Happy Mother's Day

What can I say about mothers and motherhood that hasn’t already been eulogized! Yet on this Mother’s Day I would like to say something.

She is the giver of life and everything that follows thereafter. At times harsh, at times kind, at times our worst enemy but mostly our closest ally, she is all that we can ever ask for. I think the greatest gift of being born is that we have a mother. Otherwise being born would lose much of its meaning. Everyone loves their mother I am sure or at least hope and no one can in their right mind do anything to cause her harm or grief, yet at times we end up doing so. And she is always ready to forgive our act and embrace us back within her arms. When the world turns its back to us and we have nowhere else to go, it is to her that we go because she is not only our last refuge but she is the Refuge where we would always have a place. A mother puts her child before and above anything else. Even above her own safety and well being. I don’t know from where she gets this resolve as I would never be one and all my friends who are mothers tell me that it’s something that they realized after they became mothers.

I think we learn something specific and life lasting from our mothers and I will like to share the four fundamental life lessons that my mother imparted when I was a very young boy, they have stood the test of time and I still follow them verbatim:

Never do anything for money. Money should not be the reason to do something. Do something because you want to do it, because it’s your passion.

Always believe in your dreams no matter what. If you don’t believe then no one else will.

Listen to your head but always follow your heart because head is logical and heart is intuitive, it knows what is best for you.

Always be you. Do not imitate or copy someone else. And always strive to be the Best of You.

My mother lived with me till I turned 51 and for all those years she remained physically the centre of my world. No matter how far I went, how high and deep, I always returned to her and simply knowing that there she was waiting for me with her smile, love, wisdom and culinary delights, patiently till I returned home, was enough to keep me going. I came very close to dying several times but it was always her thoughts that brought me back. And then she passed away. Her doctor said that there wasn’t anything really wrong with her, she simply willed herself to die. He was puzzled but I knew why she did it; she wanted to set me free. My eyes tear up a bit right now because I would do anything to get her back and would give up my freedom in a moment.

Not a day has passed since then that I haven’t thought of her. I have hundreds of her pictures in my phone that I glance through often. I try to remember all our happy moments, yet there are days when the shadow of grief overcomes me entirely. I have learnt to live without a centre in my world now and I have indeed been set free. Now when I travel, which is very often, I don’t really have to think of returning or of holding myself for anyone. As in life so in her death she blessed me to live fully and simply be the best of me.

All that I do, all my climbs, all my writings, all my words that either I speak or act upon have always been and will always be dedicated to my mother. I owe her everything and my only regret that would remain for the rest of my time is that I hadn’t spent more physical time with her.

Those of you whose mother’s are still alive I would say that you are among the most fortunate and blessed and those whose mother’s aren’t I would say that please hold on to her memory as long as you live and she would live too.

Here’s to all the mothers for being who you are and for bringing us into this world and opening up our eyes to possibilities and for giving us the belief that life can be beautiful and there indeed can be selfless love. May you live forever. Happy Mother’s Day.