IT’S CHRISTMAS TIME…..

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only beloved son, that whosoever believe in him wouldn’t perish, but would have eternal life. ”  ----John 3:16

You take winter season, which is one of the most romantic seasons. One of the most waited season in Nagpur. A season to curdle-up in your bed with blankets, wear your favorite pull-over jackets and scarf’s, lazy mornings and feel that sweet chilled wind brushing past your hair.

Now just add a chunk of holidays into it. Do I see a hint of smile on your face? Yes I do. You don’t have to study, no work, no college, no waking up early and hot coffee in evening with friends. 

No how about we garnish it with some gifts. We add celebration, cake, chocolate and pastry to it. Now add the birth of Jesus Christ to decorate it.  The bliss that you feel around you, this magical shinning happiness that you see around, the inner happiness that radiates out of you is known as Christmas. Christmas is not just a festival it’s a celebration. It’s one of the best ways to end a year that has been full of ups and down. A way to thank the almighty for all that you have achieved throughout the year, but more than that it’s about asking forgiveness for your mistakes. It’s the time to pray with family and disturbing your catholic friends throughout the day for plum cakes.

 It’s one of the reason why this is my favorite season not only because it the birthday of our savior Jesus Christ but more so because it is the favorite festival of all my friends. Many of my friends have showed interest in coming to church on Christmas and I take them happily. And the one thing that I have learned from it is that everyone is curious and animated about Christmas. The enthusiasm that I see in them just makes this festival even more special for me. I feel so proud when they try to understand the meaning of Christmas as I explain it to them. 

 There are so many beautiful aspects of Christmas that makes it one of the most loved festivals all over the world. But as long as I remember Christmas for me is going to the Midnight mass prayers with my family to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and welcoming him into this world and more than that into our hearts. This is a visible message of Christmas, something that a person on the outside or an individual of different religious faith can see, feel and experience. But there is much deeper meaning of Christmas that lies under its glitz and shinning celebration.  You can see it only if you walk a bit slow in life. If we care to see around ourselves rather than just focusing on our goals and running after them then only it’s visible.

The real message of Christmas is about giving and it can also be very clearly understood from the above bible verses from the Gospel of Apostle John. The Almighty gave the world his own beloved son.  And the whole idea of Santa Claus is based on the idea of giving.  

Some might say that there is no such thing as Santa Claus but if you go back in history the story of Santa Claus is as true as the history itself. The legend of Santa Claus was born in 4^th century. There was a Saint known as Saint Nicholas of Myra. He was born in Patara, turkey in 280 AD. It was believed that he lost both is parents at very young age and used the inherited wealth from them in helping the poor and orphan children in Myra.  A very famous story of St. Nicholas says that there was a poor man who had 3 daughters. He could not afford to marry off them as he didn’t have enough money. One day as St. Nicholas was walking past the poor man’s house he heard the family praying to God. So the next day St. Nicholas dropped a sack of gold down his chimney. More over the legend goes that he did the same for the following two years as well and the man eventually could marry off all 3 of his daughters. 

Another story that is famous about St. Nicholas is about how he would go around the city of Myra and distribute gifts to poor homeless and orphan children in the dark night. 

This is how the legend of gift giving was born with Christmas and this is exactly what Christmas means. I remember last year I happen to meet a very old friend of mine. She brought a group of kids to Seminary hills grotto. They were there to give warm clothes and blankets to the priest so that it could be distributed to the needful. And the kids were more excited than her, carrying the blankets in their own hands.

The message here is not that you give away your old and useless stuff but give needy the needful and there is a big difference in both. The real joy of giving comes from the realization that what you have given is what actually the other person needed. 

An old man in old age home doesn’t require a hearty meal or an expensive gift, all they need is your time. They might not feel like talking to you or ask for your help while they try to stitch their clothes on their own, but for you to just sit there with them for few hours. They might not want to talk on complex political and social issue but on how their day was, how they use to live in there adulthood and for you to listen their childhood stories. On the contrary a 3 year old kid in an orphanage would go bouncing and jumping with joy the entire day if you just give him his favorite chocolate or give a girl hair clips of her favorite color. Similarly a poor man would be just happy to get a hearty meal for that day. Going to them is much easier than asking them to come to you.

No wonder it is called a present. Present means now, at this very moment, this time that is in there and our hand. 

As far is family and friends is concerned they don’t expect anything from you. They just want you to be there for them. If not physically then just a call or message would be more than enough to bring a smile on their face. 

When I was in college many of my friends would ask me about Santa Claus and how could he manage to give gifts to so many people.

Well here is your chance to be a Santa Claus and the best part about this Santa Claus is that you don’t need a fancy red colored outfit, a long white beard and you don’t require carrying a heavy sack on your back. It very simple, you now know what people require and Santa gives what you ask from him. The most valuable gift that you can give anyone this Christmas is your time because it is yours and you are sharing it with someone who needs it so this makes it even more precious.  

And if you need to know more about Christmas feel free to walk into any church, sit on the bench and ask your question to the person next to you. I am sure there would be something new that both of you will learn. Never hesitate to ask questions.

Christmas is not only about asking for blessings and happiness for you only but taking the responsibility of gifting that blessing and happiness others as well.

Christmas is not just about prayers, it about being an answer to someone’s prayer.

...then she cried all night.

 Isse ishq-eh-junoon kahe ya yaaro ki dua.

Ki char glass sharab pi gaye…tab kahi

teri yaadon ka fir nazar-eh-nazarana hua...

An AC that’s working at 16 deg, a soft and comfortable sofa and an surprised leave from work is all it takes to build up romantic ambiance. And then in one such leave you give a surprise visit to your loved realizing that its one of the best way to spend it. Especially for me as my work domain doesn’t permit me to have weekends off or get leave more frequently. One can’t even fight for it if you are a new joinee as I was.  That why I mentioned ‘surprise leave from work’.

 And here I was sitting on this lavish mid size sofa with the AC pondering me with cold air through its blowers behind by back. It was a bit brighter than it suppose to be for a 7 pm evening in Mumbai.

 I suppose it was due to the advent of summer at her 24^th floor flat in Andheri.  But you could still see the blinking lights of cars on the Western express highway. I sat in a very confined position on the window to have a clear look out. It looked like the lights were getting dissolved in the hot air and dancing air that we usually see over the horizon in summers.

“Since when did you start sitting on windows?” she asked as she stepped out of the shower. Her curly black hairs were all gone.  Now they looked much straighter. Her hair were all over the place as she tried to wipe them off but soon she got it all sorted out giving her hair a left banking.

“It’s my favorite place to sit… even in my flat.” I answered.

“I never knew that… but yes even I find it very peaceful.. Especially in rainy season, you should see the view from here.” She added.

She was smiling as she replied but there was a hue of tiredness in her eyes.  It ddidn'ttook me long to see it. Whenever she uses to get tired her eyes-lashes would get a bit swollen and turn pink. That’s what she uses to complain me many times on the phone. But I never knew that they looked so beautiful in reality. Her brownish eyes within those fluffy pink eyelash looked like yogurt ice-cream with strawberry sauce and a small butterscotch candy on top.

“You seemed tired?” I asked her. It was a stupid question but travelling in Mumbai even in metro is tiring.

“No .. not at all… instead I am happy that you are finally here with me after such a long time” she said pulling me down from the window and making us sit on the sofa. She grabbed my left arm with both hands and pulled herself close to me.  So close that I could feel the freshness of her shampooed hair.

“Either get a blanket or reduce the AC madam you we are shivering” I whispered in her ears as we were scanning through the music channels on TV.

“Its fine.. I am okay ” she replied in a shivering voice.

“yes that sounds really convincing to me… do it” I shouted.

“Ok don’t turn off the AC I will get my blanket” and she jumped off the sofa into her bedroom and was out in not time with her blanket.

We quickly covered ourselves with it and we snug up a little more. So much that I could feel her heartbeats in my arms.

“Why did you wanted me to straighten my hair” she asked

“I didn’t want them to ruin such a moment if at all such a moment happened” I answered with a little laugh.

But she didn’t respond, instead she just grabbed my hand even harder and I could feel the sweetness of her palm. We sat quietly for sometimes and I could feel her breath getting heavier and resonating.

“I am feeling a bit tired, I want to lie in your lap” she murmured

“maybe you should take a nap instead you seemed very tired.”I replied and we quickly rearranged ourselves over the sofa. I sat with my legs crossed and she slept over them. She squeezed her legs to fit inside the blanket and making sure that I get enough blanket as well. I tried to watch Man Vs Wild with a mute volume and suddenly I felt a faint swing on my lap followed by soft sobbing noise. As I looked down on my lap she was all drenched in tears and sobbing harder.

“are ro kyu rahe ho mam?” I asked her in a totally panicked state.

 I could feel the coolness in my thighs caused by her tears. I did not tried to stop her after that I just let her cry.

I just kept on moving strands of hair away from her eyes time and again as she wept. Wiping her nose off my t-shirt and putting her arms around my back. I just kept patting her back and waited…. And waited….. for her to speak.

“I am sorry, I am really sorry for looking so tired this evening. I think you expected me to look fresh but this Mumbai weather and work has drained me out so much. Its very hectic I am not sure if I could do it any longer, not alone…not by myself”

“I know how it feels…don’t worry you looking even more beautiful when you are tired.” I gently replied.

“Please do something, kuch toh karo….Please take me somewhere far… Mujhse nahi hoga. I cannot imagine myself without you.” And then she busted into loud cries as she grabbed me even harder almost pinching me with his long nails.

“don’t worry… relax we will do something…you trust me na?” I asked her

“hmm” she replied in the most sweetest voice ever.

“maam aap tension maat lo.. I have faith in motivation and you are my motivation.  I know kuch acha he hoga aapne sath.” I sound very confident but my reply wasn’t that gripping.

“I always wanted to sleep on your lap… kya mai thodi der so jayu” she asked me after crying for 15 more minutes.

“you better do…. And by the way sleeping and crying on my lap is not free, fees deni padegi.” I tried to crack a joke and she acknowledge with her 5 km long smile.

“mujhse bhi loge fees?”She asked me half asleep in a very babyish voice.

“Damn right miss rodlu…1 pappi per 15 mins crying” I said in a naughty voice.

“Okay….lena hoga toh lelena nind me….warna mai uthke khud he dedungi fees kudse… rone ki bhi aur sone ki bhi.”

Soon she felt asleep and I could feel her breathing getting longer and feathery and her body becoming still and relaxed. As I gently stroke her hair, somebody or something within myself made me say

“please GOD… please..give me strength to be the one with whom she could feel proud to stand with. I don’t ask for miracles but courage to achieve what is miraculous. Dear god I don’t ask for lighter burden but for broader shoulders. Please god ….please ….please….” it started off like a prayer but then firstly it got converted into tears and finally I was sobbing and it sounded like I was begging to god by the end.

Suddenly she woke up to kissed me … then she cried all night.

But there was this one thing I learned that day.

 LOVE IS ABOUT GIVING……AND NOT WANTING.

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