My Mummy STRONGEST!

“Ma, aaje aapde thoda vehla jaishu “(Mom we will go a little early today) Class 5-7 I must have said this statement every morning to my Mother who would drop me off to School on her way to work. We were perpetually late and it would bring tears to my eyes and hers too. Yesterday, I went to drop her off to work, her last working day, she stood near my bed and said, “rinku, aaje aapde thoda vehla jaishu” Life had come a full circle.

It has been a very emotional month.  My mom retires this month and turns 60, and the feeling, form a lump in my throat because, I know how big a void she is going to feel in her life. Most of her adult life she has been working and now suddenly the loneliness of being home is like an insecurity. We try and calm her nerves but all of us know it will take its own time for the feeling to sink in and for her to get used to this new found freedom.

Her life has revolved around our food, education and to give us a happy healthy childhood. She would come home and invariably the two of us would go out take a round on the kinetic, watch the fountain, buy groceries and vegetable, have pani puri and discuss our day. As I grew up the rides became less and the talk even lesser. And then I went away to college and when I returned, I was different or so she feels. I am trying to make amends, now that I live at home. I take her out now, Temples, groceries, here and there, we drive in comfortable silence and sing songs. We will do more of it now, chatter non stop and be there for each other!

I hope that, now, she relaxes, does all the things she has not been able to do, take walks and vacations, play with the dogs. Her kids have grown up and they have turned out well and although we do need you to be around you, your time to yourself is most IMPORTANT. And remember Ma, have aapde kyan bi vehla nathi javanu.