Seriously, How Does She Do It?

There’s just one last bite left in the dish. She’s toiled all day to pick the right apples; roasted them to perfection, added the right amount of cinnamon and brown sugar, and baked the perfect apple pie.

“Mum can I have the last piece of pie? I love it”
“Of course, sugar; it’s all yours.”

And she’s not even tasted it. She’ll give you anything you ask for, if she really can. Yes, she’ll put you before herself, any day. She is apparently immune to fatigue. She never tires. At least, it appears so. She’s blessed with unearthly powers of a superhero. If you tell her, you want it, she will get it done. Maybe she’s a magic genie. By your side, on demand. Twenty-four-seven.

Sometimes she sits behind rose tinted silver glasses, pretending a serious look; busy reading her book. And when you walk to the door, she looks up and smiles.

“Honey, be safe and have a good time at the party.”

And goes back to reading her book, you think. Her loving eyes hide the fear, anxiety, worry, and apprehension she has about your security, health, education, career, partner, future, and your life in general. She sees that safety is also as important, as having a good time.

“Being a mother is an attitude, not a biological relation.”
- Robert A. Heinlein

Nothing scares her. She will do anything, because your future is too precious and so, she won’t falter. At least not when it comes to doing what is right for you; in the long as well as short run. Her hobbies, breaks, friends, health; everything comes later. Because there is always enough that she must do, for you.

She will give. It may or may not be money. But it will be love, inspiration, commitment, stimulation, motivation, fortitude and encouragement. Sometimes what she does, may not seem enough. But it is her very best, remember that.

Sometimes she sticks around in a hard marriage because she loves you. Sometimes she walks out of a hard marriage because it might be the best for you. When lightning strikes, she holds you close and says it will pass; and you’ll never know how scared she herself is, of the dark. When you cry in pain, she’ll smile and say, “It’s OK.” If you saw how much it hurt her too, how would you ever get OK?

She wasn’t given a manual on how to raise you before you were born. She wasn’t primed on how you were going to turn out as time went along. She relied on her instincts. She just said to herself, “I’ll do my best.” Sometimes, she does go wrong, because she isn’t better informed. If she could do better, trust me, she would.

She will face your wrath but she still won’t budge. She doesn’t want your brownie points. She just wants your good health and happiness. She is stubborn enough to let you resent her, but won’t settle for less than the best for you; and that could include forced spinach, broccoli, radish, yoga, exercise, sex-education, screen locks and curfew.

And then one day, you grow up and you go away, beaming in your newfound freedom and life. She asks for you to be in touch, only to let her know that you’re OK. She wonders if you remember her apple pie.

Do you?

If your mom is around, tell her how much she matters. Not just today. Because every day ought to be a Mother’s Day.