Warmth in a smile!

Day 28..#100happydays #100daysofhappiness

Have you ever met someone for only a day and it seems like you have known them all your life. What makes it better is they are around for you at the word go. That is Hrithika, whom I got to know through my brother, whom she very fondly addresses as Nany Sir, and now she is a dear friend of the family. 

I was there on a visit to Ahmednagar, to meet my brother. Imagine reaching this house, that openly welcomes all these Army youngsters, and now even their families with such love, warmth and lip-smacking home cooked food. That was true luxury. There was so much purity in that fun - the sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night just to go near the mammoth tank, be surrounded by folks enjoying their drinks and hear a very dear friend attempt his debate in Hindi (Amit), while we tried so hard to control every ounce of laughter. It was complete madness, now when I look back, but like everything else in life I never want anything to change. 

Some introductions become pointless as I some how never do justice to true descriptions. But in my small way I will attempt. She is a true Taurus woman, gentle sweet natured, with that occasional temper. True to the sign, she is persistent and perhaps stubborn for the right reasons. She faces any sort of adversity with so much grit that she will makes it appear like a walk in the park. Most important of all, she is definitely not a morning person and loves her sleep. So have always had this doubt how she manages her office, but looks like she balances that perfectly. She is like every other girl, loves her shoes and bags but she fascinates by her independence and willingness to adjust. Her sweet smile and open laughter makes every moment spent so easy and fun. With the mineral water bottle in her hand, we have enjoyed our days in Pune and in Bangalore. 

So what made this friendship so special and admirable? During our deepest loss, she surfaced with such a strong shoulder to lean on and without being too imposing, she would send one message a day to mom. This would either be a hello, some news, or even the sweetest forward. She never realized that this little gesture of hers made a world of difference to Mom everyday, knowing how she was being thought of. In my page, blood is not thicker than water, as my principle is not all blood relatives may stick around but the surprising little acquaintances become more than family sometimes. That’s what makes such relationships so special. You are not born with it, you choose and feel good about the right choices. 

In time, we looked forward to her visits and creating so many memories that just etched our good times. Today she is Hritu maasi to my kids who adore her immensely. She has rocked them to sleep, played madly like a 3 and 6 year old would do and given them so much for them to always love and look forward to. Today I see so many shades of her in Tamara, that it is such a treat. 

Thank you Hrithika for making such a big difference in our lives! Your visit home recently was perfect, but do ensure you come by with shorter gaps in between as 3 years is a long time. The fabulous food in Mangalore Pearl, that extremely relaxing night out to Raasta café, our shopping indulgence in Dastkar and finally chasing the ride to the airport, each had so much charm. I look forward to my visits to Pune and rekindle my ‘Pune charm’ as you accompany me to all my crazy joints that made my years there a second home. Thank you for these photos and giving a smile to each of us. See you soon and thank you for being you, making my 100 happy days so memorable.