Giftology

Seriously I never got any gift in my life. Birthdays, Christmas, endless festivities came and went but my parents never seemed to remember them or even had the knowledge of it may be due to ignorance or whatever it is either.

Even I was an average kid at school and a poor performer at sports. So, expecting any prize or trophy at school was out of question. So it wasn’t a very big deal. Even if I failed or passed through my exam it didn’t matter at all at home. So my formative years were filled without any celebrations, gifts, exaltation, excitement.

  

Everything was going on well and as usual until I reached college. There in our hostel (a li'l catholic convent) it was mandatory for us all (borderer) to give our birthday date to our sister (the hostel in charge) who usually put it up in our notice board. Each day we would sing the birthday wishes to that particular lucky girl. Somedays we had quite a large number of the lucky girls, all missing homes and very home sick. And, it was there the first time I heard the birthday song sang for me by our sister and friends. All shy and blushing was me because was feeling really overwhelmed. And, I got my first gift from friends in my hostel days. Endless wishes, lots of cards, few pens. That is trivial things but makes a lot of difference in my life.

And, yeah I got my first Christmas gift there too (we used to exchange little gifts). I still have some of them with me and whenever I see them my eyes are wet with tears since I got something to say as a Christmas or birthday gift for the first time in my life. Those days remind me so much of care, fun, un selfless love and respect.

Since those were my first gifts in life after nearly two decades of my existence I have preserved them safely but I lost some of them in transition. This was really sad. So, when did you really have your first gift? Hopefully you may not remember because your parents or loved ones have been showering them on you all the year round so it may not make a lot of difference in your life. Does it?

P.S Now sadly I reached the same point. No gifts again, no nothing. No one to give and no one to get.