Yet another of us falls victim to that institution of mythical bliss – marriage. My brother will be exchanging rings and toasting champagne with his future wife at a beautiful park in San Francisco city while I am miles away in gloomy Pune halfway across the world. Such is Life…

It had to happen one day of course. Though we were kind of losing hope… But today I am so deliriously happy that my husband had to remind me that I had forgotten his coffee. Twice. And the quest for marital bliss (!) kills romance once again. Hehe.
My previous post eulogising my brother (yeah there was another, can you believe it) was when he was about to begin his career. Getting hitched to a job is one thing, but getting hitched to another person, presumably for life, definitely deserves to be recorded for posterity in the annals of the digital world and so, here I go again.

When Kanna came along, I was already 6 and a half years old and though I can’t remember how exactly I felt, all my memories of the period point to my viewing him as my plaything. All the motherly feelings that were buried in my 6 yr old heart came to the fore when this cute little chubby bundle came along- and boy was he cute then. I know its difficult to believe now.
So we went through all the regular phases…from Caring Elder Sister in love with cute Baby Brother to Cool Elder Sister being followed by a Pain-in-the-Ass Brother, to Selfless Elder Sister having to give things up in favour of Snivelling Little Brother, to ribbing and squabbling partners to… now sharing an easy friendship…
We have shared Hardy Boys & Harry Potter and a mutual love for books. Pontificated about Sauron and LOTR (where I was woefully inadequate) and gone on flights of fantasy. Fought for window seats on the train and first reading rights to a new book. Played endless games. Teased amma. Argued with appa…

I have listened to him rattle off the bus numbers on all the routes in Chennai & subsequently Bombay. Watched bemused as he gorged on Scooby Doo & Scooby Snacks. Ribbed him as he went through a super massive eating phase. Ribbed him endlessly. Watched him master kite flying with a Lappet! Been secretly proud of him as he worked harder and scored better than I ever could. Been amused, annoyed and amazed by his passion for stamps, coins, capitals, Eminem, Rock music, vada pav and samosas (The guy made an app to find Samosas for Gods sake!). Acknowledged his somewhat dubious superior prowess with technology. Watched him grow wings away from the protective cocoon of his family. Tried things he never did before. Felt a pang of jealously when he started running and cycling and no way, gymming! And laughed and fought and loved him through it all. All that history has somehow managed to keep us connected , and I still shudder to think what if all my teasing over the years had turned him away from me – because underneath all that crap I loved him a lot and I still do ( Don’t gag)

But then, today isn’t about the past is it? Today we savour the present moment, and eagerly await the future. He has now grown up to be smart and mature, and responsible and kind, ready to explore and experiment and take chances. He has become his own man, a man that I am proud to call my brother (though this paean on the web might be the only place I shall admit it) Yet he manages to remain the adorable goofball he has always been.

My father used to say, when my brother was only 2 or 3, that somewhere in the world, a little girl exists who will one day decide to partner him, and how he can’t wait to meet her! Well dad, your wait is now over.

Today they are getting engaged. And as they stand poised on the edge of the precipice to take this leap of faith together, all I can do from continents away is to blog my love, my happiness and my best wishes for them and yell

Jump guys Jump! but remember to hold hands!!!