• Thank you Ma

I recently saw a fake interview over youtube. The interview was online over web-cam and recorded.

The position for was for a very responsible post; the job description told lots of work, may have to work standing most of the time; involves training, lots of responsibility, may be to such an extent that no leaves would be granted even if pre-notified, sometimes may have to work 24/7, not much personal time, blab... blab... blab... and so on. All the interviewees made faces, though desperate for the job [as it was the time of recession that this interview as taking place], this offer was not the one best opted for. And finally for the most awaited part --- the salary negotiation. The interviewer said '...may be would have to work for nothing'. Yes, I repeat absolutely nothing ! There was a big 'Naape' sigh from his audience. He continued, 'In-fact there were people working at this position'. All were curious as I too was to know how was that super human.

It is your MOTHER came the response. Yes, how true, every one had to agree. No doubt about it, it was the position that a mother takes willingly, nursing the little one day-and-night, changing nappies, feeding, training, teaching, counselling, the list goes end-less.

I am the second child in the family of three daughters. A kind of... . Not older to be assigned any responsibility nor the youngest to always be pampered. Amma didn't really know what she was doing raising a troublesome child like me, so there were a few rough moments when I was kid, moments that still hurt a little even now. But she has made up for those moments a billion trillion times over. She's the best mom in the universe...I may at times have given her a hard time and created problems for her, as I respected working mothers a lot (like my aunties), but having my mother at home has been such an incredible blessing I realised when I myself came to be a working mother.

She's so humble, so hard-working. She gets up when it's still dark out to make sure everything is ready for the day. She puts us ahead of her own wants. She cooks not one (as I do now), but three different meals a day plus how can I forget the home-made hot and healthy snack, which she constantly update to the new and latest item. She cleans and does laundry regularly for a family that doesn't actually recognise her near enough. Sometimes old fashioned though it is, but constantly updating herself to match the thinking of the new generation. Some women might not like that description, it even irks me a little bit; the somewhat servant-like, submissive typical housewife. But mother lives her life by the Gita, and she is always delighted to hear that she is living up to its standards, so I try to let her know that she is whenever possible. I try to tell her how much I do appreciate everything she does, but I should still say it more often. So here, I declare it to the world!

Without any hesitation and without an iota of second thought, she nursed me, in my most critical time of my life. May be I would have died, it was a medical emergency and I made up my mind...was almost prepared to face death, or may be so...do not have worlds how to explain. But that moment I wanted to live and prove that her prayer were heard. Come back to life and thank her for the life she gave me. As i was undergoing 'c'-section to delivery my first child, the operating doctor teasing said: “Moments ago I saw a baby being fed my her mother, out there. Now, that baby herself has a little one”. However old one is, he/she is always a little kid to his/her mother. May be it was from this day that I unconscious starting called her Ma instead of Mummy, as I used to call her earlier. It brought me more closer to her.  I was now able to see though her eye. It had only love, nothing else for me. In return, I try to do the same, though I know I often fail. May be because of the busy lifestyle. Now that's a different story altogether.

Recently she gave me another chance to realise how much she means to me. It was the annual car festival that we usually make it up since the time I remember. This time father did not accompany her. Still we [mother, my family, and  my sister's family] planned to meet at a common place and continue from there on. All went well until the climax: she was lost in the crowd. She did not carry her mobile phone for fear of losing it. The public announcement system was not functioning. The 15—30 min of search was horrible. I just do not want to go though it again. Without waiting for any instructions from anyone, I ran hither-tither screaming until I finally found her. Tears rolled down my cheek. Like a mother who tries to discipline her children, I began shouting at her for going missing. (How stupid of me! She was the one who taught me to walk and keep track). All is well that ends well. Another lesson for the day: Parents as they grow old, become/act more like kids. Now it is our turn to show love and camaraderie towards them.

---Dedicated to all Mothers who truly deserve the salutations of the entire human world today.