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Monday, 9^th February 2009, was the day I received the most precious gift of my life in New Delhi. This was nothing less profound than a real replacement of myself. The foggy morning with scattered clouds that day, I recall suddenly turned refreshingly warm and bright. I do a reality check on wunderground.com and I get reassured, indeed 9^th was warmer than the previous and the later day in degrees Celsius.

The journey of my replacement from the Operation Theatre to my arms though seemed frustratingly never ending. This wait was the most anxious moments I am yet to experience. My head kept reeling with stupid questions about the looks, health, sex, weight, complexion and what not. I think I was silently praying as well. Hope is important as it makes such moments less difficult to bear and precisely my prayer was for the best hope. Nature has been kind enough at critical times never to deny me such soothing fruits of hope, and here lay a bundle wrapped in white and pink towel, with closed eyes resembling serene Buddha in deep meditation. She is your Girl Child is what the polite nurse softly murmured trying not to interrupt my feelings of joy, elation, disbelief, that ended in eerie calm all almost in seconds. Soon this was broken with soft congratulations and warm hugs from the family. Most close to me rushed to see my contentment on the tired face at the best possible speed making my eventful day complete to the fullest.

The journey with this bundle of joy has since been enriching with each passing day. My 1^st year nights with here were all the more satisfying as I grabbed every opportunity in making the most cuddles, often denying it to the harbinger of this fortune. Well being greedy pays. They say her twinkle and looks reflect mine and I often suspect those never ending cuddles helped the most.

Time flies and frustratingly faster than what Einstein has propounded. I often wished that she remains a bundle, a toy that continues spreading smiles in arms and laughs when tossed. But who cares of my innocent wishes. She is three years today. She talks a lot, sometimes even to the extent of cute shouts and preaches. Coincidently, this very day her baby steps have taken their first flight to her formal school. And providence decided she goes to my alma-mater. All preparations were made for this eventful journey of hers. Except for my wish to be with her this eventful day; everything was perfect. She had a school dress, a school bag, a lunch box. We were excited since a day before.

With the breaking sun I came online on Skype eagerly to have the first look of her first looks in a first ever uniform. My skype rings disappointedly went unanswered several times. Finally when it was answered I was told she has woken up late. I wondered if it was deliberate and if she was rather mentally preparing for her first formal training of ways to comprehend the real world. Any ways, I did not complain waiting more for a moment as precious as this.

While waiting, I take a look out of my window. I realise it is beginning of spring in Kabul. The barren tree branches now are full of tiny little bud leaves cutely cuddling their little mother branches. Freshness is beginning to sprout in the otherwise dull rocky surrounding. The buds are rearing to sprout or are scared of facing the soon to be hot surrounding? They have no choice I conclude; they will have to experience cool refreshing spring, will have to face the burning sun, tattering thunder and biting snow at each stages. And in doing so they would enjoy enriching their surroundings. Similar will have to be the choice of my darling.

My attention is broken by the beeping skype. She is ready with a smile. She looked awesome in stripped cream dress, yellow socks and yellow shoes with blue stripes. I was later told she cried at the gates before being mercilessly left to handle never before seen faces on her own.

Denounce attachment was probably the first lesson, she was made to learn. Possibly she would have also learnt another lesson fear of anything is unduly exaggerated as she was back in her mom’s lap four hours later with that contagious smile and twinkle in the eyes.