The Joyful Bond and Harmony of Siblings

Younger Child: "You are a trial and test piece."

Elder Child: "You have been rescued from the garbage"

Growing up as the firstborn, it's natural for the older sibling to feel a tinge of envy as the attention shifts entirely to the younger one upon their grand entrance into the world.

"Share your toys," they say.

"Compromise for your siblings," they advise.

And the highlight – you get scolded and beaten even when your sibling is the one pulling off the greatest mischief! It's like a Vedic mantra at your home: "Because you are the elder one!"

Then life rolls on. As an elder sibling, you start earning, and suddenly the family responsibilities decide to set up camp on your shoulders. If you are a girl, restrictions on dress-code take a permanent station at your doorstep. But then your sister gets the golden ticket for all things mini skirts, t-shirts, sleeveless and jeans because these are normal in colleges now.

Ah, fish with this technology! Back in the day, you say you had your marriage album in a DVD copy, and the struggle to view albums was like waiting for a snail to finish a marathon. You had to rent a DVD player, and the anticipation felt like waiting for the season finale of your favorite show.

Now, enter younger sister, the tech wizard. She's got a photographer on speed dial, the photographer shares instantly through some mystical "Shareitapp," and poof! It's on WhatsApp faster than you can say "generation gap." It's like elders' lived in the era of dial-up internet while younger's in rocking 5G speeds.

But, hold on a minute – let's talk about the silent battles of the Younger child, you may say –"the pampering baby of the family" – but wait, let me tell the unspoken pain that accompanies being the last in the sibling chain.

Firstly, let's address the real fashion stuff: the sleeveless and jeans. We might have one or two dresses of ours, but wait – our wardrobe is filled with your used dresses, and mom may say "vintage" fashion is back. So, we have always been a recycling machine.

Let me pen down another bitter truth. When you, my dear elder sibling, got into marriage and parenthood, I wholeheartedly embraced the role of the playful aunt or uncle to your little ones. Oh, the laughter, the games, the elephant ride, circus drama, sleepless night stories with you kids.

But as I stepped onto the path of marriage and have a child of my own, I search for an aunt to play with my kid. But hey, my dear elder sibling, you are entangled in the web of family commitments. So here we are, my child and I, navigating and playing alone.

You not only took our parents' energy but also that "aha, the first grandchild of our family" moment. As a result, our parents, fatigued from taking care of my childeren, unintentionally leave us feeling isolated. Amid the chaos, we ache for companionship.

Well, I can forgive the sibling chaos, tolerate the borrowed clothes, and even endure the epic battles for the TV remote, but when relatives and neighbors pop up, asking, "Is XXX (uses elder child name) mom there?" – hold on a minute! Why don't they ever ask, "Is YYY (Younger child name mom there?" Am I just some creature in the family jungle?

Hey, our mom has a name! Her name is not some top-secret information to be hidden. Why dont they address with her name? Can I also get a little recognition for just being the last kid?

Certainly, thanks for the journey. Whether as the younger or elder child, both of us encountered lessons uniquely, where we had to summon strength and confront battles differenlty, regardless of their nature. We've faced challenges head-on, and our resilience certainly deserves recognition.

When Husband Surprises

Valentine's Day – a day that used to mean everything before marriage, and now, well, it's somewhere between "can't live without you" and "just need some space." You know, life's a strange journey.

So, the day started with me checking social media, and all I see is people declaring their partners as the best in the world (some even declared their partners as the eighth wonder of the world). Couples going out for a Valentine's Day dinner – all cute. But here in our world, where work takes the front seat, celebrating Valentine's Day felt a bit too much.

No expectations, though. I knew my husband wasn't the roses, hugs, and chocolates type. We both had to shuffle off to the office, so we exchanged goodbyes. I casually suggested going out for dinner in the evening. His response?  "Client visit, too busy this week." Okay, fair enough.

The day rolled on, no surprises. No romantic gestures. We both were super busy until 10.00 pm. When the day was about to end, he suggested a walk at 11 am. Sounds sweet, right? But the catch – he kept glancing at his phone, answering calls, and doing all that work stuff. I got annoyed and threatened to leave if he couldn't spare five minutes of real quality time.

And then, the unexpected happened. He took me to the parcel room at the apartment, a place filled with packages. I'm thinking, "What's going on here?" He pulls out a gift from the mess of boxes and hands it to me. Romantic, right there in the middle of everyday chaos.

It hit me – love isn't about grand gestures or expensive presents. It's about those little moments. In the parcel room, amid the boxes, he managed to surprise me. No fancy dinners, just a simple walk and an unexpected gift.

But wait, a doubt crept in – did he really go to a client dinner, or was it a cover-up for a secret date? 

As the night approached, my mind started playing detective tunes as I wondered, "Client dinner or romantic date?"

"You caught me red-handed!" he exclaimed with a mischievous grin, and without waiting formy response, he made a hasty escape. And the race was on, fueled by a playful chase. 

In relationships, it's not about grand gestures or elaborate plans. It's about keeping the spark alive with  humor, surprise, and a willingness to embrace the unexpected. Sometimes five minutes of quality time is all the secret keys to a happy journey together!