20 Years Ago!!

My mum and dad scanned this picture for me.
I still remember how thrilled I was to get a ready made saree
with a very easy draw-string! Finally I had the freedom of wearing a saree when I played house in the afternoons without having to wake up aai and ajji from their afternoon seista! Although I guess I did that too because I got bored with the same color every time!
One of my greatest ambitions was to become the "Seeta" in Ramayan. I tried wearing it without the blouse to resemble the Seeta in the forests. Being "mom" was the second best. =)
I liked imitating everything my mom did before she left for work in the exact chronological order after her morning shower. I repeated all of that ( including the way she checked if her saree was all in one level in the mirror) and wore everything on my face that she wore ( not in the right proportions though). Complete with two cute bangles in the right hand and my own little plastic watch ( that showed any time you wanted it to show..ah well, actually all watches are like that!) I "left" for work.
Playing the "teacher" was reserved only when imagination was going slow because of a persistent hunger pang. It was a lot of fun playing school with dad though. He used to turn into the slowest or the naughtiest kid in my class and I punished him all the time!
I loved "going to the market" wearing that saree. I picked up a wire basket from the kitchen and plucked a few leaves off all the trees in the garden. That was my "vegetable shopping".
Then there was the classic. Playing "house"! :)

When I look at myself like that, with my hands midway in the air and a silly little jasmine garland hanging off my head, I wonder what I am doing now! How can someone like THAT turn into someone like THIS?
From the girl who wanted to do everything from owning a dish washing and laundry shop to selling ice cream with my tricycle upside down as an ice cream cart, I am amazed at how I ended up being who I am. Not that I am not proud of what I am doing, but the easy moments of childhood that are filled with hope never come back!
When everything is possible.
When if your mom does not know the answer to your question, you believe that no one knows it as yet!
When you can have just as much sugar as you want and still stay as skinny as ever.
The days of drawing doodles on the wall even though there is a whiteboard in your room!
Where happiness is a function of frequency of zoo visits, helium balloons, pani-puri and tender coconut!

I wish I could go back to it ..I think I already did!!
Thanks Aai-Baba! :D