x'mas gift

this was during the last christmas season.
being an avid plant lover, i pick up my favourite plants from my local nursery quite often, and, last year i saw this bright red poinsettia smiling at me. the call was irresistible and i picked up two saplings.
to me buying those plants was the summation of a childhood fantasy about christmas when santa claus was alien to our home, when we didn't have a x'mas tree and when red poinsettias sprinkled with gold dust on greeting cards was the sole reminder of the season of cheer and good will.

and last year, as december gave way to january and then the month of march blew in with a scorching summer, the red leaves of my poinsettia plant turned green and it was relegated to a shady corner. the months sped by, other plants came in josling for space on my terrace.

the year had flown and it was again that time of the year, so fast, so soon: it was december. this year at home, we went the whole hog about the festive season: in a matter of two hours, a five feet tall christmas tree with winking lights, baubles was put up in a corner of the living room. there was a rush to get gifts for family, friends. there was a frantic search on the internet for a quick- soak fruit cake. the next day whizzed past with the baking as our nostrils were assailed with the aroma of the spices in the cake mix.

i hadn't realised it but the only missing item in that x'mas scene was a bright red poinsettia plant. suddenly i remembered and my mind rushed ahead as my feet scurried to the terrace. joy exploded in my veins as i turned to search for my neglected plant and i saw this beautful, perfect, red - centred leaves of my poinsettia plant smiling once again at me. to me it felt like a whole year hadn't sped by. the joy of friends dropping in, the joy of receiving gifts - nothing was as perfect as the beauty of that unexpected smile!
that moment was so precious, so like life: how we wait and dream for so much and how life passes us by as we wait to live those thoughts and dreams.i thought to myself that i had to make a conscious decision to be living than be just alive every day! ( i still have no answer as to why i could not have got these plants earlier.)