Christmas

Ok first of all, did you guys realize how many drama queens are in our

family???? And how everything is a matter of life or death? And for a

bunch of Buddhists how did we end up getting so attached to x mas?

And shami was right about people being surprised at how excited I get

about x'mas since I'm a Buddhist. And I loved the article, and I have

to print it out and save it.

I will miss you guys so much as well. When I think of x mas I think of

that first x'mas with the 7'' feet santa coming and how much time Sashane

and I spent trying to figure out who it is afterwards. And I actually

got scared of the santa when we opened Ashwini's front door. I remember

the show we were watching on tv that night,

"abma yaluwo" and the

feeling I got when the door bell rang, because come on, no one rings the

door bell at Ashwini's house, everyone just walks in the other door

which is always opened. I remember the first few x'mas's at Ashwini's

with Rehan buying us 501 fire crackers and taking us shopping to get

what ever we want, (but we only ask for a few things knowing Shanaka would

be mad at us if we got more,) with you bringing Ruvin and I gifts before

your kids; and I specially remember a box of chocolates one year (with

biscuits inside of them), and I was so excited to eat, and a doll which

peed when you gave it water, and it crawled with the butt moving side

ways, it was so cute! And I also remember driving Dilini nuts by going

through her cupboard, by climbing up on the shelves and finding the

gifts before x'mas.

And I remember the huge meal Ashwini used to make, while yelling at

everyone in her kitchen, water on the floor and tons of people helping

her out. She used to make lumprice and I had a special packet just for

me, and she would put it aside for me. it was smaller than everyone

elses. And the people, the dancing, the laughing and the food was

amazing.

I remember training the kids to sing all the carols I have learnt in

school, and trying to convince Shanaka that she had a beautiful voice and a

perfect alto, and how excited I was when tiny little Menaka learnt the

words to "a whole new world" and sang it perfect. or the feeling I had
when everyone I loved was starring mesmerized when I sang "oh holy
night" even when Ruvin was howling in the background, and I specially

loved everyone yelling at him to shut up, which was just as enjoyable.

I remember decorating our stage and hours and hours of serious

practicing that goes in to producing the perfect show. I miss the

3-wheeler shopping trips with Erasha and how exciting it was to walk

around all the stores. The first xmas when we sang was the best, in

Erasha's new house, with Rehan as the guest of honour, and we

(myself, little Gayathri and little Shanaka) went on a long journey down the

streets of nugegoda looking for the perfect flowers for the guest of

honour. I remember how responsible I felt being the ring leader and

making sure the little ones are safe on the side of the road which we

stole other peoples flowers. We spend hours creating the program and

hand writing the copies for the audience (and we didn't have fancy

things such as copy machines those days!). and the day of the concert, I
was so nervouse, and the whole world was on my shoulders. I was a 10
year old who had to make sure the little ones sing in tune and in

perfect harmony, and most importantly remembers the words and the

actions. Silver bells was the best, with Gayathri and Shanaka getting to dress

up, and Shanaka insisted on wearing her dads oversized sunglasses that hid

her little face, and even though I thought It was fashion suicide, I let

her do it. And winter wonderland too was just perfect. looking back I'm

so impressed how much confidence we all had at such a young age, and

that's whats helping us today no matter where in the world we are, and

whether its presenting in front of a board of directors in a high rise

in Chicago, being the main character that people talk about for ages in

a college play, or learning to save lives and being the top of her

batch. All three of us no matter where in the world we are, are

performing wonderfully, with the rest as the world as our mesmerized

audience!

So Nimani, unlike you, who seemed to be giving in to depression, by

expecting life to be the same every year, even though being a Buddhist

should understand the concept of impermanency, I have decided to do

something different and not getting depressed that I'm not at home. I
find myself telling everyone how much I miss my family, my aunts house
on Christmas eve and most importantly being around the little ones. And

yes Shanaka and Gayathri, you two will always be little to me. and when I dream

of you guys you are still short little scrawny kids I bossed around with

the best intentions, and love dearly. And I miss watch the little three

grow up and amazed to see them every year.

So you know why we cant come down, I don't have a month off and I have

to have time to spend with you guys. So next year we will all be there.

so I have accepted the fact that I wont be among you guys in x'mas and

now that I have my own place, and 24 ancient years old, (I thought I was

grown up at 10, so 24 is more like 42) and I wanted to have a great

x'mas for my baby sister. So these 4 days I had off, Nishantha and I spend

time going to all kinds of stores looking for x'mas decorations, and we

cooked our first thanksgiving feast. A roasted turkey, cornbread and

sausage stuffing, cheesy mashed potatoes and soft flakey bread. And we

were too scared to invite people over, but it was fantastic, two of us

shared a whole bottle of wine, and after the meal started x'mas

planning. Nishantha is having a hard time too since his x'mas has changed

with grandma being sick. And I of course have gone through it. So we

decide to buy a tree. We bought the biggest tree in the lot, 9 feet tall

and so full of pine leaves, and fit it in the back of my little sports

car and drove home, going 10 miles per hour, since the trunk was open

while people around passing at 75 miles per hour. Then we came home and

started to decorate it with lights and gorgoues ornaments, and the

stores have so many shimmer ornaments. I got our first one, which was a

frog prince, all dressed up in shimmer green tux, for Nisthantha. And there

are fairies, and santas and other fairy tale creatures.

And on x'mas eve at uncle Sam's Nishantha is in charge to begging Gayathri and I

to sing, so it wont seem too pompous, and then Gayathri and I will sing for

them, and also call you guys and try the skype.

Basically what I'm saying is that life is changing for all of us, we are

all getting older, and while some of our precious family members are

long gone, we have new additions to our circus of a family, people who

seem to be able to adapt wonderfully to our eccentric bunch. And we are

all around the world, and we will get togeather when ever its possible,

and when its not lets not waste time moping around. Time is so preciouse

and we don't really know whats lying for us in our future. So have a

wonderful x'mas and enjoy each other, people who are there. We always

dwell on the sad stuff, and never truly appreciate what we have.

And lets plan for next year to be fantastic. Also Nimani, when are

you coming here to visit us? To really see what we are up to? I expect

you to come when we buy a house next year. You make money too, and you

are in a terrible need of a vacation; why not next summer?
