18

Asha is 18.

Her grandmother is 81.

As of today, the world has turned 6582 times on its axis since she was born at a mission hospital in the village of Tumbagara in the Palamu district of Jharkhand.  It has done 18 big long loops around the sun since that cold foggy morning of the 16th of Jan 2001.

In the eyes of the law - Asha is now an adult.  She can vote.  Can drive.  Can enrol in the armed forces. Can work.  Can marry.

Deep breath time for her Dad!

The birthday cake this year was a simple one.

As with much in life, I wish it could have been much more (memories of birthdays-past come to mind).  But it was made in the very nick of time, and I am learning to accept the minor messiness which so often underlines our days.

More important than cake is our amazing daughter.

This is a year in which she will fly.

Asha is currently with us here in Lalitpur, burning the midnight oil preparing for her 12th standard board exams.  I will (D.v. of course) take her back up to Mussoorie in 10 days from now.  Then she has a month of exams and in mid-March her schooling is over!

After her exams, we are hoping that Asha will do some travelling.  We would love her to visit Thailand or South Africa - both places where we have dear friends.  But at present the focus is squarely on her studies.

Later in the year... do we dare say the word "college?"

Asha has applied for higher studies 'up beyond the village border' and she has been accepted.  There is only the small matter of how much financial aid she will be getting.  We will have to see - and are praying.  At the same time, we are also very willing for her to study in our dear country.  There is the small matter of what course to take - and the lakhs of folks who will be vying for the same admission seats, but our Father can take care of all of that!

In the meantime, Sheba and I are delighted to have Asha around with us for such a lovely chunk of time.  It is such a luxury to come home for lunch each day and find her and Enoch studying away.  So lovely to see them head off for their daily football knock-about.  Such a pleasure to have family prayers at night with songs sung by the four of us (and assorted instruments too).

After these last 3 years of boarding school and with a quite plausible largish chunk of 'awayness' looming ahead, we covet every morsel of time we have together.

So here is to our amazing daughter.

Our arrow, about to whizz off into the gloaming
Sharp as a tack, yet gentle and kind
Quiet, you blossom with those you trust
Dear sprite, elusive minstrel 
Deep music calls, 
New doors await your hands  
As the inner you, so lovely 
Is being shaped by our Lord

Picture credit: Enoch Eicher