‘A
mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else
can take’ - Cardinal Mermillod.
Ma
– what is the first feeling you get when you hear this word?
An
ever smiling lady wrapped in her beautiful aura of love and grace. Epitome of benevolence
& emotions, she is selfless, considerate and she is our world. She’s the
first person you learn from, and most probably the last one to express so.
In
a classic poem by William Ross Wallace entitled ‘What Rules the World’, he
quoted that ‘the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world’.
It says all about the role a mother plays for her child and in the long run to
their future. Mother strives to nurture her child and shape them towards
becoming a contributing member of the society in turn making the world a
much better place to live.
‘Ma
is a title in herself – Just above the Queen’
The word Ma for a child is a complete
world in itself. She is the person from whom we learn our initials right from
the moment we get our existence. She’s who gave us the sense of deciding what's
good or bad, she taught us lessons, gave lifetime of experiences and made us
what we are today. This very moment is so nostalgic while we are thinking
of her – our Mother.
Now
think, we are all grown up, busy in our lives, have certain responsibilities on
our part and we are all running after time and tides to fulfil the duties life
has laid upon us. In all of this, our mother, she has lost that space. She is
there with us, for the luckiest ones, but are we actually acknowledging her importance
and presence in our life? Do we take our chances to tell her, what she means to
us?
Manushi
Chhillar, winner of renowned International beauty pageant Miss World 2017,
recently described importance of mother in a few simple words. When asked,
‘which profession deserves the highest salary and why?’ Manushi in her winning
answer brightly responded ‘I think a mother deserves the highest respect. When
you talk about salary, it’s not just about cash, but I feel it’s about the love
and respect you give to someone. My mom has always been the biggest inspiration
in my life and all the mothers they just sacrifice so much for their kids. So
the profession that deserves the highest salary, the highest respect and love
should be of a Mother’.
True!
Isn’t it?
We
know it and we dearly love our Mumma’s for everything they are. But honestly,
are we acknowledging it? Unlike Manushi Chhillar, who took to an International
platform to recognise and appreciate the Mothers, are we even doing it personally?
Ask yourself?
Kudos
to those who got a yes in the response. You may have no idea how a simple hug
or even ‘thanks Ma’ would have meant to the lady who sacrificed her endless
nights to comfort you and gave you the world she had to offer. And for those,
who feel they could have done it a little more to make her feel any happy,
there is still time. She is still there. Do it, before she is no more around to
listen to you or even ask if you had your meals on time.
We
won’t get into exotic ideas and expensive gifts zone to please your mother, but
a few small gestures, that would surely bring a smile on her wrinkled face
(don’t say that to her as beauty is the best friend for a lady, so let her
enjoy the aging changes).
Reaction
alert: For all the readers having cool minded mothers are likely to get in
response a question ‘are you drunk today?’, super cool moms can even ask if
‘you need a slap to come back to your senses’ and for the sentimental Mumma’s
could even treat you with your favourite ‘halwa’ or improve your social
mentions in her circle. Smile, no matter how she is, she will love you for
every little bit you do for her.
Acknowledge
& Appreciate:
You
may have no idea of how you were raised and what sacrifices she may have made
for you to become what you are today. She was just like you just a few years
back but today she is you mom and a lady who is sitting back at home expecting
a call from you. Think of it, she has genuinely given years to you and your
family. Please acknowledge it. If it’s very sudden to say it all to her, start
with small acknowledgements. Appreciate your dinner today and if you live away
from her, she is just a call away. Tell her you miss her or the special food
she made for you. Appreciate an old picture or acknowledge how she collected
all yours since you grew up this very mature and self. Our idea is to
acknowledge her actions and appreciate little things she does for you,
knowingly or unknowingly. Just say it!
Father
should be role model
Now
this is a hypothetical action. Start from looking at your father. With
increasing cases of domestic abuses, there are also cases where a man is taking
care of his family and letting their ladies fulfil their dreams. And there are
those heroic Papa’s who still prepare bed tea for their wife before leaving for
office and take them for a walk after dinner. They will keep their after-meal
plates for washing and also take care of dropping kids to school. Take a look
into your case, if there is any sign of abuse, take it up in your hands and resolve
it at the earliest. You owe your very existence to the lady and she deserves a
happy life. In case your fathers are on the other side of the story, learn from
them. The man who teats his wife like a princess, is born from a queen. Take a
note and idolise him for his gestures and respect towards the lady of his life.
Never forget, a woman deserves all the respect for she is the ultimate creator
and the magic of life lies in her heart.
Little
gestures matter big time
Just
as we discussed above, we need to learn from the small gestures our fathers do
for supporting their lady. Ensure that you are doing that as well. In fact do
better with your vibrant ideas and young approach towards life. Before you look
for how can you be a little help or do something to please her, make sure you
don’t get very obvious with her ending up guessing it before you into even
doing it.
Start
with appreciating their presence in your life. You might often feel irritated
by their queries, or their constant calls might just be too bugging. Trust us,
someday you will miss getting a call from ‘Mom’ & even ‘Dad’. Before its
too late, accept that we have given them a tougher time growing up, then they
are being a problem to you.
If
you have watched the movie ‘Jane tu ya Jane na’, i will never ask you to behave
like Meghna and go asking ‘what’s that’. But on a positive note, learn from her
to appreciate that your parents have been like they are and we must not always
take it all seriously. Life is all about how we take it. Smile and take it
easy. This will be your biggest contribution towards your mom to accept her
life as cheerfully with your support.
Coming
back to the gestures, she is not a maid and definitely not a robot.
- It’s high time you start doing your own chores, like washing
clothes or even putting away your after-meal utensils.
- She might just appreciate a bed tea or an evening foot massage. You
might be an awesome cook, why don’t you let her give you some master-chef tips
from her kitchen experiences, today itself?
- You may have a tight schedule, but as you can make time for
friends, your mom won’t even demand a movie treat but a small talk. If you are
with her, go share your day’s activities with her and she might accidentally give
you some really good ideas to sort an issue. If not, you will still feel
better. And for her, by now she would have got her share of time with you. If
not living with her, give her a call. You might want to ask her how her day was
or she might wish to share some gossip she would otherwise just skip. Make time
for her and listen to what she has to say.
- Never forget those small things you might incidentally come
across, she needs in her kitchen or an office accessory she mentioned of losing
on her way home. Get those for her. She will appreciate that you remembered.
- Even she would like to go out. There will be families who go out
occasionally. You can break the ice and start taking her out for a walk or to
purchase a shirt/kurti. She will be very happy becoming a part of your day or
your activities. Movie breaks or even a coffee date won’t be that bad idea. She
might just relive an old memory.
- Don’t forget to appreciate her small gestures and specially, for
the food she has cooked for you with love or how beautiful she looked while
getting ready for a friend’s house warming party.
- Every person is initially a child at heart. Bring out the child in
her, find what activates her childish attributes and enjoy doing those
activities with her. She might reconsider smiling a little more. She will be
intrigued with your gesture.
Explore
the hidden her in your Mother
Bring
out the hidden her and explore who she was. As we already discussed that she
has made sacrifices at certain level in life or left something she would have
loved doing. It’s the perfect time to find out the real her and who she used to
be. You may have heard her speak of her young days many times, but this one
time, speak with her, again. Make her speak out her aspirations, dreams, wishes
and expectations. You never know you might still be able to make true something
she might not even think of doing again.
Say
for instance, your mom loved to paint. She still is an artist. Gift her canvas
and some colors. You will love the way her hands will make colors speak their
story. Get a diary and an ink pen for the mother who was or is still a poet at
heart. Ink pen in specific because our parents still love the grace of writing
with the Ink pens. Her poems might just give you an insight in life they have
experienced or a lesson for you to sort your life if ever you are stuck at
something. You will see a new light in their eyes when they are re-exploring
their hobbies or living up their dream.
A child gets prize, father gets
promotion and she only expects your love
No
wonder our mom’s are the only person who will understand us in any situation.
As per a famous saying, when you reach home after work, your partner will ask
how your day was, your child will ask if you got them their candy and your
father will ask if you could attend the professional issues. Only your mother
will look at the drenched and tired child and approach them with a towel and
warm soup asking if you had your meals? That’s the difference where mothers are
beyond comparison. As a child, you get prizes at school, as an employee
promotion is the appreciation but a mother only seeks love and acceptance from
their children. Unlike others, she will never demand your time, money or gifts.
But a little more than sufficient time in your daily schedule and small gifts
to say that ‘Ma I love you’ is enough to make our dear-most lady smile from the
chore of her heart.
We
have tried these tricks personally, and that is where our inspirations come
from. Go ahead, take your pick and see where you can make your lady smile today
and forever.