My Guardian Angel...without wings...

It is interesting how my sister and I became close. Interesting because it was not a natural phenomenon in our case… instead I was so scared of her when I was a little girl that my mother used her as a weapon to reform my ways. She was so matured beyond her age and such a taskmaster that she was a easily hatable target from a little sister's point of view.

Now to the part that ‘catalysed’ our relation… I am not boasting when I say that I have high investigative skills, which is how I found out about her 'big secret'… I was pleased to see miss perfect sweating. She had no choice but take me into her confidence lest I open my not-so-small mouth to our parents. And thus at the age of 11, I became her right hand, almost literally for since then we were always together.

It was a very pleasing feeling to share such a deep intimacy with a person as her who drew an invisible line around her, a line which she did not allow many to cross. I was secretly thrilled when people commented that to know whats running in checha’s mind, all they have to do is get hold of me. And it did bring along bad luck to me, when my sister dear did something taboo, dad and mom literally chased me around the house for all the ‘why, what, where and how’… but mind you, despite all the mental torture I had to endure, I never spilled any of 'her' beans…and this continues till date!

She, whom I adoringly call checha is the one who prepared me for puberty, she is the one who taught me how to handwash clothes without overusing soap, she is the one who blantly told me, ‘NO he is not the one for you’, she is the one who kept reminding me that labour pain is not as bad as they show in movies!The ones who has seen my checha would agree with me when I say that she is absolutely beautiful and was quite popular in school and had all qualities that could easily spark jealousy in me but that never happenned between us. On the contrary, I was so proud of her that she became the feather in my otherwise plain hat.

I was very meek and a nervous kid when in school, probably what they describe as a ‘nerd’. Many of my old schoolmates whom I met recently were amused and some where shocked at the ‘so-called-change’ in my attitude. Bolder? Stronger? Interesting adjectives. To a large degree they are true… and to a larger degree I am sure that I was inspired….motivated….influenced by words spoken by her, my Godmother.

I jokingly call her my pheonix bird... that is because at one point I saw my checha weakening. But she fought that passing phase ...and rose from those dull, grey ashes to live her life. I wanted to begin this blog with something not materialistic... something thats not short-lived, but about something that is priceless and so very important to my very existence .. and what better can i write about but my checha?

However stressed out I am, or whatever dilemmas I may have, just a few words with her, and I am a much happier person.. and that is mutual I am sure. From the day I ‘caught’ her 15 years back to till date when we both have our busy lives and responsibilities, our bond just grows stronger day by day.