Recently there was a topic on a talk show about celebrating the dear one's special days. There were points raised like things look too artificial, things seems to be done for the sake of doing, public disturbance and so on. The counterpoint raised by people who supported it said these things are done to make people realise how special they are, make them happy and excited, an expression of care and likewise. On this particular topic I was on the neutral side, as I supported surprises but without much noise and fanfare.
I work in the night shift away from all the heavy traffic jams, tiring travels and reckless rides of the day. On November 29th, I was on my routine and busy with the day's work. By around 11:45 PM or so I started feeling hungry and was pestering my friend Sinoj to go to the canteen. He was busy with some work and was delaying things. With my stomach grumbling, questioning me if I am going to feed it or not, I decided to cool it down with some water. At this point, my Manager, Ranjith, enquired me about a report that I had mailed him a day back. We logged into my system and discussed on the report. Ranjith suggested certain logics and asked to do some analysis based on that.
As I was looking on to the report and checking on the suggestions, our office boy, Shanmugam, told me that someone is waiting for me at the parking lot in a rickshaw with a Big Box that I am only supposed to collect. Surprised and shocked to hear it, I asked him not to kid and check properly as there can't be anyone asking for me at that time of the night. He returned for confirmation, while I continued with my analysis. Few minutes later Shanmugam returned saying that the person is waiting only for me. Doubled minded, I decided to join him and check out what is the matter. When we were about to move out, Shanmugam found that the Big Box was in our meeting room which was already collected by someone. Thinking that Shanmugam was wrongly updated, I decided to go back to my system and start working on the report.
Just few minutes into the report, my Manager called me to my mobile, asking to come to the conference room immediately. When I reached there I found that all the managers and supervisors were there with a box of sweets and a cake with good wishes on it. There was also a big box unopened, which Shanmugam had mentioned earlier. Everyone shook hands and wished me. Yes, it is 12 O' Clock and November 30th. So what is special about November 30th??? Years back, it was on that date I inhaled my first breath on mother earth. My friend Sinoj wished me with a tricky smile, which clearly revealed that he intentionally delayed from going out to have food.
Away from the normal practise, I was asked to light up a Nilavilakku (traditional lamp) which I liked so much; I guess it is Ranjith's suggestion. Even though it was a simple thing or a different format of lighting, I felt something special lighting it and seeing it glowing bright. After cuttting the cake that our team brought and celebrating, people started pulling my legs on the Big Box that was on the table. They confirmed that the Big Box was a gift for me from some unknown. When we opened it up, it was a very big cake, enough to be shared with all our departments. The cake was very cute with wordings "Happy Birthday Dear Sathish" on the upper half and the bottom half was fully decorated with Rose Flowers of different colors. It was looking so lovely and beautiful.
The only update that we got from the person who delivered the cake was, 'It is a Surprise for Sathish from CMS (my school) friends'. I was puzzled who on earth after so many years remembered my birthday and planned so much to give me a surprise. Mahesh is one person who is from CMS but since he knows that I don't like to be in the limelight, he will not push me into it. Everyone asked who is that special person and so on but I was in shock, surprise and happiness that someone had valued me so much. I was in cloud nine and could feel the stars around. My mind was totally blank and couldn't think too much. I just kept on staring at the cake mesmerized at the way my name was cherished over it and the decorations. Though, back of my mind, something started hinting me that this should be the handwork of my childhood friend, Ramya, but details like CMS friends and delivery at a place 100 kilometers away from where she is located at sharp 12 forced me to doubt my instinct. There were some messages from her wishing on my brithday and missed calls but since I was in the festive atmosphere, I couldn't read them or attend the call immediately. I tried reaching her after the celebration, but she didn't pick up, maybe she dozed off.
Ranjith suggested that we will celebrate it with our entire team. The team joined us and each and everyone wished me. We shared the gift with everyone in the office. Even after giving it to the entire office, we had enough to parcel for our office boy and security's family. I too took few to home to share it with mom and dad. I believe it was the first time in my life that so many people wished me on my Birthday. Also me cutting the cake had never been part of my personal agenda during birthday's, but now I had one shared with my entire second family (my team). Sinoj was very particular that I should find the person when I report to office the next day as people were pointing him. I was suggested to even call Mahesh at that time to get things cleared but being in the middle of the night, we controlled our eagerness.
By morning, the suspense was broken, it was the handwork of Ramya and Mahesh. They know each other well but never expected to bring out such teamwork. Ramya was the biggest support during my days of turmoil and helped me stand strong and recover fast. She wanted to celebrate this birthday as if it is my first. She had already presented me with some gifts which itself was a surprise but it seems she felt that it didn't give enough punch that she had wished for. She had called up Mahesh and they planned on this surprise cake gift. While I was pulling Sinoj to join to the canteen, she was guiding the person to deliver it on time. Being a long day, after ensuring that the gift had reached its destiny, she dozed off and that's the reason she didn't attend when I called her back.
It has been quite some days since this has happened, but I am still in the clouds. Feeling that you are special is something that one should experience by themselves. Few people believe that there is no need to express themselves, since affections needs to be felt, else it will be like marketing. I too belonged to the same category all these years but after this incident I have a totally different perspective. The amount of happiness, completeness, self confidence, and self respect that expressing oneself injects in the dear ones is boundless. Though we may have everyone, during tough days loneliness creeps in by itself but such expressions move life to a different plateau that the concept of loneliness will be always at bay. When I see some lovely friends and families, I always wonder how wonderful their special days would be but gets disappointed when they state it was same as any other (maybe all the day is a celebration for them and I have not grown to that level to understand it :-)).
More than the day, I believe it is an opportunity to express yourself to your dear one in a royal way how special they mean to you. I felt special and my heart is filled with happiness and wholeness for I have beautiful souls and hearts with me. No wonder the talk show had so many people supporting it and now I too fall into that list. Life is big, live it king sized. We run around the never satisfied materialistic things like money, property, luxury, power and other materials and do anything and everything to attain it even by forgetting to enjoy the basic reason of our existance, life and relation. I wish all the lovely people celebrate their relationship and enjoy it to the most instead of loosing life to miniscule things. I also wish everyone be blessed with dear ones with beautiful souls as I am blessed with, including the ones who call up on Dec. 6 and say it is your birthday today dude, not on Nov. 30, and let's celebrate it now :-)
SATHISH N
I work in the night shift away from all the heavy traffic jams, tiring travels and reckless rides of the day. On November 29th, I was on my routine and busy with the day's work. By around 11:45 PM or so I started feeling hungry and was pestering my friend Sinoj to go to the canteen. He was busy with some work and was delaying things. With my stomach grumbling, questioning me if I am going to feed it or not, I decided to cool it down with some water. At this point, my Manager, Ranjith, enquired me about a report that I had mailed him a day back. We logged into my system and discussed on the report. Ranjith suggested certain logics and asked to do some analysis based on that.
As I was looking on to the report and checking on the suggestions, our office boy, Shanmugam, told me that someone is waiting for me at the parking lot in a rickshaw with a Big Box that I am only supposed to collect. Surprised and shocked to hear it, I asked him not to kid and check properly as there can't be anyone asking for me at that time of the night. He returned for confirmation, while I continued with my analysis. Few minutes later Shanmugam returned saying that the person is waiting only for me. Doubled minded, I decided to join him and check out what is the matter. When we were about to move out, Shanmugam found that the Big Box was in our meeting room which was already collected by someone. Thinking that Shanmugam was wrongly updated, I decided to go back to my system and start working on the report.
Just few minutes into the report, my Manager called me to my mobile, asking to come to the conference room immediately. When I reached there I found that all the managers and supervisors were there with a box of sweets and a cake with good wishes on it. There was also a big box unopened, which Shanmugam had mentioned earlier. Everyone shook hands and wished me. Yes, it is 12 O' Clock and November 30th. So what is special about November 30th??? Years back, it was on that date I inhaled my first breath on mother earth. My friend Sinoj wished me with a tricky smile, which clearly revealed that he intentionally delayed from going out to have food.
Away from the normal practise, I was asked to light up a Nilavilakku (traditional lamp) which I liked so much; I guess it is Ranjith's suggestion. Even though it was a simple thing or a different format of lighting, I felt something special lighting it and seeing it glowing bright. After cuttting the cake that our team brought and celebrating, people started pulling my legs on the Big Box that was on the table. They confirmed that the Big Box was a gift for me from some unknown. When we opened it up, it was a very big cake, enough to be shared with all our departments. The cake was very cute with wordings "Happy Birthday Dear Sathish" on the upper half and the bottom half was fully decorated with Rose Flowers of different colors. It was looking so lovely and beautiful.
The only update that we got from the person who delivered the cake was, 'It is a Surprise for Sathish from CMS (my school) friends'. I was puzzled who on earth after so many years remembered my birthday and planned so much to give me a surprise. Mahesh is one person who is from CMS but since he knows that I don't like to be in the limelight, he will not push me into it. Everyone asked who is that special person and so on but I was in shock, surprise and happiness that someone had valued me so much. I was in cloud nine and could feel the stars around. My mind was totally blank and couldn't think too much. I just kept on staring at the cake mesmerized at the way my name was cherished over it and the decorations. Though, back of my mind, something started hinting me that this should be the handwork of my childhood friend, Ramya, but details like CMS friends and delivery at a place 100 kilometers away from where she is located at sharp 12 forced me to doubt my instinct. There were some messages from her wishing on my brithday and missed calls but since I was in the festive atmosphere, I couldn't read them or attend the call immediately. I tried reaching her after the celebration, but she didn't pick up, maybe she dozed off.
Ranjith suggested that we will celebrate it with our entire team. The team joined us and each and everyone wished me. We shared the gift with everyone in the office. Even after giving it to the entire office, we had enough to parcel for our office boy and security's family. I too took few to home to share it with mom and dad. I believe it was the first time in my life that so many people wished me on my Birthday. Also me cutting the cake had never been part of my personal agenda during birthday's, but now I had one shared with my entire second family (my team). Sinoj was very particular that I should find the person when I report to office the next day as people were pointing him. I was suggested to even call Mahesh at that time to get things cleared but being in the middle of the night, we controlled our eagerness.
By morning, the suspense was broken, it was the handwork of Ramya and Mahesh. They know each other well but never expected to bring out such teamwork. Ramya was the biggest support during my days of turmoil and helped me stand strong and recover fast. She wanted to celebrate this birthday as if it is my first. She had already presented me with some gifts which itself was a surprise but it seems she felt that it didn't give enough punch that she had wished for. She had called up Mahesh and they planned on this surprise cake gift. While I was pulling Sinoj to join to the canteen, she was guiding the person to deliver it on time. Being a long day, after ensuring that the gift had reached its destiny, she dozed off and that's the reason she didn't attend when I called her back.
It has been quite some days since this has happened, but I am still in the clouds. Feeling that you are special is something that one should experience by themselves. Few people believe that there is no need to express themselves, since affections needs to be felt, else it will be like marketing. I too belonged to the same category all these years but after this incident I have a totally different perspective. The amount of happiness, completeness, self confidence, and self respect that expressing oneself injects in the dear ones is boundless. Though we may have everyone, during tough days loneliness creeps in by itself but such expressions move life to a different plateau that the concept of loneliness will be always at bay. When I see some lovely friends and families, I always wonder how wonderful their special days would be but gets disappointed when they state it was same as any other (maybe all the day is a celebration for them and I have not grown to that level to understand it :-)).
More than the day, I believe it is an opportunity to express yourself to your dear one in a royal way how special they mean to you. I felt special and my heart is filled with happiness and wholeness for I have beautiful souls and hearts with me. No wonder the talk show had so many people supporting it and now I too fall into that list. Life is big, live it king sized. We run around the never satisfied materialistic things like money, property, luxury, power and other materials and do anything and everything to attain it even by forgetting to enjoy the basic reason of our existance, life and relation. I wish all the lovely people celebrate their relationship and enjoy it to the most instead of loosing life to miniscule things. I also wish everyone be blessed with dear ones with beautiful souls as I am blessed with, including the ones who call up on Dec. 6 and say it is your birthday today dude, not on Nov. 30, and let's celebrate it now :-)
SATHISH N
1 comment:
After a long time...opened this blog to find my name in it...in cloud nine as is Sathish...:-))
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