Well here I am on this Mothering Sunday... alone for the first time with no daughter to shower me with her Mother´s day greetings, hugs and kisses but she sent me an amazing Moonpig Card with a photo of the two of us and a really eloquent message which just had me in tears. It was not so long ago when Krish would come home from school with her hand made mother´s day card and she would get Dad to buy something from her. Back in the good old days, we would wonder out to a nice country pub and have a Sunday lunch together... memories heh... If she was here now, I know we would spend a lovely day together... have a nice lunch, go for a stroll on the beach and knowing Krishy she would bake me a cake...how I miss the good old days!
I thought of her today and I thought of my mum. Mum ... what can I say... I think of mine and my heart melts. I never met anyone in my life who sacrificed so many things just to ensure her family was happy. All my life, I remember mum working, just like dad, working to make sure we had a good education, that we wore nice clothes and were able to go on school trips. After dad died, mum continued to work even harder because she wanted Naieya to do well and have the best level of education. Today at 65, she continues to go to work everyday with a smile on her face... she is always there at the end of a phone to listen to me if I am down or just need advice and she is an amazingly loving mum in law to my Ketan and my brother in laws. If there is one thing my mum always has and it is a smile on her face... and I love that. I used to think I got my determination from dad but I underestimated mum... no she is the survivor, the determined one who strives to achieve the best for her and her family and it is only now, I realise, my determination has come from her as well.
For many years when dad was alive, mum was learning to drive and each year she went for her test and failed... she was nervous and dad would just chuckle at her... but she never gave up... she must have done this for at least 10 years if not more... the year after my dad passed away, my mum took her test again and she passed... maybe she realised she now needed it more than ever before. If dad was here now, he would be so proud of her... the way she has stood up to life´s blows... losing him, losing her son and having the challenge of bringing one of her daughter´s up single handedly... and doing it always with a smile on her face... she is and always will be my inspiration. If you read this mum, thanks for being a fantastic mum, gran and mum in law... we love you.
I think of my gran today... and those of you who know her... know she has a reputation for being a "battle axe"... we all felt sorry for grandad (god bless him) when she rollicked him for eating too much of the things he liked and we laughed when he turned off his hearing aid when she told him off... but despite this ogre image... Ba as we all know her as... is a loving grandma, devoted to her family and especially her grand children. She may make out she is a tiger but inside she is a pussycat! Love you Ba!
Finally, although Ketan´s mum is no longer with us... she is always in our hearts. I have such found memories of mum... she was one of the most kindest, generous women I ever met with a wonderful sense of humour... I owe so much to her for making me feel so welcome in the Gandhi family, when I met and married Ketan. She always gave us good advice and I thank her for showing me how to cook surti style... I know that had she lived she would have loved Spain and spent many days out here with us. Wherever you are mum, we love you dearly.
So although, I was alone today... I did not feel it as all these thoughts and memories of my nearest and dearest ones surrounded me with warmth.
So to all the mums out there, past and present... Happy Mother´s Day!
Love
Sharmila
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