I Know You’ll Dance…

August 3, 2012 by Usha Pisharody 43 Comments

(Lee Ann Womack’s beautiful song “I hope You’ll Dance”  is the inspiration for this title 🙂 The video is embedded at the end of this post, dedicated entirely to an awesome dancer, in the family! The one who never sat out a single dance in the course of his life. My second born. Ashwin.

The steel grey Gucci Suit Wala Dancer – Ashwin!

Royal in Blue 🙂 Ashwin!

This one, sweetheart, is just for you. The song, I know, was written with you in mind. But wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. This is getting to be really enjoyable, the build up each year, to 3 August; and I know this is one tradition I will keep, for as long as words allow themselves to be charmed into this space, for you. 🙂 🙂 Tradition. For this blog too! )

Right, before I go ga ga all over again, over my Lion Cub, I do want to share those “traditions” :D. It started in 2009, with “The Right Age”, the went on to “For My Little One” (incidentally he’s a few millimetres short of being 6 ft tall 😀 😀 ), to when he flew the coop, in “When Nestlings Fly”, and Metamorphosis and settled in with “Pride”  in 2010 and 2011, last year. And here is where he tells me it’s no fun doing something unless your mom says NO. So it is 3 August again, and, as my kids in school say, “his happy birthday”! 😆

What can I say, or wish him, that I already have not? Would you believe, I can 😀 (Ah! and you thought, here she is, quite having run out of more words, will allow us to listen to that song, and be done wishing him! But oh no…!) Oh yes, I can! *gleeful, evil grin on her face, and she anticipates the dammed words waiting to break and flow* … pun intended! 😆

Boy oh Boy! Am I going to enjoy this! *lifts fingers from keyboard long enough to rub her hands in glee* 😀

So here goes… 🙂

Years before, as a timid, tiny lion cub, you always made me wonder how you’d find your feet. I know, NOW, I needn’t have worried! Your feline sense of balance would help you land, feet firmly on ground, steady as ever.

Today, I want to extract each memory, as if from a pensieve, each shimmering thought strand, playing out a favourite scene of you, of how you used to be, of how we used to be… 🙂 (I wish I had those photos too, to go with these threads :), but could only manage these mobile pictures of photographs from the old albums 🙂 )

Happy happy 🙂

Shmaille no, pleaaase?

You, Achukkutts…
… your grudging smile, reserved ONLY for family and Anu/Ani, the little girls from the ground floor of the barsati we lived in, in Delhi (Just look at you, above.. 😀 That is how you were most of time, till you turned about 2 and a half years old 😛 )

… of how you idolized your big brother, right from the beginning and how you fought so hard with him later; and how I’m accused even now ( 😆 ) of being partial 😛 😛

At NDA, for Arjun’s POP, Khadakwasla, Pune December, 2007! Love this picture 🙂

Awww… he would smile only for his family 🙂 proof here!

Stolen from Malu’s collection 🙂 The smiles were getting bigger and more uninhibited 🙂

Awww… 🙂

… of your reluctant, first, LATE baby step – so terrified of gravity – after having done EVERYTHING else in record time: turning over ALL by YOURSELF, in 2 months flat! IMAGINE!!! Never thought it would take you over a year to walk!

Achchante Kunjunni 🙂

… your charming smile; how everyone loved to see it; how hard they tried to make you, and how you just did NOT! 😀 Ask Chitta 🙂

… how once you discovered that smile, you showered it with so much joy on all and sundry, and how you still do… Padmaja Teacher (HOD, Social Science) refers to you even now as a “smiling baby” 😛 😛

… how you made friends slowly, and how they always were forever 😀

Ashwin, second from right, along with Abey, Praveen and Hrithu 🙂

Ashwin Shining 😀 From an Onam Celebration picture at College. Ashwin in the Centre 🙂

Abey’s farewell treat? Or Hrithu’s? Standing: Govind, Hrithu; Sitting: Pious, Ashwin, Abey and Cezil 🙂

…how you make friends so darned fast, these days 😀 😀

… your Gita Chanting feats, and “Sherwood”, that memorable year, when you wowed me with your recitation! I still wonder at it!!!

… that proud moment, when you and Lakshmi became Vikramsila House Captains, and more so, the jubilant moment, when your house was Champion House!!! Those were days!!!
…how we pored over those Hotel Management courses, and that online test for MS Ramaiah! R.O.F.L.

… and how you went and became an engineer, with the huge rank you had 😛 :P, with a course you wanted, in a college you wanted! Oh yes! you had your guardian angel watching over you. Still do 🙂 Achamma 🙂

…. and asking me if you could pierce your ears! High point. 😀

…. and announcing you found your soulmate… boy! was I jealous 😛 :P!!! Not anymore, dont worry, N!! 😀 😀

Soulmates 🙂

…and growing wings, trying them out, and sailing out, smooth and fluent, and free…. 🙂

I miss you. But I know you’ve gotta do what you gotta do, and be where you have to be 🙂 Life’s quirky ways. We know, don’t we, that’s the way we are, and no matter what you’ll always be the baby in my arms,

That tiny head, of the baby swathed in a pink wrap is YOU :D! At Viju’s wedding… all of 28 days 🙂

from twenty odd years ago, no matter you’re a hulking handsome young man now 🙂 🙂 Hugs, big huge bear hugs, my dearest!

Clicked by Govind? Classic Hunk 😀

Happy Birthday, Ashwin! You should be here, with me, considering this is the last bachelor party you’re going to have, for your birthday :D! May you be just as sweet, just as strong, just as fair, and just as loving, as you have always been. May God bless you and keep you safe, always. May you ever be loved, and may you always find love, in each and every moment of each day… especially when you’re down 🙂 May you always be in high spirits, and may the world take its cue from you, on how to be the best you can! I do love you so!

I do love you! Bear HUG 😀

And here it is finally:

“I hope you dance” by Lee Ann Womack 🙂

And another one, so so beautiful, it made my cry 🙂

“My Wish” by Rascal Flatts

I found them both at this place 🙂

From 31 July to…1 August 2012
For 3 August, 2012.
Scheduled post 🙂