more nostalgia

on the 24th was the birthday of my one-time best friend. where once i would eagerly wait for her birthday to arrive, and would spend much time and energy in picking out a card for her and decorate it with quotes, colors and what have you ... i have barely remembered to send her a happy birthday mail in recent years. (not that i ever actually forgot her birthday though.)

this year, i did remember. i looked for her name in my gmail inbox, found one mail, and promptly wished her, albeit a day late (it was the 25th already). i was moved to see a response that started with: "Thanks N, after a very long time, feels nice to be addressed dearest!". so little said, but it meant so much. the price of "dearest" seems to have escalated exponentially over the years. i wonder how much of that is due to our exponentially escalating ego that causes everything else to steadily lessen in importance.


p.s. sachin tendulkar also had his birthday on the 24th. he was my friend's hero back in 7th grade. and when i met sachin for the one and only time in my life, i took an autograph of his that i could give to her on her 13th birthday.