Across the distance of decades, we view our parents differently. My father bought us story books every month. He had bought books for us even before I could read.Shakespeare, classics, fairy tales. Our home was full of books.Though we were middle class people, we subscribed to 3 children's magazines and 2 magazines for grownups. He read us bedtime stories. He made me read the newspapers from a very early age. He pushed me to study well and rewarded me with books every time I got good marks in a subject.When I was in 2nd Std, he would give me translation assignments from Hindi to English in summer hols. I love translating now! He was an artist and he encouraged me to paint. He gave me the love for words and a childhood hugely enriched by literature and appreciation for art. And as a young girl, I never knew whether I was pretty or ugly, fair or dark because it was never mentioned. It was never considered important by my father. I never learnt to evaluate myself on looks alone. And I can see now that this was an unusual upbringing for a girl in this part of the world. And that I have been fortunate in many ways.
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