My Prized Possession

The earliest memory of you is lying on either side of mamma in a blanket and fighting for two things. First your side is full in blanket while mine is in scanty and second that mamma loves me more than you. Another recollection is that of going to school on the two-wheeler with papa and you holding me from the back.

Growing up with you was not at all sweet and never easy!! You set difficult academic heights, did exceptionally well in everything you ventured, drawing, painting, spelling bee, games or sports. The double promotion is nursery to the rank one holder in mental math quizzes to school topper in 10^th to NTSE accolades. In addition to the above you made fun of my poor mathematic ability. You irritated me and fought with me for minute things. You plotted against my expensive gifted pens, my dinosaurs printed blanket, my new study table and many other things which I can not remember now. There were only three days in the whole year when you were very generous to me; my birthday, rakhi, and bhai dooj. And then there was one golden day called your birthday when your love was evident in every form. You were an angel on that red letter day. You would try to make me feel super special as others were busy making you feel special. These were the only days when I need not require being alert from your pranks and plottingJ. On several occasions I had to use your old textbooks which I hated the most on a superficial manner but felt gifted from inside. You were always the bossy one, I think you still are! Actually I always thought you were the smartest. So I secretly copied you in every way, whether food habits, reading style etc.    

When you left after your 10^th, I never thought you were away from home. My belief was supported by the physical distance. I mean your were just few hours away. It was kind of relief in fact, no more regular fights and disturbance. I finally had the space and authority over things. No more complexes from your presence. But when you left for your college, it was really hard. You were going miles away to a different land altogether. It was huge complication to whether be happy for your new endeavors or get sad for your long absence from home. It also marked the end of childhood days. You transformed from an irritating elder brother who would secretly take full care and shower his love on his younger sister to a boring reserved guardian pampering with too much affection and care. 

Today life has changed so much. I get the positive feeling that it is all for the best. You have taken care of me in umpteen ways. You try hard to make my life as comfortable as possible even though staying so far. You make me feel stronger whenever I am low. You show the immense confidence in me that I would land up very high in my career. You actively participate in my decisions and offer wise suggestion. It feels so good when you recharge my phone with larger value within minutes on just one say or order Dominos or something else from Jabong, flipkart etc on one call. You are rigid on me travelling by air only etc. It is reveling when you offer me the leg pieces without a grief or when you regularly prepared chicken, brought chocolates, ice creams and took me for shopping when I was staying with you for a while in Mumbai.

When I look back, I recollect that for the last 22 years you have been more than an exceptional brother. When young you never bored me with lectures to do better like other people but set live examples to follow and improve. You imbibed in me the process of self learning and introspection. You have always motivated in your own unique shuttle ways. You are not really a good teacher considering your expectation of high stimulus from the protégé in the subject but whatever topic you taught, I did excel in it. I also remember the day you gave me your mobile phone even when you equally liked it. You were of immense support when I was giving interviews for my first job. The truth is you believe in me more than I believe in myself and so in future for every high in my career, you would be the sole proprietor

There are so many such moments when you made me feel larger than life. You in real make me feel secured in every walk of my life. It is difficult to thank God for the amazing prize showered upon me when born. You are my prized possession. I am so privileged to have you as my elder brother.