You are sixteen going on seventeen

Let me have a look at my crystal ball, wait I don’t even need to! It is all so clear, right in front of my eyes, absolutely crystal clear. I have never felt so sure about anyone’s future like I do about yours. What do I see? I see many things but they come like a flash and then they are gone. Seem to be like highlights of your life. Yes, yes don’t worry, I see a man, looks fairly handsome to me but do you have to sound that desperate? I will come to that but let me start so here we go:

While you enjoy sleeping and breaking your own records of getting up late, go a bit easy on how you are not a morning person and all that. I see you up and about by 6 in the morning, dunking idlis in chutney and gobbling down white noodly stuff called ‘Iddiappam’ for breakfast, and heading to work by 8! I know it is hard to imagine but it is definitely you.

However impossible it seems Ma and you will reach an equilibrium, you will appreciate her a lot more with time. Please don’t sweat over the fact that your family is not picture perfect like you see in hindi movies. One of the relations will give you a taste of how it might be in other families, a learning experience of a lifetime.

Remember starting basketball in class eighth? Why don’t you start practicing again? One of the biggest decisions in life may depend on your interest and skills in BB.

Try to be a bit regular with studies, will help you in the long run. The bad news is that you will be punished rather severely for not paying enough attention during the UG years as you will be made to repeat some of those courses semester after semester, year after year. The good news is that the courses are the interesting ones and you will not be taking exams but giving them.

Enjoy the female companionship, future will have largely male dominated environment at work place as well as at home.

You are about to see this man, short and stocky with a mop of curly hair. You will love the way he drives through covers but your favourite shot will remain his straight drive. Things don’t really work out for you as SRT had his eyes set on his childhood sweetheart.

But don’t despair there will be another sporting hero, a little less of a global phenomenon but definitely more accessible as you will at least meet him in real life. Your up turned stubby nose and bushy eyebrows notwithstanding he will make passes at you. Catch them and convert them. Try not to get too distracted and at least once in a while do some studying…….what the heck, enjoy your romance.

I see a little child, oh boy, what a boy! Looks a lot like you, yes he does, wait don’t get that happy, behaves like you too! Very loud, stubborn, control freak, doesn’t listen to parents, not at all and what a temper! You must be on drugs to look so happy with all that madness around you. No daughter in sight though, you look too determined not to have any more issues of any kind.

Sorry I need to wrap up now, I can see you nearing 35, rather happy with life, the biggest worry at the moment is whether to colour your greying hair or not, teethwise: one root canal and one tooth has gone missing. You are married to a prof (don’t ask what happened to the sporting hero), for old time sake you go to courts once in a while, the prof notices the wistful look in your eyes whenever you go there but is pretty okay about it.

No more, no more, I can’t divulge anymore. I shouldn’t be a spoilsport. My dear sixteen year old self, live life the way you want and if it is any assurance you turned out just fine.