Day 3 | Letter to Mantam

Dearest Mantam,

I did not write a letter to you on your sixth birthday. Baba and I were not in a right frame of mind to celebrate. On top of that we were feeling guilty that we had brought you to a situation where we were planning to have bare minimum celebration, just for the sake of it. Mannu, you were so understanding and did not even let out a sigh or showed any sign of disappointment. Tammu, you were visibly a bit sad but you came with the mind-blowing idea of changing your date of birth  Last year we had had a fun celebration and you were also loaded with gifts. This year we would just have A & S and we had instructed you that you should not be expecting anything from them and you both were just happy with a visit to the beach and a simple cake that I had baked. You both thanked me and Baba profusely for making your day. Abbas and I really felt blessed for having both your fairies in our lives. But your attitude of being happy with what you have re-assured us that we must have been doing a good job in bringing you up. I really hope that you never let go of this attitude as you grow up.

These three months of adversity taught us a lot. Both of you have learned value of money more than ever before. You both had even stopped asking us to buy anything for you when we went for shopping. You knew that it would hurt your parents to say No to you. On those rare occasions that you couldn’t control your urge, you would tell us “Mumma Baba, we like this. But you can buy it once you get jobs. Not now okay?” It was gut-wrenching for us to make you go through such thoughts at an age where you must be carefree and not worry about a thing in the world. Once you joined school, there was a day where all kids were asked to get their teddy to school. But you had just two soft toys that we had managed to bring along. You happily took them along without a fuss. During holidays, parents of your friends would tell me how their kids were making them buy art and craft supplied to keep themselves engaged. But you both would use the newspapers, carton boxes, ropes, clips, the crayons that Kelly had given you to keep yourselves engaged. We didn’t have a TV also and your parents always used the laptop most of the times for job hunt. You would create your own games with whatever is available on hand and your creativity would surprise us so much.

When we moved to the new house, you both started sleeping by yourself in a different room. You started liking it and then when A uncle moved in with us, you had to leave your room for him. While I slept with you in our room, Baba and A uncle slept in your room. Once A uncle left, we sent you back to your room. But we had to again bring you back once we had the other family living with us and as soon as they left Ro uncle occupied the room. When we had the family living with us, you both never got much attention from us as we were so busy all the time. You both missed us and we did too. But you behaved extremely well with the younger kid who even tore pictures that you drew or hurt you at times. You always cared for him like responsible elder sisters. There were a few instances when you shed tears silently when you could not enter your own room to take your stuff or when you couldn’t spend even a quality minute with your parents. We were helpless too and we would give you an assuring hug saying that life will be normal soon. But most of the times, you were warm and caring towards everyone that stayed with us. And your loving nature made you the apple of everyone’s eyes. You make us so very proud, our darling daughters.

Hope you continue to be this way and touch more hearts with your loving nature and kind behaviour.

Lots of love,
Your proud parents!