The Art of Giving and receiving gifts

Being born and brought up in middle class family, my values and teachings from childhood had never given much importance to the art of giving and receiving gifts. As a child we never had any celebration of Birthdays. There was no cake cutting, no parties. And as my Birthday falls on the last day of year ( 31st Dec), my parent always used to say me, your birthday is celebrated by all. I used to cherish the feeling that the whole world dances,parties and fires crackers in celebrating the upcoming new year and giving homage to the last yr. Even though its not celebrated as my birthday, the day is unique and something which no one forgets.

To mark our birthday my mom used to prepare homemade sweet dish. And we siblings celebrated all our birthdays in same fashion. When we grew up, then my brothers first celebrated my birthday in yr 2002. I never expected to cut a cake. Both of them got a cake in the shape of pineapple. And it was looking too yummy. The surprise made my day, even today I feel proud that my brothers did something extra ordinary that yr. Before 2002 I had always taken my birthday as yet another day of life.

I remember making an fruit cake to celebrate my youngest Bros 5th birthday. Though there was no icing on it, the cake was too good at taste. And I was too proud to make wonderful cake at that tender age. Not only receiving but giving such gifts made with truest emotion makes oneself proud. My second brother gifted me one album few years back. And that is the only album that  I still keep with me where ever I go. The memories associated with these small yet wonderful gifts makes me think and rejoice with the wonderful moment I spent.

My last yrs birthday was also remarkable. I made few new friends last year and hardly expected any thing from them. However, they proved me completely wrong. They got pastries due to absence of the availability of cake on the eve of new yr. And most importantly the pastries were not only yummy but way to high in price than a normal cake. Receiving such gifts from someone you don't expect is a gift in itself. I also got to meet one of my best friend after a long time on the eve of my birthday. The presence of my best friend had made my day. These are some of the best moments of my life. Now I fear I can ever get such surprises and gifts.Sometimes I feel low of losing these and sometimes I feel proud to have these.

This uncertainty in life is the best gift of life.