Ayesha's Birthday Eve

Ayesha was going to complete her 11 years of living, that summer. After much discourse, her mother had decided to take her to Darjeeling during her vacations. She was thrilled. The fact that she could celebrate her birthday in a different corner of the world every year was exciting, though secretly she still wished she would have been born during a working month to be able to celebrate with her friends and classmates. She always envied the other girls, they got to wear pretty dresses to school, they were the center of attraction the entire day and the others were all obligingly sweet to them- only in hope for that one extra KitKat. It was the new trend in her school. The birthday baby got 5 extra chocolates to school, which she would give to her 5 special friends in the break time, after the chocolate-distribution-ceremony held in the class. The rule was, if you have been given an extra chocolate by someone, you are well supposed to be giving your special chocolate back to her on your birthday. And well, everybody knew Ayesha's birthday was during summer vacations. The result was that she never really was treated with someone's special chocolate.

Her mom had kept telling her, "You're way more special, baby. You do not need their certificate to tell you that. You are special to me. And not because you will give me a chocolate on your birthday, but because you really are special to me". She couldn't stop blushing then. 

And yet there were times like these when she needed appreciation from others too! She wanted to flaunt her new pink frock in school, instead of wearing it in Darjeeling. She wanted her girlfriends to please her and anxiously wait for her to announce the 5 receivers of her special chocolate. Giving an Award is no less special than receiving one.

She consoled herself, "It's Okay me. You're in Darjeeling! Away from studies, the homework, the classes!" 

On the eve of her birthday, she sat down with her mother and her younger brother and the three planned the next's day's activities. 

The list looked like this-

©SoumyaaVerma

After that, as a ritual, Ayesha sat down to make resolutions for her 12th year. Each year she promised her mother to be a better performer and an even better human. This was "the worst part", she said every year. While children her age planned the party, she sat planning her year ahead. 

Her this year's resolutions were as below- (for convenience, I'll jot down the resolutions here from the piece of paper she's written them on.) 

My 12th Year's Resolutions- 

When bells ring out the old year,

Good cheer ushers in the new.

again I'll make a list of things,
I will or will not do-

I'll not miss any class,

I'll not waste food

I'll start a well balanced diet

This time, I'm not joking,

I'll stop drinking Pepsi or Cola

And stop eating junk food.

I must admit to myself,

the list of things isn't new

the reason is quite clear,

they are the same resolutions 

that I've been making every year.

I hope Ayesha has a wonderful year ahead and somebody finally does gift her a special chocolate, without asking for one in return. And yes, I hope she gives herself a chance to change her resolutions next year!

Cheers.

PS- Ayesha had a wonderful day and she did visit the Shingalila Range!

PPs- The poem is really my creation when I was in grade 4. I'm so proud of it ;) The rest of the story is fiction, inspired though.

I've written this post as a part of the ULTIMATE BLOG CHALLENGE- JULY. I hope to write on all days for the month of July!

See you tomorrow with another tale :)