Wednesday 1 January 2014

The Old, the New and Burp!




The weather girl looked dressed for snow inside her newsroom in Delhi. The weather app showed a few digits over zero, only. Out the window was a dull, grey and almost gloomy evening as the car windscreen stood patiently still under all the dew. And the trees shook not a leaf, blanketed by all the mist. 

Just another wintry 6 pm it seemed, the evening of 31st December, 2013. 

The eve of the new and the culmination of the old. The threshold to staring at a different calendar the next day and not just turning the page on an older month. The last night of 364 nights gone by – some short and warm, some really long. But by gone, all. The old was going to make way for the new. Readiness was all.

And what is it that I and my family were getting ready to do this evening?

Not a banquet of choices to pick from, but certainly a platter full of invitations lay on the console. All opened but none picked. Was it just the cold keeping us from dressing up in hot clothes and exiting the house? Or was it because our wallets had been emptied in the last holiday? Perhaps, it was simply the fact that all the invites with drunk wine glasses and swaying trumpets sprinkled with hearts also carried a message in bold red – Children not allowed. 

We exchanged smiles. Once upon a time, we would pick the best place to go shake a leg. Call friends too, have a fun eve of eating, drinking and merry making. Time it all such that we were sure to be on the dance floor as the clock struck 12 am. And certainly by each other’s side when it did. Today, the invitations remained the same, but the ‘No Children’ painted inside a neon star glared at us like a schoolmarm with a birch rod. A warning. An exclusion. And a way to spend the last night of the year feeling every bit a couple but the least bit of parents, at least to us. 

Age, stage or something in between convinced us to make air planes out of all the invites, for our son to fly. To those grandparents kid-pooling their night away baby-sitting the partying couples’ issues we sent a polite thank you. To friends who thought of the 31st of December as drinking-to-the-lees night, we sent in a "maybe some other time". To extended family far and wide, we messaged greetings for the new year in advance and promised to call once the jammed telephone lines were freer in their minds. 

And at the stroke of midnight, all parts of ‘Madagascar’ had been watched with utmost glee, the necessary number of ‘Cheers!’ (plus one for good luck) had been said and swallowed neatly, and my mother’s home-cooked food sat in our tummies, happy to have been consumed with so much relish. In warm blankets in the lamp’s yellow light, the first tight hug of the year was shared between us three. Such a beautiful feeling until …

Happy *Burp* Year, mumma papa’, said he.

Silence. And then we laughed. And laughed and laughed as if that was the most rib-tickling wish we had ever heard. Because it was. 

This was no simple coincidental burp making its presence felt. It was the one which came from the bottom of his tummy to make the bottom of our hearts happy. Big long burp, as if making place for what is to come in the new year ahead, at the same time announcing how happily satiated it was with what he had had in the old.  

The night before the new year walks in is always so special. The excitement, the planning, the anticipation and then the countdown. It is because we make sure we are where we want to be on this special eve. I did and I am sure you did too. Felt love and togetherness, family and friendship, joy and something to look forward to. Praying for nothing more than good health and happiness, as a family and for our families. And nothing less than big burps of satisfaction from the little tummies too.

Happy 2014 to my readers.


[This post is written for the Wordpress Daily Prompts : 365 Writing Prompts program aimed at posting at least once a day, based on the prompts provided. The prompt for today was "Stroke of Midnight - Where were you last night when 2013 turned into 2014? Is that where you wanted to be?”]






51 comments:

  1. Now, if that wasn't heralding in 2014 in style, nothing was!!! Lovely post, after all, end of day it is only the love and happiness of loved ones that makes life worth living, isn't it :)

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    1. Thanks, Jairam. Yes, at the end of the day, the month and the year, nothing remains as special as family. :)

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  2. The kiddo added a lot of cheer to the moment and made it memorable for you guys. Happy New Year.

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    1. Yes indeed, Janaki. :)
      Happy New Year to you and yours too. :)

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  3. That definitely was a heartfelt New Year wish. And yes, the 'No Children' places are no longer exciting to us parents. Feeling blessed to have spent another beautiful year in company of my man and my girls. Even more happier to have woken up to a New Year with the first sight of them too. A Very Happy New Year ti you and your loved ones too, Sakshi! :-)

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    1. I can confidently say you had a warm and cosy night of love, Rekha. Wishing you and your family the best in this new year! <3

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  4. What a heart warming post, Sakshi. This sure was a satisfying end to the old year and a new year ready to be fulfilled. Have a blessed year!

    P.S. : Are you really gonna be writing for ALL days of this year!!?? KUDOS, girl...some passion :)

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    1. Thanks, Kajal. Well, I will be writing 7 posts/month, since I have Jairam, Rekha and Sid to write the rest. But yes, aiming to do all 365 days on our group blog. :)

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  5. Happy New Year Sakshi...that was a lovely post... The way you write, just makes me smile... :) wepostdaily is a great initiative! All the best to you awesome foursome!

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    1. Happy to know my writing makes you smile. That is the point behind it all. :)
      Thanks for the good luck. :)

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  6. Wish you and yours a brilliant 2014!!

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  7. Nice one kudos to read this lovely post thank you and wish you a burpy year with platter of joys and clatter of prosperity .

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    1. What a sweet comment, Vinayak. Thanks a lot. Wish the same for you. :)

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  8. Wonderful initiative.. Btw bringing in the new year with the kiddo def. beats all the parties around. Wishing you and your family a wonderful 2014!

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    1. Happy 2014 to you too, Seeta. Good to have come in touch with you this year. :)

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  9. Lovely foursome writing awesome. At the end of the year 2013 and at the beginning of 2014 all that matters are the tights warm hugs. nice post Sakshi.

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    1. Thanks, Kalpana. Have a beautiful year ahead! :)

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  10. Sweetness! My best wishes for a great new year. May it be filled with the most satisfying burps from the bottom of the belly!

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  11. Brilliant post to kick off both the project and the new year. Absolutely spot on too. Heralding in the new year with family and the little one(s) is the best. Here's to our baby (project I mean) and plenty more jovial banter to come. Hugs to N and a shake-hand for A. Ah, whatever, Hugs all around :)

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    1. To our babies (all kinds), cheers Sid! :)
      Let's take this on whole heartedly. We'll be great as a team.

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  12. Nice post.. :) It really was a fun way to usher in 2014. Have a great year ahead, Sakshi :)

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    1. Wish you a happy new year too, Vaisakh. :)

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  13. Lovely post :D :)
    Plus, wish you and your family a very happy new year :)
    Thanks for the earlier visit, it was a 'hallelujah' moment for me :D *not kidding*
    Bade log kam hi aate blog me mere :P
    Lastly, best wishes for the 365 pages book that you gonna fill this year. Hope it will be colorful :)
    Ciao

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    1. You know what I think, Varun. :D
      Happy 2014 to you too. :)

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  14. Nice one Sakshi. And a very innovative way to wish the readers, well...my heartfelt wishes to you as well...keep blogging and keep treat us with such spectacles :)

    Regards
    Sammya

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    1. Thank you, Sammya. You are a treat to read and follow too. :)
      Happy 2014!

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  15. Heart warming indeed.. and *burp* hehehe :D so cute :)

    Happy 2014 to you and your family too dear.. have a good one.

    And Good luck with 365 post for the year (y)

    P.s. I love this pic :)

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    1. Wish you all the best for the new year too, Namrota. Thank you for liking the picture. My husband is all glow. :)

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  16. So very sweet filled with burps of wellbeing and satisfaction. Wish all of you a splendid New Year!

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    1. Happy new year to you too, Rachna. Thanks for being there! :)

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  17. That was a lovely way you chose to usher in the New Year!
    Happy New Year!

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    1. And very warm too, literally. :D
      Thank you for reading, Pro, and wishing you and yours a lovely new year too.

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  18. That was a warm and soothing welcome to the new year.. A very happy new year to you and your family .. :)

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    1. To you and your family too, SImple Girl. :)

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  19. A wonderful read! Happy New Year!

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    1. Happy 2014, Preeti. Thank you for being my regular reader. :)

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  20. "making place for what is to come in the new year ahead, at the same time announcing how happily satiated it was with what he had had in the old."

    Beautifully said. Happy New year to you and your family :)

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    1. Thanks for reading, kg3. :)
      Happy New Year t you and your family too.

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  21. That was one tummy-filling post of happiness :) Happy New Year to you all :) And a burpy wish to the little one as well ;) He has managed to fill our tummies with laughter :)

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    1. Very sweet way of commenting, Sreeja. Thanks a bunch. Sending your way beautiful new year wishes and yes, tummies full of laughter too. :)

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  22. your post reminded me of days when we would drive to reno to ring the new year until our kid was born...
    now the new year's eve is all cuddled up with him and his doggie movies.

    happy new year, sakshi.

    good luck on your Endeavor!

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    1. Thank you, Ruchira and same to you and yours. :)
      Best wishes for 365 much needed! :D

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  23. Exactly the way New Year Eve should be spent. Love, warmth and laughter.
    And a few satisfying burps.:)
    Wish you happiness and health in 2014 and beyond.

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    1. You have a wonderful new year too, Alka.
      Thank you for reading! :)

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  24. That was one heartwarming post. :)

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  25. Nice post lovely blog people will attract to see this nice one.

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