My box of candy!!

It’s that time of the year when everything around you is bright and festive. Wrapped up in thick coats and huge shawls, you crave for the warm rays of the sun to hit your back. Yet, amongst the chilly weather and the morning shivers, something about this season brightens me up. Being a Hindu, probably, I should be fond of Diwali among all the festivals but Christmas seems to be my favorite. Diwali tends to get too strenuous and I feel completely drained out by the end of the day with all the festive arrangements. Christmas, on the other hand completely relaxes me. I can sit back and enjoy all the bright decorations and the cheerful smiles on people’s faces.

We tend to believe that as we age we become wiser. Well, to be honest, I am not sure about that but I can definitely say our perspective towards situations does change. As a child, I looked forward to Christmas as I knew my Santa would leave a small gift for me before I am up, and as it happens with all of us, my Santa happened to be my Dad. I would eagerly wait for the delicious home-made plum cake and rose - cookies that one of our family friends would gift us religiously year after year. The Christmas carols and the secret Santa in school just added to the fun. Sticking to the true spirit of Christmas, the joy of giving, we would always give away our Christmas trees to our Christian friends.

However, as I grew up, this time of the year was not just about plum cake and rose cookies, it had a different feel to it. To be honest, I confess that I still love the cute Christmas stockings and the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. It was something more than just the bright lights and colorful streamers. It was the proximity to a new beginning. A new year that is just a few days away.
A new year, which gives me the strength to bury the past worries and look forward to a bright beginning. It brings out the optimist in me with a belief that the ordeals of the old year would end and the joys would multiply in the New Year. It is the energy that drives me to wild dreams and aim high. It is that part of the year that strengthens my belief in hope and faith.

It is a new beginning. It is the awakening of a confidence that gives me the energy to start a new tapestry, maneuvering the needle to create a pattern that I want. A journey which I hope will be a smooth ride to the destination without any hitches and bumps. The eagerness to look forward to days filled with sunshine and of course, the coming spring.

I am back to being a six year old child eagerly waiting for her box of flavored candies. Flavors that throw me by surprise every time I pop them into my mouth, hoping that the next candy wouldn’t spoil the sweet taste lingering in my mouth, looking forward to days filled with joy and cheer.

Here’s hoping that I find my favorite flavor of candy as I open the box!