MY DARLING DAUGHTER

MY DARLING DAUGHTER

Meri Pyaari Beti,

Hearty Congratulations on completion of your degree course and your convocation. As I mentioned on phone, your mother’s cough is better and we are eager to visit you soon.

All our travel plans are ready and we also have our confirmation of our accommodation in Hyderabad. But this recent virus outbreak (they called it Corona or something) is casting it’s shadow over the US too and people are scared of travel. In fact, our airlines called in yesterday to say that our air tickets to India stand cancelled and advised us to re book our tickets after flights are resumed.

To cut a long story short, we are unable to travel to India in time for your convocation, much as we wished. We were so keen to be present when you receive your degree on the dais, but I am very sorry dear, we are going to miss it!

Your mother & I were feeling worried about your safety and welfare during these difficult times. I hope you are keeping well and taking all health precautions. If the hostel authorities do not permit extension of your stay, please go and stay with your aunt in Ameerpet. Please ask for their help in and moving your bags & books to their place for the moment. Do call more frequently.

I want to you tell one more thing dear, I have started to miss you a lot! Whenever you call from India, everyone on my street come to know about it, as I wear a big smile on my face the whole day and there is a definite spring in my step as I go to work! You are the apple of my eye and there’s not a single day, when we do not talk about you on our dining table.

“Daughters are a special gift of God”, I remember the nurse whispering to me as she gently lowered you in to my lap on the day you were born, and not a single day passes without me thanking the Almighty for his special gift to us. Your childhood days, your music, laughter, teddy bear collection & photos still flood me with nostalgia whenever I open the door to your room here.

You mentioned about how you cried as I left you on the threshold of your hostel on the first day of your initiation to college life. I still haven’t told anyone about how I wept silently on my return flight to US all alone! I did not want you leaving home for a distant college and would’ve been happy if you got your medical degree in a local varsity in US. But we decided that medical teaching in India is equal to the best in the world because of strong fundamentals! We are happy that you withstood the tough course and love you for it.

You are no more the child woman whom I left back in Hyderabad. You now have an independent mind with your own views and personal opinions. We have learnt to recognize this new ‘You’ and I feel proud of you! You have expressed your reluctance for an early matrimony in such a delicate manner that we applaud your candor!

No artist would like to give away his favorite painting to someone and no sculptor would like   his masterpiece to be shifted to some other’s studio for long. No father would like to send away his daughter to some other household forever, but that’s the norm of the society we are living in!

Let me look back to our own early days of marriage. We were married late and the initial years were full of pressures from work, finances and home building. The next phase was one of bringing up kids and steadying the ladders to satisfy their educational needs. We wish in retrospect, that we had more time to ourselves when we were young, and were young enough to spend fun times with the family when things got better. So, my little child, if your parents wish an early wedding for you, rest assured that they want you to be happier than themselves! Hope you understand!

We are eager to come and see you as soon as things improve, please take care of yourselves meanwhile,

Love you my Darling Daughter,

Your Dad!