Skip to main content

There's always a piece of cake in my heart for everyone

In my life, birthdays are an occasion when I feel life brings happiness all around. 

It wasn't that my father had tons of money to splurge. He didn't. But for Dad, his daughter's birthday was a most special occasion and he left no stone unturned to make it magical. Throughout the years while my sister and I grew up, our birthdays were celebrations that people looked forward to. Each year, the games would be different, the theme would be different and lots of excitement was tucked into the interior decor and the party theme, besides the guest list.

As we grew older, we mellowed down on the celebrations and now, we keep it as a strictly family occasion. Even then, Dad has a special way of making birthdays truly magical. 


This year, my in-laws wanted to celebrate my birthday at Kochi's Taj Gateway Hotel. My mother-in-law made my birthday a very beautiful experience. She knew that I had never been there at the Gateway Hotel before. She made arrangements and it was awesome to celebrate my birthday with family there. 


Here's the cake cutting pic we took at the Taj Gateway Hotel. 


My father is standing beside my seven year old son as I am about to cut the yummy cake. A friend on Facebook commented saying that it looks like I am opening a magic box here. Later when I looked at this picture again, I felt that indeed, this moment looks truly magical.

And I wanted to share this beautiful occasion with all of you because of the love, the warmth and the constant encouragement that you continue to extend to me by visiting this blog, reading my posts and giving me feedback. All of this means a lot to me. 


Thank you for being there.




Comments

Shilpa Garg said…
Belated birthday wishes, Swapna! Wishing you loads of joy and happiness, smiles and laughter, the whole year through!
Cheers :)
Vinaya said…
Hey here's a belated 'Happy Birthday' to you Swapna! Wishing you even more birthday celebrations with your family :)
God bless!
Thanks so much Shilpa, your loving wishes mean a lot to me!
Hi Vinaya, Thank you so much for the birthday wishes. God bless you too:)
- Sugar Cube - said…
The pic is beautiful :) Belated wishes !

Most Popular Posts

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being born

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes while lighting the lamp. Frequently Asked Questions About Lighting Deepam at Home Collating most queries related to how to light the deepam at home, I'v

Tumhari Sulu movie review: Vidya Balan makes you laugh, cry, croon and fall in love with 'Sulu'

I have always looked forward to watching Vidya Balan's films, which is why I watched her latest one, Tumhari Sulu, and decided to share this movie review. I read many reviews which bring in the feminist aspect of the narrative. I want to look at the little details of an ordinary life that are portrayed by Vidya Balan's extraordinary acting.   As ''Sulu'', Vidya Balan breathes life into the character of bubbly housewife, whose life revolves around her husband, son and of course, her favorite hobby of participating in all kinds of contests and winning them with a die-hard spirit.                                          [ Image: Vidya Balan's Facebook page ]                                Vidya Balan's mastery over details comes through in every scene - shooing off birds so that they don't put ''potty'' on her clothes, posing in front of the mirror with the kind of bag that working women use and pretending to be one, and eve

Top 10 Skincare tips for Summer

Come summer, and we women worry a lot about how the sun lashes out on our skin. True, skincare tips for the summer are plenty but what about the hushed secrets - yes, those tried and tested family secrets that are passed on from mother to daughters? [ ALSO READ: How to NEVER EVER GIVE UP on the spiritual path ]                             FOLLOW MY BOARDS ON PINTEREST Here are some that are totally easy to do. Best of all, these are effective and bring on a feel-good factor in the peak of summer. 1. Replace water with rosewater . It keeps your skin luminous and fragrant throughout the day. It's a good toner too. 2. Cleanse your skin by combining these ingredients - honey, milk, rosewater/rosepetals and turmeric. Add a dash of olive oil and yes, it feels wonderful. 3. Almond oil body baths are a must-have ! You will smell delicious all day. This summer, skip all those body lotions & moisturizers! You will love the way almond oil pampers your skin all day! 4. Us

Mahamrityunjaya Mantra: Meaning, Benefit of Chanting and Who can Chant the Mantra

Mahadmrityunjaya Mantra: Benefit of chanting this mantra There are very few mantras that are as powerful as the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra. Do read my post: Does Mahamrityunajaya mantra really work?       Mahamrityunjaya mantra is believed to have the power to remove all sufferings, diseases and bestow the one who chants it with good health and long life.   It is also believed that constant contemplation of the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra can help spiritual aspirants to overcome the cycle of birth and death. What got me fascinated about this mantra is something personal.  I learned this mantra from my father but it is my maternal grandmother who chanted it all the time and repeatedly told me of its tremendous power to protect. However, I did not chant this mantra regularly.  At the age of two, my son was taught some mantras by my mother who explained what it means to him and he became very enthusiastic about chanting the mantras. Following this, my mother taught him the Maha Mrityun