Different people have different favourite things. Books, gadgets, travelling, pizza, bags, shoes! - those are some things I love, as do many of you I'm sure. And we all have those few things apart from the normal that totally gets me excited! For my grandmother; it's watching kids' game shows, it totally cracks her up! She'd be amused for hours. For me? It's Christmas and Birthdays! I LOVE them! They make me giddy with excitement. Not just mine, I love birthdays in general. I've planned awesome surprise parties for my folks at home, I remember badgering a friend's fiance (now husband) who I barely knew back then, helping (read making) him plan her birthday surprise ;) We still pull each other's leg about it.
So with 20 days to go till mine (yes I know that you see the countdown ;) ), and since I've given myself the early birthday gift of this domain - I decided a Birthday Series would be perfect! That's how this series started.
This post is about more than that though - this is about the day I was born. I love that story. It's been told to me so many times over all these years, that I've internalised it and say it like it's my own - Like the wee little kid that I was (I was wee - less than 2.3 kgs little) experienced it and is narrating the experience. Anyway, here it goes :)
In Tamil Nadu (where I am from, and where I am born) people go to great extents to ensure that babies are not born in May. No mean intentions there. It's just very very hot in here around then, and giving birth by itself is not the easiest thing to do I'm sure - and to do it at 40 degrees is no laughing matter. So back in the days when air conditioners were not common, people came up with a simple solution: Superstition! Just don't sleep with each other in the Tamil Month "Aadi" which is roughly around June and July, and babies won't be born then. [Later that superstition blew up, and they generalised the bad luck to everything, and that's why people never start shopping for wedding or important events during that month. There are also many discounts then because shopping was discouraged - so now conversely, it's become the shopping time. That snowballed in a zig zag, but that's a whole other funny story for later]
So my parents too, I'm certain, were subjected to this Aadi thing. They didn't have to be though, as I was conceived before then, and I was due to be born in April! April 20th or 21st was when I was due. It's still summer, but a sliver away from the hottest month and all were happy.
The lazy procrastinator I am (See I started WAYYY back then! No one can say it's an acquired habit!) or probably because I was a bit too comfortable in the cosiness of the womb, I decided to just stay in there. C-sections were not the norm back then, so they decided to wait it out till I was ready. I overstayed a good twenty days and came out in May. Yaay!
My mum being the eldest in her family, and my dad being the youngest, there was entire welcoming crew waiting for me. I was well rested (20 days extra well rested) though, so when I came out I didn't see any need to cry. I think I was probably happy to be out - mentally prepared and all, by then. Humans, however, and their need for conformity (sigh!) were not happy that I wasn't crying. (Can't a girl be silent instead of crying for a change? apparently not!) So they went into a hulla bulla over that and finally - a cough, a sneeze and some tapping later - I was crying (Who wouldn't be, when subjected to all those expectations right from the get-go?)
Then all the relatives came in, and everyone wanted to hold me! All grandmas and grandpas and uncles and aunts and cousins (I'm still not comfortable with big crowds, and now you know why!) Someone who was peacefully sleeping away in the womb being man (and woman) handled so excessively will obviously rebel. So I stopped breathing for a bit, to take a break from it all you know? Again they weren't happy with the non-conformity, so they put me in an incubator for a bit. After that, at least when it comes to breathing and crying, I stick to social norms. Most of the time ;)
With all that fuss and drama, I came into this world 10571 days ago!
And that's how it all began - for me *wink*
Loads of love,
Someday's dreamer
2 comments:
After reading the entire post we are still not sure about the exact date. Is it may 5? If so, both of us were born on the same day.. However I don't share your excitement about birthdays.. :)
May 10th :)
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