06. Sometimes Even The Bravest Of All Cry...

Well, its been sometime since I've done any blogging. Was away. Went back home for my cousin sister's wedding. Was fabulous. Met everyone at home after such a long time. Could see the effects time creates on faces, bodies, hair and eyes.

A lot more wrinkles, a few extra pounds on some, few lost by some. Some people with hearing aids, some with spectacles.

Strange how ur taken aback when u see people from ur own family getting older by the second, without ur even realising it. And moreover, ur not ready to accept the fact that ur own folks WILL get old...

Well, it happens the other way round too. Ur folks see u after a long time. Other relatives, friends, friends of friends also see u after such a long time. And then comes the usual "the-last-time-I-saw-u,-u-were-so-small-n-look-at-u-now!!!!" routine. People compliment u on some things, rip u apart on other virtues. Some compare u with ur father, which for me is the biggest compliment I can ever get.

It's a wedding. Everyone's geared up for the festivities. The amazing food, the cocktails, the music, the dhol... just abt everything. Sleepless nights, everyone chatting and catching up on time. Even the bride. "She's such a big girl now, and just see how beautiful she's turned out to be!!!" is what almost everyone is saying.

Then suddenly u turn ur attention to the one person who is considered to be the bravest in the family. Bravest doesn't mean that he's goin out for a battle or something. He's brave cos he's the head of the family. U know what all entails in being the head of a family. Responsibilities. Too many of them. He has to be a son, a husband, a brother, a brother-in-law, and the most difficult of all... a father.

He's put in so much to raise his daughter. Been there with her through everything. Been happier than her when she was happy, melancholic when she was sad. He rejoiced in her achivements more than she ever did. But he never did any of this in the full view of the whole world. He did this in a very personal world... in his heart.

Then comes the day when she's gonna leave. Her wedding. He's aware that there r people there and he can't hv moist eyes in front of so many ppl. No one has EVER seen him like that...

And then, when everyone's dancing on the floor, father and daughter are brought there. And then u notice the faint signs of a storm of emotions welling up inside him. U can sense them on the contours of his face, his body language... his eyes.

And then the pearls that had been held back for soooooo long start trickling down...

Life is strange. Isn't it?

Think.


Love, Peace n' Harmony
Sam.



© Prateek Sharma Dec 2005