MOTHER'S DAY

May 12, 2013 - Today is Mother's day. Happy Mother's day to all the moms all over the world. I got up early this morning not to forget to do what I have been doing for years for the mother of the house, i.e. my wife. She is the mother of our two lovely daughters who left the nest many years ago. One of them is a relatively new mother herself. So, before my wife woke up, I cut some pretty flowers from our yard, fixed some simple breakfast, a simple gift and a card – all set on the table. She was happy, but I wasn’t sure if she was surprised as I have been doing this for years. I gave her a hug and we had breakfast. After that I went for a long run thinking about my own mother. People say that she was my grandmother. I could care less. She was the only mother I ever knew and no one else can take her place. Come to think about it, I did not do anything for my mother (we used too call her Aai). We were selfishly thinking about ourselves, our needs, our heartache. My mother used to get up at the crack of dawn. She would take a shower with cold water from a bucket, summer or bone chilling winter. There was no hot or cold running water. After shower she would prepare tea and snack for the whole family. After she was through with breakfast and cleaning, it would be time to start cooking lunch, then afternoon snack, and then it would be time to prepare dinner. There was no stove – gas or electric. She used firewood. At times they were wet. It smoldered and smoked with no flames. It took longer to cook. Her eyes would water from smoke, but she never complained. Summertime, between lunch and afternoon snack, if she found a little time she would lay down to rest on the verandah where there might be a cool breeze coming from the direction of that mighty river flowing close by. She cooked and cleaned. She washed dishes and mopped floors. She washed children’s clothes and hung them from a string to dry in the sun. I do not know if she ever got any rest. When we were growing up, we never celebrated birthdays or anniversaries. I really never knew her birthday. There was no mother’s day or Valentine’s Day or anything like that. We never even said ‘I love you’ to her. Finally I too moved long, long way from my mother’s old house to a place called America. Cancer had almost devoured my mother from inside out. Her memory was a blur. She finally passed away almost 40 years ago and I wasn’t there. I suppose she decided to join her old man. Mother went away toiling like a slave for us. I hope she is having plenty of rest in heaven. We did not really do anything for her. I do not believe she ever expected anything from us. All she wanted from us was to be compassionate, responsible human beings. I do not know if we measure up to such standards. “Mother, I just wanted you to know that I love you. I hope you will excuse us for not remembering to say that when you were with us. You have been the greatest mother on earth. I do not have a mother anymore. But I just remembered you on this day and wanted to wish you “A Happy Mother’s Day”. They do not deliver mail to heaven. But I hope you can hear what my heart is saying. Love you, mother.”