Letter from a Grateful Child to her Super Mom

To the one who loves me the most with all my faults!

You don’t truly register the value of having a mother until you’re picked up and dropped onto land which is far away from hers. Then you become grateful, more than ever! A long-distance relationship with our parents, in fact, teaches us so much. But most of all, it helps us introspecting how lucky we’re to have them and to be loved by them. And that no matter how farther we go away from home, their love for us is only going to get stronger and deeper. If there’s any unconditional love, it’s from them.

I am no exception to this circle. I had been staying with my angel for closer to thirty years but it was only on her this birthday when I am not there by her side, did I realise that living with her was nothing sort of a luxury which I am devoid of now. I am sorry Mom I didn’t say all of this to you before. But living outside your protective bubble has definitely hit hard. So I thought of giving you the gift of words today. It might as well, also suffice your constant rant on me never writing anything about you. I will also tell you why I never wrote anything for you before. Because I didn’t believe I have the right words to explain what an emotion you are to me. I perhaps still don’t have but I am going to try today.

So, we go years back when I remember being a witness to your tireless pursuit of managing both home and office. I also remember passing days in wonder why you had to leave your little baby at home and walk off to work in the morning (which I eventually understood and valued all the more). My curious eyes were brushed off with your immense love and utmost care on your homecoming each evening. I really loved seeing you at home on your day off! In those times, nothing mattered more. We’d usually just waste time at home but having those moments with you felt so precious and important. I may have a very little understanding of life back then, but I could still see the picture of all your sacrifices, and I feel so sorry for being nothing but just an addition to your daily problems then. Sorry for never eating the Karela (Bitter Gourd), Tori (Apple Gourd), Zucchini which you made for dinner and ordering from Zomato instead. Sorry for not cleaning the mess I always loved creating on the bed with my books, diaries, clothes, and laptop. I know it always irritated you and we’d end up fighting. Sorry for never lending you a hand in the kitchen which I should have. Managing everything alone here now makes me realise how tiring and thankless this job can get. Sorry for never truly understanding what an amazing gem you are. Motherhood is constant, demanding and exhausting. And Mom, you did an excellent job at all of it.

Looking back, I now see things differently and more humanely! Courtesy you, Mom. You’ll always be my favorite female role model.

Thank you for always spoiling me with your love, for supporting me in highs and lows, for guiding me since day dot, for knowing no hate except for the one who hated me, and also for joining me in my silly life decisions only because you wanted me to lead a journey of my own and learn and rise from the mistakes I have shown. Thank you for always being my 2 AM Top Ramen Curry partner. I have stopped eating those junk here. It’s no fun having it without you. Thank you for always checking up on me, for asking the basics- how many glasses of water I had or if I had the daily glass of Golden (Turmeric) Milk or not. Thank you for always making funny conversations on our family Whatsapp group. We’ll never let you delete that again because we realise how dead it got when you left it for just 2 days. But that doesn’t mean you’d speed up the chain messages there. Because I don’t and won’t download that every forwarded image which you send me every new day! Sigh.

Remember how people used to tell me, “you look like your mom,” and I always detested because I wanted to hear I am more on Dad. Well the truth is, I have actually bagged the best from both of you. Looks, brain, heart- everything. And I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.

Umm, I am also sorry for emotionally blackmailing you and taking away your favorite Titan watch here with me. I took it because I always wanted to feel you closer to me. It helps to deal with our long-distance trust me.
In the end, I would just tell you to make the best of the given moments. For the longest time, I have only seen you shuffling from one place to another. Now is the time to sit, relax and enjoy the beautiful life you’re bestowed with. And please give yourself a break from the kitchen today.

Happy Birthday, my Gummy Bear! Why have they stopped making more of your kinds, is beyond me! Do I wish you weren’t this far away? Absolutely! I am so jealous of my little brother and cousins who get to celebrate your day with you and not me.