I would say that it doesn't matter who your first love was, what matters is who did you end up with? Who is that one person at the end for whom you can leave everything behind in a heartbeat? So, you get my point right? The “last” stuff matters!

Just because I gave you an example of love in the very first line, doesn't mean this post is going to romantic.  Just bear with me, will you?

The one person whom I will love for an eternity is my father. He was a perfect man, he was a great father, a great husband, a great son, a greater patriot. Everybody I have ever met, has only good things to say about him. Though we spent a just a fraction of our lifetime together, I still got to learn a great deal from him. Most of all I learned how to love without boundaries. I learned to love my country from him. He was most definitely an exceptional being.

We used to stay in Almora, Uttarakhad. The most beautiful city in my eyes, a city where I spent the most beautiful and horrific days of my life. It was January 2007, it snowed heavily, it was scary and beautiful all at once. In that scary weather, my father wore his uniform, wrapped around the warmest jacket and was going to his battalion. my mother didn't interrupt him, but I did. I was just 7 years back then and figured out that it's definitely dangerous out there. I realized, almost every other officer in our quarter skipped office, and my father was completely adamant on going office that day. When I demanded why? He said, “Duty calls, even if a storm hits here, I must go, they need me”. Funny, how his duty always called, I thought. He told me the importance of one's work, that you must never rely on anyone but yourself.  

Days passed, our happy family time never ended. Now that I am writing about it, I think ours was the only happy family. I think that I am just assuming that, because it didn't end well for any of us.

It was near September end, when my papa dropped that huge bomb on us. Raghunath Uncle was supposed to visit certain villages in the upper hills along with Tripathi Uncle and Jaswinder Uncle, places that were so utterly dangerous that he backed out, however Tripathi Uncle and Jaswinder Uncle didn't. It was very important for those people in the villages to get certain medications and proper medical attention, because they didn't have any. But, everybody seemed to back out because of the dangers of the upper hills. That's when my papa pitched in. When my mother came to know about it, she called it stupidity. You can call it stupidity or sense of duty, I give the choice in your hands.

It was September 29th when he was supposed to leave home and attend his duties, because “duty calls”. I remember I cried that day, I made up some lie that my knees hurt, and I need papa to help me. That did not stop him and it was no surprise to the 7 year old Ananya. 

Everyday papa used to call us. He used to give us updates on what he did for the entire day, and similarly I used to give him updates on my day. He was supposed to visit 3 villages and help them with medical attention. Little backstory, he was the best doctor in town. It was 2nd October and I learned to make tea that day, I called him instantly, told him that and he said that he would skip tea that day and the next cup of tea he has will be made by me. That did give immense joy to 7year old Ananya. 

He did keep his word, he did not drink tea that morning. He went ahead on his journey to the last village. 

I was waiting at home, thinking that it's just a matter of 2 days and my papa will return and that I will welcome him with a cup of tea. 

On 2nd of October, at the evening, we heard a news of a major jeep accident on the hills. Something gave the intuition to my mother that it might have been papa on that jeep. Thing suddenly changed, we were given the news that it was indeed papa on that jeep. 

Papa arrived a day early on 3rd of October, but in a box wrapped with the Indian flag. He was no more, and our life changed, Maa changed. 

I cried a lot, the 7 year old Ananya lost the one whom she loved the most. 

I blamed SSB, for allowing my father to go. 

I blamed my papa for having a sense of duty.

There is one thing that I realize today, my father died a HERO! He had the chance to die doing what he loved the most, serving his country, helping people. He had the chance to have the death that every army man desires. HE DIED LIKE A HERO! and I am a proud daughter. 

The only regret that I have is that his last cup of tea wasn't the one I made.