Fluffy Squirrel

Hi Aaliyah,

Its a week since you graduated. . . from prenursery :) Thanks to your school they put up a wonderful show. You happened to act in a play, which was an adaption of the famous fairy tale, Cinderella and you played the fluffy squirrel. You were disappointed playing it, as you wanted to play the Cinderella because you loved the Gown she would get to wear. All through the week before the play you kept saying to me that you want to be the 'NOT SQUIRREL' :)

I called up your teacher to ask if any change is possible. Maybe the role of a step sister or so, who also wore a gown in the play, but no luck. Then I decided to make best of the situation and tried to tell great things about a squirrel and make believe stories about how great a squirrel is and you couldn't just care.

In all this, we have forgotten the pivotal character 'Your Dad' who was on YOUR side and said, lets just change school. No, No , its not because he did not like this one. Yes, it was to get admission into any other school who would let you graduate from their school a week after you take admission and let you play a character who wears a flowing gown and so it would make you happy. He even wanted to bunk the grad ceremony and not send you, which I did not let happen.

I took a day off from work, and took you costume shopping and you hated me more when I was trying it out on you. Your droopy shoulder, pink tip of the nose, lower lip turned inside out and the eyes full of tears which had not yet flown to the cheek, said it all. It was heart breaking for me. But I did not know how to make you feel better. Icecreams, choclates, pizza, nothing felt good.

On the day of the graduation, your dad was the saddest and both of you were not believing 'The world best squirrel' story I told you while we drove. Then the play started and you did all that you were supposed to do very very well. There was a scene when only cinderella was on stage and you were backstage. You came to the side of the stage and stood there and were looking at Cinderella, longingly. It shred your Dad's heart. If you see the video he was shooting, the focus had shifted to zooming into you and trying to see if you were crying. Only I know how difficult it was to keep him seated for the rest of the event. Every 10 secs he was shifting in his seat uncomfortably. After the event, he quickly picked you and walked away. We went to celebrate at Pizza hut and got home and snoozed. On the way I asked him what was the moment in the day and he said, Aaliyah was standing on the side and feeling sad.


When we woke in the evening, he made you wear a beautiful gown and started re-creating the play and you were super enthu. I was asked to play the guest appearance of the cruel step mother, which is a choice your dad made with a smile. All other characters were played by your dad. The step brother, father, step sister, father, squirrel, prince, fairy God mother, soldiers everyone. You were mighty mighty thrilled and so was your dad. You both danced and danced and danced all through the evening as I sat and soaked in every moment of it, making a mental note of all the sweet somethings.

I dont know if what your dad did was the right thing or not. But I want you to learn this from your dad. I want you to learn from your dad how to love a daughter, feel for her, feel all that she feels, be a part of her disappointment and hold her all through, making sure she feels better and on top of the world, make every change possible. Love you Aaliyah and Congratulations on the graduation :)