The Last Birthday

It was an awesome evening! The whole gang was there at his place to celebrate his birthday. His mom made a sumptuous dinner for him and his friends as she knew this birthday was really special for him. Turning 33 was perhaps the most important milestone in his life.

Dinner was quite heavy and they all were relaxing under the dark blue sky showered with numerous stars. It was as though the whole celestial beings turned up for his birthday. He was in an animated conversation with someone up there in the skies and didn’t notice his best buddy John coming over. ‘Many more happy returns of the day brother’, wished John. They shared a very special bond. Both of them knew what it was like to be brothers though from different mothers.

He looked up and their eyes met. But he didn’t thank John for his loving wish since he already knew that this day will never return. His eyes searched for his mom and saw her clearing the dishes and will soon begin to prepare the bed. Her eyes were moist with tears fighting their way out. Was it the tears of happiness of a well celebrated birthday or tears of realization that everything good needs to end one day? Did she know how close the end really was?

‘What’s wrong?’ John asked. This man was everything for him. Friend, philosopher, brother, mentor and what not. He couldn’t stand the sight of a dear one writhing in so much of mental agony especially on a day when he must be really happy!

He heard the question and looked at John. Two people whom he kept close to heart were the only ones who seem to be concerned about him today. He got up from his place and took John straight to his mom. He placed John’s hand in his mom’s palm and said to his mother, ‘Mom behold your son’! He then looked at John and said, ‘Behold your mother’!

He knew he’ll say these exact words four months later to both of them looking high up to him lying on a crucifix on top of Golgotha!