A Beautiful Year

25 Jul

By popular demand, the Boy is back to write a birthday dedication, but before you proceed, HOLD IT!

1) Look closely:

2) I am NOT cloning him

3) Now read:

Imagine walking into the Louvre with your own framed doodle, wondering whether to place it next to the Da Vinci or the Monet – and then finding oneself terribly outclassed. That is probably close to what I feel right now as I pen this ode to OJ on her birthday. But then, this post is not about me. It is about the one I love.

Ardent readers might remember my birthday dedication an year ago, which basically confirmed the fact that everyone’s favorite blogger likes beautiful things. But instead of adding to the list of beautiful things that OJ likes (which is pretty easy) – this birthday, let me hazard to explain how she makes the world more beautiful.

Let’s say we’ve woken late and lazy on a Sunday and we decide to head out to iHop for a late and lazy brunch. Given how much I love pancakes, I move like the whirl of the wind and am ready at the door twirling the keys to the Honda, dreaming of Canadian maple syrup. But not OJ – who despite harboring an even greater love for the aforementioned pancakes – will carefully “prepare” for the outing. Nothing will be chosen to be worn at random, not a hair will be out of place and not a piece of jewelery will be unwarranted, redundant or excessive (like my adjectives). Finally the perfect handbag will fit in like the 999th piece of a gorgeous 1000 piece Ravensburger puzzle of the Castle Neuschwanstein. And when she appears from the bedroom, not decked up, but just perfect – I look at her, hang my head and promptly go inside to change whatever arbitrary piece of clothing I had selected, to something that, quite simply, is more appropriate. And the 1000th piece? She will reach with practiced ease towards the little box of Altoid Minis and pop two in the mouth, the corner of her lips curling upwards ever so slightly with the satisfaction, that yes, everything – including her breath and her husband – is now beautiful.

To prove this point further–let me describe to you, O reader of the jammies–how OJ makes children smile. All her preparedness as described above, will dissolve into a blob of silly putty in the hands of a sad child. She will hold the despondent child in her arms, enveloping the kid in folds of exquisite softness until any pain or sadness has gone away. She will then just play silly, making them jump and throwing them in the air and giving off her inimitable laughter – with a real rare kindness that would melt the hardest of hearts. Children don’t stand a chance against this – it is like a chocolate fountain, a Chuck-e-Cheese ball pit and Dora the Explorer all rolled into one. And really, what is more beautiful than a child’s rippling laughter?

There are many more examples of how she creates beauty, beautifully unaware of the fact that she is doing so. I am lucky to witness these every day and every moment I spend with her. And if anyone asks me what I miss about her when I am far away from her on work – it is just this: If she is not around me, it is as if everything that is beautiful disappears from my life.

Happy Birthday, my love – here’s wishing you another beautiful year ahead.

11 Responses to “A Beautiful Year”

  1. chroniclesofdee July 25, 2012 at 4:11 am #

    Awww…Good job Boy!

    the DH may never hear the end of this 🙂

  2. alice July 25, 2012 at 11:04 am #

    OMG. That’s a post to end all posts.

  3. RS July 25, 2012 at 8:36 pm #

    What an apt post for you, OJ. You do make the world more beautiful with your miraculous writing. Happy Birthday once again!

  4. dipali55 July 25, 2012 at 11:17 pm #

    Thank you for writing this beautiful post! Makes me know OJ a little better, and to love her even more!

  5. ittakestimei July 26, 2012 at 12:04 am #

    Stop being so cute both of you !!

  6. Pallavi July 26, 2012 at 2:24 am #

    What Alice said. And of course, happy birthday again, OJ. Thank you, Boy, your words may not be as exquisite as the ones that OJ employs, but your feelings make up for that little shortcoming (if you’d like to call it that at all)! Thank you for being you, both of you.

  7. sukanya July 26, 2012 at 1:59 pm #

    yes, agree with ittakestimei!
    OJ, happy birthday-have a blast, from one Leo to another.

  8. Orange Jammies July 29, 2012 at 1:26 pm #

    chroniclesofdee: Uh-oh. 😉

    alice: Really? This is it? The end of the jammies?

    RS: Thanks, girl. You are very kind!

    dipali55: ((Hugs))

    ittakestime & sukanya: Sigh. We’ll have to get a room now?

    Pallavi: Aww, P. Don’t agree that I write better, though. 🙂

  9. girlinjammies July 31, 2012 at 11:38 am #

    So cute ! Happy Birthday OJ. May you spread beauty always 🙂

  10. alice July 31, 2012 at 10:00 pm #

    OJ: No silly. How could you think that and why would I wish that? Unless, the boy has his own blog to which I can switch? 😛

  11. Orange Jammies August 1, 2012 at 1:27 pm #

    girlinjammies: Oh look, I have a doppelganger! 😉 Thank you for your wishes.

    alice: But you said “post to end all posts”. 😛 Check your inbox.

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