Dear son, you are 15 today.
One more year. One more letter. You are well versed with the internet now. Odds are you will read this pretty soon. I’ll keep writing this every year until you ask me to stop.
This past year has been a mix of wonderful memories and one really sad one. But time marches on. You are one year farther from the bundle of joy that I could lift over my head and one year closer to being able to lift me. While I deeply miss the former, I am curious to see what happens first on the latter - that you get really strong or I lose enough weight so you can actually lift me :)
Every one of the last 14 years have been rich and fulfilling in different ways. Google Photos does a terrific job of regularly reminding me of life in simpler times. Now with you in high school, we are lucky if get to spend even a bit of time not talking about school or college related topics. But when that happens, your mother and I are acutely reminded that you have been blessed with a sharp intellect and a healthy dose of sarcasm.
As you get older, some of the things we had time to pursue have started to drop by the wayside. It is unfortunate. But I love that music is still central in your life - be it the vocal Indian classical music you passionately pursue or the classical violin that you are in the early learning stages of, or your two year long tryst with jazz on the bass guitar. Listening to music is when we talk the least but share the most.
You have also (thank goodness) started watching movies beyond what Marvel churns out. Not that Marvel movies are bad but there are better ones. I was thrilled to introduce you to Nolan’s Batman trilogy and see you get excited for it. I was bummed that you didnt enjoy Minority Report (yeah, it is a tad gross but still smart). But I'm really looking forward to all the smart movies we will get to see in the coming year. There is hope yet.
We had a terrific vacation last December in Istanbul which was a mix of history and exotic food. Both of which you loved and we will hopefully do more of before you head out to college. You are doing fine at school, even blushing occasionally with the mention of certain names. From where I see, the apple isn't falling far from the tree ;)
It is hard to think of last year without talking about your grandfather who left us 2 months ago. You shared a special bond with him and I know you will remember him through the many hundreds of stories he told you over the years. He was your biggest fan in everything you did, especially in your Carnatic music journey and I am glad he could see and hear you perform on stage last summer in the US. The amount of pride he took in your music is something that will hopefully motivate you in the coming years. He will be constantly be looking over you from wherever he is, and guide you throughout your life.
As for us, well, we miss the little you. But we appreciate who you are today and are immensely proud of the tall, funny, and enjoyably weird teenager with a few pimples and a lot more attitude.
Happy happy birthday bruh!
Appa and Amma