My first impression of you was when the nurse brought you into my room in the hospital after you were born - sorry, I did not witness your birth as I was asleep; not by choice but an inelective option owing to circumstances at the material time as you have had, in your young tiny self within my womb, decided to make a long call even before you emerge to see daylight!  As one who would not like to be kept waiting, you made the doc get you out in a hurry by putting me into deep slumber (not that I am complaining about your decision at all for at that time the pains I endured were beginning to feel like getting my insides violated by your urgency to get out and my inability to let you out, and all I had wanted to do was for you to get the "bloomingsdale" out of me!)

Then the minute I laid eyes on you, all the pains (including those after the surgery which I was experiencing at that precise moment) simply vanished, evaporated, disappeared [..aside: I did down a couple of pain killers for that too..yeah!...]. My cute, fresh and cuddly (though a mite squishy - almost boneless, floopy-ish) bundle of joy!!!  WOW...my very own girl! my baby! my daughter!  I AM A MOM!  - that was what went through my mind and head and heart.  We got on fine then....because you didn't talk and only I talked, and you could do nothing wrong - we were both so comfortable with that arrangement (for a while at least!!).

More than 19 years have elapsed since that day, but when I saw you lying on the hotel bed in Holiday Inn, London, sleeping peacefully away, I could still see you as that little bundle (of 3+ Kg) that you had been , occupying such a minute part of my king-size bed!

Through the years, we have waded through the tears and fears; the joys and laughters; the miscommunications and disagreements; the funnies and gigglies; the blues and reds (of marks); the trials and errors we all make in our lives - one thing tops it all: LOVE, the natural feeling within our hearts which will neither waver nor die no matter what, where or when.  That is the one true thing between parent and child which no one and nothing can ever replace or diminish.

Today, I stand with great pride to tell you that I am proud of YOU.  For having grown into a sensible person with a nice disposition, responsible and so likeable.  I can see great strength in you - so do pursue your dreams (with your feet on the ground, of course, no less!) and reach for the sky.  Let not hurdles or challenges deter you from your determination and persistence nor let uncertainties or mistakes bring you down; use them as steps to enforce your determination and strength in their stead.

Though physically you may not have me with you all the time, always remember that spiritually and morally I am always by your side.

So my dearest darling daughter, you are truly a joy to me and will always continue to be, as I let you go to soar to your own heights as I look on with great pride.

...ah fun...