NaBloPoMo Day 20: You Know Your Kid is Growing When...

When you go outstation for a wedding, you know your son is growing up, when

1. He takes care of checking that all lights are off and all you have to do is lock the door..

2. You tell him the tickets for 2 people are in one compartment and for one person in another and he says, "It's ok Amma, we'll manage.."

3. He gets off when the train stops for a few minutes at some station en route instead of crying and worrying that Appa will get left behind if he gets off ..

4. He hefts two bags, one on each shoulder and leaves only a small bag for you to hold and you wonder if it was just yesterday that he was the precious baggage you lugged along..

5. He calls up the hotel reception to say "We're checking out.. will you please send someone up to take a look?"

6. He hangs around a much younger cousin who's upset and tries to cheer him up..

7. He sits around talking happily with cousins a few years older, holding his own and cracking jokes that have them in splits..

But, when he observes the game being played between the newly wed bride and groom and quips, "When I get married, and have to play this game, I will never miss catching the ball because I'm my school football team goalkeeper," you realize that he's still a kid, too...

And somewhere, the mother in you sends up a silent prayer... that when his time comes to play that particular game, there are no shots that he cannot collect or deflect...