by Ramkumar Mohan
[box]Ramkumar has something to tell about his mother and something to share with his mother.[/box]I remember the day my mother quit her job.
She went to work in the morning as usual, my sister and I had gone to school and my dad had left for work. And then she was back before lunch. My grandmother was surprised.
‘Why are you back so early ma, are you not feeling well?’ she asked.
‘No Amma, I quit my job’.
And that was how she quit her job. No second thoughts, no deliberation, nothing. I asked her that evening why she had decided to quit all of a sudden. I knew she liked her job and the sense of financial security she derived from contributing to the household. It kept her away from boredom, from watching ridiculous soaps throughout the day, which she so heavily despised.
She said, ‘I spoke to Kripa Aunty (our neighbour) yesterday. She told me how sweet my daughter was, how she would climb onto the gate everyday at five in the evening and wait patiently for a whole hour looking at the road. And when sees me walking home, she would come tearing down the walkway shouting “Amma is back! Amma is back.” I somehow wanted to be that mother who welcomed her daughter back from school with a big smile.’
My eight-year-old gap-toothed sister was thrilled in the evening when she found out. ‘So you don’t have to go to office EVER Ma? EVER? PROMISE? Does that mean you can come to school during lunch tomorrow? I’ll introduce you to ALL my friends!’ And my sister did just that, the following day. She paraded my mother around, introducing her to all her friends, teachers and even the school watchman.
My mother is a wonderful woman, a wonderful human being who sacrificed her career to be with her kids. I left India three years later to pursue my under-graduation in Singapore and my sister left Chennai a year and a half ago to study in Trichy. And so my mother tells everyone who comes home, ‘Both my son and daughter aren’t in Chennai now. So it’s a good thing I decided to quit, else I would not have been able to spend time with them’.
I live in times where gender equality symbolises career growth, opportunities and success for women. Children who can barely speak are left with nannies who they call Amma. I feel for that tender child who looks longingly at the empty chair during ‘Mother’s Day’ in school. The bond which a mother and child share surpasses everything else in this world and you gave up a lot to strengthen it.
So Amma, this is a tribute to you. You have been the epitome of womanhood, everything that the phrase could possibly encompass. Well, you have become quite cool over the years too, googling anything and everything I talk to you about. You even tried your hand at programming and gave up (failing at programming seems to be running in the family). I enjoy talking to you about the things you see in National Geographic and I find it hard to believe that you’ve caught up so much on your reading too! Whenever you’ve had to clean up after us, you’ve always called us a thankless bunch in complete exasperation. So here’s a big Thank You for all that you’ve done for the family. I want you to enjoy yourself and watch your children do well in their life.
We are here with you and for you.
Love,
Ram
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What a simple yet touching piece. We all strive to be that kind of a mother to our children.