So there is a grand Mothers Day around the world and
the world- wide web is flushed with happy moms and happy kids not to mention
the avalanche of flowers and goodie messages.
But for me, from that earth-shattering moment of ‘you
are pregnant’, it’s been a journey of bonding or gratitude towards my own
mother.
Yes, she is the classic ‘worry all the time Indian
mother’ – she worried about my school grades, she worried about my safety
amongst the ‘boys’ of the class, she worried about my health through my hostel
days, she worried about my safety on solitary bus, train and air rides…and she
continues to worry and harry me ..my travels, my diet, my work, my habits. And
to add to that long list of things that can go wrong, she has now added my two
year old daughter straight to the top of that ‘worry list’!
But she never harried me with my fundamental choices…my
choices of education, career, marriage and motherhood were truly my choices.
She never once infringed into my personal realm of style, clothing, interests,
passions, relationship and freedom. Her beliefs and choices were instilled and
cherished by me but those were never forced into my character.
But she could transform herself into a mentor, a
powerhouse of strength when it mattered..No matter how bad the day went, you
knew that you could go back to her …and that little ‘cotton saree’ space on her
lap is probably the most relaxing de-stressing experience in the world…you know
that the all the world’s evils and all the world’s problems might just find a
solution through that little space..
And I have run into that little wonder space with my
teenage woes, my school tantrums, my career failures, my matrimonial confusions
and finally now with my maternal dilemmas. And miraculously a few magic strokes
through my hair and a few words of peace and therapy is all it takes for these
life mess-ups to iron themselves out.
Probably I know deep down that my own motherhood can
never ever match to that selfless eternal motherhood that she embodies. I am
not the ‘worry all the time’ mother …at work I am just another employee…at
shopping sprees I am just another shopaholic…at hangouts I am just another girl
who wants to have fun..at a movie I am just another movie buff… But I guess I
would be satisfied if I can simply layer my daughter with a few good values
given to me by mother and empower her with the immense freedom that I enjoyed.
