Mum’s the Word…

When my best friend’s mom used to praise the 10-year old me: “Minu’s mumma, she is such a quiet child, so well behaved”. Mumma would say calmly,”Who are you talking about, my daughter the rebel, talks at the top of her voice and argues incessantly, can I exchange this girl you mentioned with her?”

When my uncle was praising my mum’s voice and how they regret that she never pursued singing; I asked her why she did not, she replied calmly,”Cause your loud voice shut me up”

The day before my marriage when all my aunts and mom cried, I did not react at all; I then woke up mom at 1.00 in the night after I realised I won’t be returning home that day and started crying, she consoled me and told me me calmly, “Now at 1.00 in the night, when I have to get up at 5.00 in the morning, you realise and decide to cry your heart out”

When I got married and would land up at her place twice a week, “Minu atleast reduce the frequency of visits , I don’t even feel you are married, it’s almost like you stay here and visit your in-laws once a while”

When I moved to Dubai and would insist on calling her everyday or asking her to come on Gtalk,”Minu what do we talk everyday, give me a day’s breather to gather some fodder to tell you”

When I call her at will, when she is least expecting, “Minu I’m out right now or Minu I’m sleeping now, can we talk later”

When I bump into her online unexpectedly, “Hey mumma and you know what happened today, and so I was telling my friend the other day…”, after being patient for 10 minutes I get the following message in my Google Talk Chat Box: “I’m in the middle of my Solitaire game, I’ll buzz you later”

When her son-in-law emails her daughter’s surprise birthday party pictures, she replies only to him, ‘She looks lovely, tell her it takes great luck to find a wonderful husband like you, glad you emailed me, she is too lazy”

When she calls me to wish on my birthday, the phone conversation begins with, “First tell me what did he surprise you with”

When I see her lovely collection of gems and jewellery and say selfishly, “This all is mine, isn’t it? After all I’m your only child”. She looks at me calmly and then recounts the list of her favourite nieces and nephews and their sons and daughters; and how she has kept things for everyone, and says, “No you don’t get to own it all just as a matter of default.”

Sigh! My mumma sure knows how to keep her daughter grounded!

My mumma – sarcastic, forthright, practical, impartial, loved by one and all. There was a strong reason why God chose her as my mother. My dearest mumma – I don’t give her enough credit for the person I’m today!

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2 Comments

  1. Hi Minal,

    Tribute to a mom and her tough love. Very well written.

    • Swati,
      Thanks a ton:-) Yup she is a tough discplinarian – has not let her only child drift away and am very proud of that:-)

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