Saturday, April 13, 2013

Linings of love

Surprisingly since the onset of this summer, I have become an early riser. And my parents’ happiness knows no bounds for the same. The glint in their eyes and the hidden smile on their face turns my sunny days more bright. Yay!

Like every other girl I too am my daddy’s li’l princess who refuses to grow up. For me ‘My Daddy is the Strongest’ and will be my first love and my Hero forever.

Today morning, before leaving for office, he asked me to put Eye drops in his eyes. And as he leaned his head back on the back of sofa, I noticed the colors of his eyes. They have turned dull brown now which used to be of a brighter shade before. Does eye color change with age? Or is it just in my mind? He closed his eyes as I poured in two drops of medicine in it. And my gaze shifted towards his bearded face. Not bearded exactly. Or were they stubble? Err may be a li’l more than stubble. And to my surprise, white linings adorned his face. When did he turn that old? Last when I saw his face, it was a mix of black, grey, and white! And today every strand of his facial hair has turned to white! Something churned inside me and I felt a lump in my throat.

Before moving away with the small bottle of eye-drop in my hand, I paused for a minute to look at his strong hands. Like always they were absolutely neat and clean. Nails perfectly cut short. He never forgets to apply Nivea on them. I noticed, his hands too were adorned with linings. Linings of subtle wrinkles have started to grace his hands. My Daddy is aging gracefully. And each wrinkle and every strand of grey/white hair tells so many stories of his entire life. Stories of the struggles he has gone through. Folklores of his dreams- incomplete, failed, and fulfilled. Poetries of how proud he is of his children even when they never left a stone unturned to hurt and disappoint him. And the tinge of fear mingled in buckets of Hope about the day when a prince charming would come galloping on his white horse to sweep away his princess off her feet and take her away from him.

Dear Daddy, You will always be my First love and my Hero forever. For me 'My Daddy will always be the Strongest'.


Daddy proudly posing while devouring the whole-roasted chicken that his Li'l Princess prepared especially for him.