For My Mother

Mom and Dad dearly wanted a girl and all they had was two boys *eye roll* When I entered this world *drum rolls please*  it was a very cold night but my parents filled their hearts with the fruition of their frolic! Mum said she looked at dad while he was busy admiring the baby, she knew this is the girl they always wanted. Both of them would splash me with love just like the ocean with all its fervor, smother the beach with its waves. At times they would stand behind looking tenderly at me, captivated by the charm of the girl they always wanted. Dad brought anklets paayal for me when I started walking. Every jingle and chime of my tiny steps would amuse them. Dad got enamored by his daughter but it was my mother who despite being in this grasp of love was able to see me as an individual who she was determined to raise with a desire to be independent. Hers was tough love. She knew its not a woman's world and she knew in order to survive in this male dominated world, a girl needs to know when to raise her hand and say No. She knew the world we live in sees a woman's worth by the men in her life and hence she knew the importance of having an independent mind, a conscious that would not be easily swayed by popular opinions and would have the ability to chose wisely. Her way of communication made her lovable. Say it with a smile, that was her motto. I remember going with her to the ration stores which were set up by the government to sell grains and sugar at a subsidized price. Like many other things these stores were taken over by crooks who would just send the customer back saying "khatam ho gaya" (its all finished) no matter what date of the month it would be! Mother would never fight them for her share but she used her words judiciously accompanied with a pleasant tone and it was only a matter of minutes that I would see the attitudes shifting from arrogance to diffidence. And then she would carry that big sack of wheat on her shoulders amidst the narrow congested vegetable market with no sign of embarrassment. She didn't care for what people would say, a lady carrying ration on her back while her husband is home, India is like that but she never bothered about the people who ridiculed her. Beside her, I would carry the smaller bag, the one containing sugar and every now and then she would give me a faithful look that said "you and me are in this together" and I would walk quietly trying to keep pace with her confident stride while clutching the sack and observing the onlookers with their judgmental expressions . Mom, with her crystal clear display of strong self confidence, made me what I am today. Her resilience to any and every kind of life situations helped this little girl grow up to be someone who can bear the weight of life as it comes. She didn't preach any life lessons to me because she knew her daughter isn't a mere observer. Her ingenuity at managing the house and the effective ways through which she involved us kids in that process, internalized in me innumerable skills without even trying. I thank her for that.
    And once I became a mother, I realized how much I have really learned  from her.
From a mother to her mother "Happy Mother's Day Mom"

This post goes to the Blogadda contest for Mother's Day!
I would chose this for my mother for the razzle dazzle she never had!