Hey Mom! You are my best friend, maybe I’ve never told you so or maybe I have. Doesn’t matter … You are!
In this unpredictable world, you’ve been the one constant in my life. You have been a person whom I can take for granted. But deep down my heart I know that you are my most valuable possession and I’m yours. Now I’m a grandmother, but to you I will always be the same little girl you were always so protective about. I can still throw tantrums and you will humour me. I am what I am because of you. My mind, body and spirit bear an indelible impression of you. I am happy to be your reflection. And as I sit today, reflecting over the beautiful relationship we’ve had, some enduring images flash past me. No tribute to you is ever complete, but I will still try.
The master-chef!
A strong aroma has enveloped the house. With a smile on her face and song on her lips, she is lovingly preparing her daughter’s (that’s me) favourite dish – fish curry. The awfully hot weather and the burning kitchen are no match to her spirits.
An indefatigable teacher – you are my first Guru
The woman is teaching her daughter, getting her ready for the school test the next day. She has asked all of hundred questions several times over. The daughter (me!) puts up a stellar performane, not surprising! And it has always been the case in all her tests – academic, professional, social or personal. The woman has guided and seen to it that her daughter comes out with flying colours.
My protector, Bagheera!
The little girl is a teenager now. The school bus stop is a little away from home. A young boy has been stalking her (frightened me). Come rain or shine, her mother makes sure she accompanies her daughter to the bus stop and brings her back from there every day … Neutralising any threat – physical or emotional – that dares come her daughter’s way.
A woman ahead of her times, inspired me to ‘Boldly go where my dreams are’
Age has started showing signs on her, but the inner strength amplifies her aura. The woman has braved many difficult times with fortitude and grit. The same values she has transferred to her daughter (me), who is a good student and the time has come for her to leave the mother’s nest to pursue higher studies and make her own mark in this world. The woman travels far away from home with her daughter, as she is competing for the India’s most prestigious engineering colleges.
“A girl, an engineer?,” they said.
“Well, why not!,”the woman replied.
A bedrock of strength and you have softened all my hard landings!
The woman’s subtle support has helped the teenaged girl enlist in the best engineering institution in the country – IIT Roorkee. She makes sure that her ‘Precious’ (me) realises her full potential. She is always by her daughter’s side. At college, whenever the girl feels homesick, the woman would travel several hours to be with the daughter to comfort her.
My Man Friday and Big mommy to all!
To enable her daughter, now married and a new mother, to go to the US for higher studies, the woman decides to take care of the infant child. She does it with even more love and sensitivity and of course in style! As soon her daughter completes her post-graduation, and is ready to take care of her child (my daughter) again, the woman stays with the child during the transition period, at her son-in-law’s family and travels all the way to hand over the child to her mother (me again!).
Now I’m a granny and mommy dear is great granny and we are having a ball!
A shoulder to cry on, a companion, best friends, sisters to each other, these two women are today. Both have streaks of white hair and age on their very handsome persons, but their spirits are high. They joke, they laugh, they cry, they rejoice (recently the addition of my grandson to the family has been a reason for great joy to mother and me), they interact and engage in intellectual duels as friends do. The woman and her daughter share many common interests like reading. The woman, a voracious reader, suggests readings to her daughter. Both glow and are resplendent in each other’s company and time … well, it is passing and both are having the time of their life!
(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)