Small Things That Matter

Everybody says that you have to be different from the rest if you wish to have success in life. Although it does make sense on certain level, I’ve always found it to be a crappy philosophy. I know I may sound silly and flighty but I have my own reasons. Not everyone wants to be extraordinary. Not everyone wants to be in the rat race. And finally, not everyone has the same definition of success.


When it comes to success, for some it’s all about money, for some it’s all about power, and for some it’s just being able to do what they want to. Fortunately or unfortunately, I fall in the last category. Although I need to make a living as I ain’t a trust-fund baby, I do try to do things my own way. Most of the times I don’t care how others perceive me but I do care what my family thinks about the things I do. I don’t care if the society frowns upon my choices but I’d be definitely hurt if my family does. Mind you, family doesn’t include far off relatives!

Though my family loves me, I’ve always been beyond their comprehension – leading to stupid arguments. More so with my brother, who’s less than couple of years younger to me. As I’m sure all sisters know, brothers are plain irritating. And that level of irritation gets exacerbated when the siblings are as different as night and day.

The same is the case with my brother and I. He loves watching cricket, I love watching cooking competitions (even though I don’t cook that regularly). He loves mindless comedies, I love serious movies. He loves going on drives, I love reading books. In short, my choices have always baffled him and vice versa.

I still remember one incidence when my cousin from the USA had sent us Lord of the Rings book series. At the time, Harry Potter movie series had already debuted in India but not Lord of the Rings. Still, my brother was fascinated by the concept. So the first thing he did was to tell me that he will take the first go at the reading. Believe me, that was THE surprise of my life. I mean, my brother? And reading? Pinch me. I’m sleeping. Skeptically, I agreed, and boy, was I right! Exactly after 10 minutes he came back to give me the books and asked me to tell him the story once I’m done reading!!! I laughed so hard that I fell down from the bed I was sitting on.

Now, can you imagine my brother knowing which books I want to read? No, right? But for a change I was wrong. Couple of years back, I was saving money to buy Mitch Albom series and he knew that. My birthday came and bang! There I got the books I wanted to buy! And that too from my brother who doesn’t know a single thing about reading! I think that has been the only moment in my life when I have cried while getting a gift. Of course, here the books weren’t the thing that gave me happiness but it was the sweet gesture of a brother to remember something that’s totally outside his realm.

Even though I have moved houses since then, still those books stand proudly in my personal library. I do tend to donate or sell books after they get old due to lack of space, I don’t think I will ever let these books go. That’s the only gift from my brother that still puts a smile on my face, and ignites a spark of happiness in my soul, even after years. (Ssshhhhh………don’t tell him that I don’t appreciate his other girly gifts!)