It is surprising how we turn to people we least expect to be there for us in times of angst and difficulty. In my case, it was my mother who was in town just at the right time. Be it sharing the little nuggets of wisdom she had accumulated over the years or just whiling away time painting each other’s toe nails, I realized that both of us as individuals were so different, but still had grown closer together. From the love-hate bond we had shared when I was younger, to the mutual respect and admiration we have now for each other, the relationship in itself had matured so much.
The early morning walks we took around the park were in absolute silence, but our minds couldn’t have been more in unison. One day, as we were walking around the park, a dog rushed at us, barking rapidly. I panicked and could feel my whole body stiffen in fear. Left to my own devices, I would have run helter-skelter to save my life. However, amma calmly held my hand and led me away from the barking dog, all the time, tightly gripping me and laughing about some joke she had heard the other day. After a few, very tense minutes, I looked her thankfully, and realized there were sweat beads glistening on her forehead too. In a moment of realization, I figured that she had been scared too, but, her motherly instincts made her protect me first and put her fear next. That incident taught me volumes about the love she had been so readily giving all these years, expecting almost absolutely nothing in return. It also taught me why her judgments had never gone wrong all these years - she had a calmness that never seemed to go away, even during trying times.
Another day, we were at the mall buying clothes, when she spotted an ice gola stand. The smile on her face widened, she made a beeline to the stall, and ordered the most complicated mix of ice gola. Even though she had become old, the child in her refused to die. Her love for things that were small and simple, was something I had also imbibed. It did not take too much to make her happy, powdered ice could do the trick.
When I look at the woman now, I realize that she has changed so much over the years. I can see her grey hair, I can sense her difficulty in getting up quickly due to a bad knee, and I can feel her exhaustion within minutes of any strenuous exercise. But, there are also a few things that have never changed in her at all - the twinkle in her eyes, her sense of humor, and her love that has become more encompassing over the years. She takes care of 11 kittens at home - calls them the funniest names possible (the latest batch of 5 are all named after my cousin sister's and my previous employers- Si'y, Via'is, Ab'z, Hib's and so on), feeds them diligently, and plays with them like they are her own children.
On her last day here, I was sitting quietly next to her, worrying about a million things inside my head. She put her arms around me and said, "Two more months here and you would have shifted to the city, and everything will be new again." Yes, amma, things would be different again in a few more months. I just had to count my blessings and life would be much simpler. Thank you :)
