A Tribute to Mom

Mother  is a word which is universally looked up as a symbol of pure love,bliss and compassion.Is it not a fact that every living being on earth owes its existence to .  MOTHER. A mother,who has carried the child in her womb, is emotionally bound with the child.This bond is eternal. The child, on coming to the world, has the first caressing of love from his mother. In fact this communication starts even before the baby is born.The mother,on hearing the heart beats  and  sensation of movement of the baby within her, becomes ecstatic.The  baby too  can listen to what the mother talks and can be affected by  what it hears.This bonding is everlasting and enables it to be self- reliant and confident. George Washington,the first President of   USA, said about his mother,"  All I am  I owe to my mother."A mother has to struggle a lot to bring up the child and in return she gets a reward which she can cherish  her whole life....a toothless smile and and a loving hug.  This is precisely the reason that our grandmothers used to advise us during pregnancy  to think positive and   talk politely and softly.  Many people know the famous story of  Abhimanyu ,son of Arjuna,who was killed in the battlefield.While in his mother's womb, he heard about entering a 'Chakravuh'  in the battlefield to entrap the enemy. Unfortunately he did not hear  how to come out of it.In the Mahabharata War he entered  the  Chakravuh but could not come out of it safely and died on the spot.

For a child, the mother's arms are a solace.When  the child  gets  hurt  or frightened,the mother's arms become a cosy shelter.This  is called seeking protection  and assured security  which persists even till adulthood. A mother's  presence is felt by the child soon after it is separated from the umbilical cord.The mother's warmth  which assured security to it  now becomes a psychological, emotional and mental bond.The first sounds that the baby makes are something like'um m m mn'. 

    Even though I am not only a mother but also a grand mother, the memories of my mother will always be fresh in my memory. My Mom passed away twenty years ago. Every moment, every incident and every experience shared with her is precious for me. We are five brothers and sisters. I am the eldest. A mothers' love and affection  is equal for all. I being the eldest had an added   responsibility .  My Mom shared all her problems, worries and apprehensions  with me. My Father was an Engineer , working in a senior position and used to be very much involved in office work. The responsibility of the the house was on my Mom’s shoulders. I bow my head in reverence to her memory.  I remember after my marriage when I was leaving, how moved she was! She wept bitterly.

Once when I was in hospital suffering from an eye ailment, she was with me day and night,  nursing me  lovingly and tenderly.Even after my marriage there was not a single day when we did not talk on the phone. When I was expecting my first baby, she guessed it even  before I told her.

I am fortunate that my Mother- in law was very affectionate and loved me  like a daughter. Not even  once did I feel that she was my MIL.Even though  I did not know Malayalam and she did not know Hindi or English , there was  a unique bond between the two of us. It  was only my yearning to talk to talk to her that I learnt Malayalam. Her  love, warmth  and soft  spoken demeanour and  attitude  was bewitching! She lovingly made special Kerala goodies  for us, sometimes keeping  awake till wee hours  of the morning

  

Mothers Day is celebrated in all countries of the world.This day is dedicated to a Mother to honour her motherhood.and to celebrate her place of pride in   the heart of every individual.It is celebrated on different days  in different countries.On this day gifts are given to  the mother and she is honoured by the family and the nation.

      A Mother's love cannot  be measured.She knows only how to give and never to take.I remember a very old Hindi  movie 'Mamta' which depicted  a mother's love for her daughter.I was very much moved by that movie.Sometimes the children may become wayward and may even turn against the mother.They may be punished by God for their misdemeanour,but the mother,who is the symbol of  love  will  continue to have the same love and compassion for her off springs.Sometimes she is thus even above God. Thackeray, a famous novelist said, "Mother is the name of God in the lips and hearts of children,"

 According to Samuel Taylor Coleridge,"God sees us through our Mother's eyes and rewards us for our virtues."

       The mother always has a  protective hold on her children.Even when the children go far from the mother for higher studies  they are  always near her  heart. "The mother understands what the child does not say," says a Jewish proverb.Many people jokingly say that their mother is a bank where they can deposit their worries and forget about  them.

A mothers  love is unalloyed and equal for all her children.She does not distinguish between any of her off springs.Mother is a born philosopher and  a  psychologist. She knows the needs and requirements of each of  her children.In olden days there used to be large families.The mother was a nucleus of  the family,who could identify the likes and  dislikes  of everyone. Her influence  and hold on the children was supreme and unchallenged.Her sufferings and her joys are her own.Her sufferings, she keeps to herself and her joys are shared  by all.  Mother, you are Great!! Ma tujhe salaam!!

I am writing  a tribute to Mom  in association with Parentous .com