Let's Do It before its too late-"She and We"

One of the best and greatest gifts of the Almighty (or Science) is Mother Earth, which supports life and thus humans. Among these “Homo Sapiens”, the best, superb and sweetest inhabitant on this planet is “Mother” (Maa/Mamma/Mummy/Mom/Maate etc.)

She is something who can’t be defined or explained in petty words or posts (social media) or blogs (like this). She can be just felt-physically, emotionally, psychologically etc. She can make a weeping and crying infant burst into smiles and laughter by just hugging her/him. She can translate the fears and worries of a teenager to aspirations of an adolescent. She can read your face and mind even in the darkest of the rooms. She can fight against anyone including the mightiest person (creature) of this world. 

She is not among the Seven Wonders of the World because this wonderful wonder can’t be categorized in any of the categories- she is category-less. But she can’t see you leave her. She can’t face the trauma of be separated from her other half (husband-unlike Baghban). She can’t believe her son/daughter considering her a liability, when the former is a so-called matured being and the latter has developed wrinkles (aging). She can’t see her grown-up child crying even when the latter has made her cry innumerable times. She can’t imagine a life without her soul i.e. child. 

If her existence and happiness is so much dependent on “us”, don’t you think it’s important to analyze the status quo in terms of “our” response to this very dependency of “them”? Before we start analyzing this with our 21^st century fast and furious brains, one needs to understand the very basic thing, but mostly go unnoticed; that “THEY” aren’t dependent on “US” but it is “WE” who need “THEM”. It is “we” who were dependent on “them” during our childhood for A to Z things of our needs- eating, excreting, sleeping, laughing etc. But something happened over a period of time, perhaps starting with our “teen age” that started changing things in this relationship. An extraordinary or life-changing event or entry of “someone special” during our “adulthood” is assumed to be topping the list of the causal factors behind this abrupt change in “our” behaviour and attitude towards “them”.

The blog doesn’t attempt at answering the questions- What/Who is right and What/Who is wrong? But is a sincere attempt to understand and figure out how and why change (if it is)? For whom this change and at whose cost, deserves search and pursuit on our part (WE) as it is us who have the prime responsibility of being with “them”.

Yesterday when I wished Maa a happy mother’s day, she was so happy that I could imagine and feel her bright and glowing face even on the mobile. She then told me the messages and news coming on news, papers and ads. But till my call, it was just like a message/ad of a commercial company selling its product and not an emotionally toned feeling of the son wishing his mother a very sweet and happy mother’s day. After a couple of minutes, I had to disconnect the call, as I was in office and was too busy and stuck in a work, and promised to talk in night. She, as always, an epitome of understanding, satisfaction and patience, waited for my call till 10:30 PM, after which she called to inquire whether I had my dinner and all (Though she asks me daily about what did I eat, I hardly inquire about the same). But as I was busy talking to someone for an important work, I had to make her wait for around half an hour and see her 6 missed calls. This is bad of me or bad of her, is open to understanding and discussion, but one thing that comes out of it, is PERSONAL v/s PROFESSIONAL (WORK) life and its challenges- Finding and exploring the middle path (Buddha). This is the first challenge, lesson and learning for all of us-sons and daughters of 21st century.

When you needed her the most for all daily (in fact hourly) needs of yours, she was always there before you could express the need. That time you were Mr. Dependent and she, the independent and loving, caring mother supported you without any demand in return explicitly but implicitly hoped to see you becoming Independent and standing on your own feet. But this implicit desire and hope of hers was shattered when you became Mr. Independent, a 25 year working and employed son. How did this happen and was it all of a sudden event or a gradual process? But is it fine or "khool"? These Q's are open to introspection for our own sharp and fast minds. This is the second realization, challenge (and may be learning) for all of us-sons and daughters.

Last, but not the least, when people say that Indian society and culture is changing, its good that we are not a stagnant society but one which updates itself to be aligned with the fast and changing world. But when in the name of this change, we start ignoring our parents by either downgrading them or eliminating them as such from our priority list of people. Prioritization helps you to rank the things to be done and thus making your lives planned and clear. But it involves only those events which can be ranked, people and things that are indispensable for your existence and living like parents, air, water, food etc. are beyond these strategies of life. The more corporate, capitalistic and individualistic world we are being pushed to, the more we are moving away from the happy and sweet memories (her-ours), duties and rights of "US". Thus, the third and last challenge and realization for all of us-wonderful kids of globalized village, is that everything is not subject to change, a few things are unchangeable and deserve permanence- Mother-Child Relation. 

It is "WE" who initiated this, and it will be "WE" who would ensure the above.

This wonderful gift of God, can't be thanked and wished on a single day like Mother's Day, but needs to be thanked everyday (365*24*7) for her sacrifices, efforts and so many things, by loving her, being with her and standing with her. Lets work and strive hard to be the ones who don't need the above challenges, realization and learning as they have already understood and applied them in life for times to come. Its so difficult to write on such a topic and a person like Maa, that I don't know what I wrote above, but a sincere request and prayer of mine to God, is that please give me enough wisdom to feel tomorrow, the way I felt yesterday and feel today.