Naani's Calling Aabi

Aabi...

Naani is still in Perth (your Perth) and wants to talk to you. She has many things to tell you. As always.

Your mom calls you 'TimTim', which means 'the one with sparkling eyes' like you have, and you know, your mom also had sparkling eyes... always chirping and laughing.

Pure joy, like you.

But this time, when I reached Perth, I could not recognize your mom and dad for a while. They looked different, sad, the color gone from their faces, very torn and tired, as if unrelated to everything around them.

While driving home, everything was the same, as if I hadn't been gone for a year but had never left. The same silence, the same sadness, the same emptiness that you left behind for us to continue our lives. I used to call your mom 'My Betu Strongest', but now I see that she's not the strongest for herself; she's the strongest for you and your Didi. She's neither sleeping properly nor awake properly, but putting all her energies together to keep your Didi happy and to keep you alive in everyone's hearts.

All around her, in the air, she tries to make sure that everyone keeps calling only Aabi... Aabi... Aabi. She's making every effort to help all the kids and moms through the Aabi Awards. She's crying her heart out to raise awareness about the vaccinations that you were yet to receive, my Paaru (darling).

She wants to spend your birthday only with your friends at Tall Tree Early Learning Centre because we all feel your energy there, even while passing by on the road in front of it. She's also trying hard to include your name, AABI, in the Subiaco Primary School, where you used to drop Didi in the morning and loved to roam in those corridors, planning to actually be there as a student carrying the big bag on your back, which you loved to carry every day.

You know, Aabi, despite all the pain, your Papa cleared the final exam because he wanted you to say, "Good job, Papa, you did it." In reality, "Aabi did that". Your Didi is doing her ballet so well and singing all the time, with you copying her around.

Aabi, you know it's now your turn to keep your Mumma, Papa, and Didi strong by holding their hands and hearts, moving ahead together, and I know you will do that. Every day, Naani is doing Aabi Yoga and chanting loudly...' Aabi Aabi... Krishna Krishna.'

Because they say that by chanting, you can empty your brain of all other thoughts, and reach the person whose name you chant, like God, and you get it. I want you, Aabi. I will keep chanting until then.

I miss you and love you more every moment. Every rainbow I see, every cloud, every birdie, and every butterfly reminds me only of you. Love you to the moon and stars.

Your

Naani