feeding the dog our breakfast under the table, cuddling with the bunnies at night, sneaking and eating all the chocolate, our search for stick-em-stones, the war over the trolls, the "i'm-gonna-be" game...
I lead, being the older sister, and you followed. You always tagged along on my birthdays, and got gifts on my birthday! But strangely I never got gifts on your birthday, or was allowed to tag along. Some double standard! Anyway, I remember approving of your crushes, and was always wondering why you fell for the geeks! It was because I was a geek! Which I had learned from our uncle first hand.
I remember you being fussy with food, the curly head of hair, the big innocent eyes-oh god- heart wrenching, and you were always a skinny little thing. You always said the cutest things, and the most absurd dreams, oh pig although I never told you then... you were always my best friend. The whole time... even when you were hurt, and they called me from class to go take care of you, I acted resentful, but when I saw you I thought- aww that's my sister (I didn't know the word "aww" back then though) I need to hug her if at all anything. I remember I would just hug you. Heck the whole school thought you were so cute though, they would all tell me how cute you were! Maybe I was a little jealous, but hey I got to tell you stories at night from the upper bunk, and share adventures with you on the weekends!
We were scolded together, and then we grew up and played politics and got each other in trouble. All in all I'm glad we've grown and aren't playing those games, but I do miss the imaginary games we played. Sometimes I think I described things to you as I saw it in my head, and only you know what worlds are in my head! You are my best friend, you are my secret keeper, my sister, my angel, (also ma's angel), my play time friend, my motivator, and inspiration. Thank you for the talk we had the other day, I really needed it.
You always protected me; once we were walking through new market and some guy did what any ingrate low-life would do: brush against my body. And you asked me: did that guy just touch you inappropriately? I confirmed your suspicion, and you were enraged and said no - one touches my sis like that. You grabbed the guy and asked him - aren't you ashamed? don't you have a mother, or sister? you should be ashamed of yourself. You tried to cause a scene, but as we know Calcutta did not and does not care what happens to its women. You were and are my hero pig! Thank you for being there, for standing up for me, and having major balls! I love you!
Pig there's so much I still want to talk to you about, sometimes I wish we could go back and be innocent again and play, and make mud laddos, but we can only travel in our hearts, to relive those moments, revel in the nostalgia. However I want to make new memories and spend more time with you... but time flies so quickly now... Those 100 day summer vacations are gone, they flew by! I know sometimes it seems I don't make enough effort to be there for you... but if I could I'd be there with you making tents out of blankets on a rainy monsoon afternoon, so we could play monster - monster. Or I would be there for you when you called, but grown up life is so different... did we ever imagine this? You've found your prince, and will soon be wed... I never imagined that! I never imagined you being the New Yorker, and me the New Yorker, loving midwest suburbia!
To more adventures and journeys together!
I love you little sister and hope to see more of you!
Your Dedly deds/ didi ...
Forever!
ps: loved doing yoga with you!
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| waiting at the dentist! 2013 July 19th |
Breathe!
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