Climbing my Mount Everest

Extending my physical capabilities was never a fundamental need for me. Through my childhood and teens I was content with my ability to marginally engage in physical activities. I knew it wasn't due to any limitation but my will to participate. But I have since continued in this mild association with workouts and physical challenges.

Yet I knew this was not a trait to pass along the family line and I hoped Eka would be better. Boy, was I in for a surprise.

A year or so back we were out on a weekend at South Bank for one of the cultural evenings. This meant festive ambiance for us and rides and treats for Eka. Amid other things, Eka wanted to try his hands on rock climbing. Well why not? Eka was thrilled to get his hands and feed on the little nooks and grooves and climb all the way to the top. Despite fear, Neerja and I kept looking at him in awe. He was doing what I could only dream of.

This experience with measured doses of videos on Parkour fuelled Eka's interest in climbing and jumping. I constantly encourage him to overcome his fear of jumping from heights and he has been improving in spot jumps and hurdles, descending jumps, and long jumps. 

One evening we were at Currumbin Beach where perched on the beach stands a rock formation that is perfect to climb. 

The moment Eka laid his eyes on it he wanted to scale it. Doubt and apprehension crept all over the parental protective response system. It could simply have been a negative and that would have been the end, albeit a whiny one.

But to forge Eka's confidence, as parents we had to set ourselves up for the challenge too. With baby steps we moved closer to the gigantic rock (it did feel so for what we were attempting) and convinced ourselves this is good for him.

As we reached the rock Eka broke off from the protective security detail of his Ma and Pa and ran towards his Everest. 

At first he contented himself by climbing close to the ground, trying to gauge himself. 

As he became surefooted the altitude rose. Within a few minutes he was at the summit looking down at us and beaming like the sun shining from a mountain top. Oh what bliss. And now he had to come down... Oh fish!

Constant pandering on being careful, watching where to place feet, looking around for best nooks and crannies, and a couple of minutes later Eka was back on mother earth. 

Relief, joy, awe, pride, adoration, and other such emotions followed.

Since then, rock climbing has been a constant companion in our weekend outings. It helps both father and son overcome our fears. While he climbs I see the world from his eyes.

Father' Day 2014

I am usually extremely composed and controlled, rarely emotive in person. In many ways it is my undoing in personal relationships. But my relationship with my son gets the better of me in most instances such as this one...

The run up to Father's Day (the ANZ one and not the globally celebrated one) was filled with preparation at home. My wife (Neerja) signed up to help the school with gifting solutions for the event while my son (Eka) had things up his sleeve.

A week prior to the big day Eka started probing me on what I wanted for Father's Day. Being the mature and diplomatic dad, I didn't want to dash his hopes asking for something that wasn't available yet not wanting him feeling dejected. I opted for some pristine behaviour on his part and any token that he felt fitted the day.

Midway through the week Neerja started reassuring me it wasn't a coffee mug or a tie (thank the stars). I wasn't overtly concerned. Whatever it was, I would accept it with grace and enjoy it as a gift from my son. To be honest, I expected a bag of lollies that I would sample and he would savour, knowing him.

The school week ended and there was a stillness in the air. Though the big event was around the corner, nothing was spoken of and nothing was heard. It was turning into quite a hush-hush affair. I didn't probe into the intricacies of the day and neither did mother or son let me know what's happening.

Then came Saturday and it started fairly ordinarily. I was first to wake up followed by Eka. We worked on some pending father-son activities that were due over the weekend. This was followed by a father-son breakfast.

(Note: in interest of self preservation I am not venturing into what Neerja was up to all this while. Folks guess for yourselves).

As the day progressed the little one could not hold his excitement. He jumped up and said he had to show me something. I was made to close my eyes while he dashed into his room to get the surprise. He darted back and asked me to open my eyes. A moustache shaped hand-made card. Perfectly shaped, with a Tartan drape on one side and lots of love on the other. The inside was a drawing of Eka on my shoulders. I was impressed.

Once the flood gates opened, other surprises continued to rush in. The card was followed by a laminated posted for my work table. Themed why sons love dads, mine was a testimony to my bicycle fixing skills.

The next in line was my Father's Day gift # 1. Eka had worked this out to a perfect fit. He bought me a planter with Peruvian Aji Limon Chillies to grow knowing my fondness for the feisty and fiery spice. This was making the day fabulous.

Then came the plus one gift (or Father's Day Gift # 2). A Lego motif penstand. By now I was entranced by Eka's thoughtfulness and foresight into my preferences and reactions. The yellow pot with a smiling face was going to be a beautiful addition to my workspace.

Eka topped this with a father-son Star Wars joke gifting me the Darth Vader dangler. 'Luke, I am your father' immortalised into a Vader mask with a love-heart!

I was overjoyed about the entire plan and execution that Eka had put together for this special day. And then he blew my mind off.

Eka (and his class fellows) had been memorising a special Father's Day song that he sang in earnest to me, looking me straight in the eyes and forcing an imaginary tear down my cheeks. 

I was wrought with emotion and this was a first. I was in ecstatic and worried at the same moment. The confusion was around my inability to control my expressions but the joy was beyond bearing.

What a day. I could hold him in a big bear hug but I feared if my feelings converted into force, it would hurt Eka unintentionally. 

And so, a light hug, some hand slaps and smiles later, we laughed about the fact that Father's Day as the next day and I needed to be equally surprised the next day when the plan was re-executed.

I promised!