Gratitude journey

What a delightful confluence it was. Retired army man Nitin Nambiar and his twin granddaughters, Ria and Rai, shared the same birthday, just sixty years apart. Every year, the Nambiar household erupted in a triple mousse cake celebration on January 15, top tier for grandpa and the other two for the twins. Just like the cake, the three were inseparable.

The trio had almost completed another spin round the sun. In two days, the gigglemugs would turn six and their appachan, 66. Both Ria and Rai had their best buddy in appachan. For the family, they were like triplets, the three were so tight.

This time, appachan had planned a little something for his munchkins, apart from the world’s best hug and two identical candy pouches, which was tradition. A day prior, he walked into a nearby stationery boutique and asked for the aisle containing notebooks, diaries, and journals. After carefully sifting through the items on display, Mr Nambiar found just what he had in mind. Two pocket-sized powder pink notebooks with faded floral doodle designs.

Without wasting another minute, he picked up two pieces of the notebook. They had to be gift wrapped, but before that there was something else to be done. Mr Nambiar asked for a glitter pen at the billing counter and on the first page of each, in bold cursive wrote, ‘HAPPY HOPPERS’.

The annual day of triple delight, like always, was peppered with celebrations. From a special breakfast comprising appam (thin pancakes) and chicken stew, to a lunch outing and the mandatory evening mousse cake ritual, the hours brimmed with joy and laughter.

As the day wound down, the girls popped their heads through the curtains in appachan’s room. The candy pouches and hugs were always saved for last. Appachan scooped the two up in his arms and gave both the world’s best hug. Then out came the candy pouches. But wait! It wasn't yet over. 

Appachan pulled the drawer attached to his study and smiled. Turning to Ria and Rai, who were goofing around on his bed, he asked them to hop over. Handing out the gift-wrapped notebooks, he told his tweedledum and tweedledee, “Appachan will want to see these notebooks once a week, alright? What you have got to do, my dears, is to write as many things as you can think of that made you happy, super happy or even a teeny bit happy that week.”

Grabbing their gifts, Ria and Rai giggled with glee, little knowing that their dear appachan had, from that moment, set them off on a gratitude journey.  

(This post is part of the A to Z Challenge)