My First Blog couldn't have been something else...!!!

Jan 01st 2004, on one of the cold winter days in Delhi, I got my first compliment from her, and that was, “my room is very cozy and comfortable”, that was the first time I met her through a common friend whom she had come to visit.

Unaware of what the future had to bring, this meeting turned into a close friendship as the time passed. A relation which told us, where to look for, whenever we needed a friend. A friendship where we shared a lot, our past, our families, our then-sorrows and joyful memories, and most importantly… our Dreams!!!

This was the time, when we realized that most of the things, our future plans, our Dreams were same, although not our families, mine Christian and hers… a Muslim!

February 17th 2005, my cell phone beeps signaling a message and the message read, “Will you accept me as your wife???”

The answer was obvious.

Since then, we have faced each moment of sadness and every moment of happiness… together!!!

May 22nd 2006, we got engaged and the two different religion, two different culture and two different families came together to start planning for the Wedding.

Amidst all this, since the time my cell phone showed me the message, she kept asking me “If I will ever propose her formally?’ and I could hear the sweet warning behind the question, “you better propose me in a nice way or…!”

Known for my creativity and style, I started looking for the ideas to propose this girl.

From the first week of April 2008, I started thinking of something special to gift her on her birthday – April 17th 2008.

On April 7th 2008, I saw an article on Paragliding in Pune Mirror talking about the Joy rides offered by templepilots.com, and finally, I knew what her birthday gift will be. And since this was the first time we were getting involved in Paragliding, I had a lot of questions right from her safety to the fun she would have during the ride. Preeti of templepilots.com had a lot of patience, and very sweetly answered all my questions. During all this, my creative cells popped up with another idea, and I again called Preeti, to ask her, “if I hold a banner down, will she be able to see while she is up in the air?” and very promptly, Preeti answered, “well, if not from up high, she can see it while coming down.” Simple it was. And I knew the next thing I am going to do… I got a banner made and started looking for a camera or a camcorder to capture one of the most important moments of my life.

While I was busy preparing for everything, I got up one fine morning to cross off April 17th 2008 on my calendar. She, her brother and I got in the Cab and left for Kamshet, she was unaware of the surprises that were planned ahead. All she knew that it’s some surprise somewhere that she was going for. I managed to get a cyber-shot from another friend of mine, Arpita!

Preeti was out of town, but she made sure that Anita was keeping a check on the entire plan. And Anita was too good with her job, she even got angry when we were late. But then she made sure that Tanaji, known as T. J., is ready with his crew for the next adventure.

We reached there half an hour late, and T. J. was there to welcome us, aware of the fact, that the birthday girl is unaware of the surprise. But the back-packs and the packed gliders announced loudly and she knew, she was there for the Paragliding.

After a tiring walk; we reached the spot from where we were supposed to witness the event, but the walk was over only for me and her brother, she had a tougher task, to climb the steep hill from where she had to take off. Innocently unaware of the waiting banner, she started climbing the steep hill. Giving –up midway, T.J. took the job of helping her, motivating her and leading her to the top of the hill. And the time was there for her to fly. T.J. assigned this task to Pankaj, one of his pilots, instructing him of everything that was planned!

And here she goes up… walking in the air… and we were witnessing this experience from the ground, with the other members of the crew pointing us to the glider she was in!

We could hear the excitement and fun she was experiencing in the sky. She was enjoying the sky and the wind and her Birthday Gift.

We were waiting down; satisfied with the present I gave her. Then the pilot Pankaj, signaled us of their landing, and me and her brother, ran to the spot and flashed open the banner. And the banner shouted,

“Happy Birthday… Love!!!    Will You Marry Me…?”

  

Holding the banner in my hand, so that she can read it, I was thinking if I have answered her question, her question which she had asked several times, “Will I ever propose her formally?’’

And then, when they were landing, I heard Bushra screaming, “You are crazy…!!!” and I knew I did it… I did it well!

And yes, “The answer was obvious”.