Mangaluru: On this Mother’s day, I quote a Spanish proverb which says “An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy”. She is the source of all my values and superstitions. As I grew older and wiser, I held on to some beliefs just because it came from my mother. It was so comforting. Mother means so many different things to different people. For me, she will always be the only embodiment of strength and hope. She would make things happen because she had to. We depended on her.
The relationship of a mother and child is heart warming because we see nurturing happening. Love is an abstract concept that needs proof all the time. The activity of nurturing is typically proof of love. So we need ask no questions. A mother loves for sure. Nevertheless, human mother and child relationship is a difficult one because there are expectations. A mother would be at a loss when the child simply is nothing like she want it to be. And she gave birth to this character. In some sense, she actually made the person. A lot of parent child interactions are quite stressful. They go opposite ends. Yet the nurturing continues unblemished because it has to. Mothers do not take time off nor do they give up. So today, on Mother’s I will say a big thank you to my own mother.
My very own mother! I am sure glad to have one and for so long in my life. She will turn seventy this year. Her name is Mariakutty Devasia. My mother has many good qualities. She has a reputation of being a good cook and many of my relatives constantly praise her cooking. She was until recently quite active in society. She was the President of the Karnataka’s mother’s group, treasurer of the village milk society, member of the Church committee, and so on. But
these are not the images that are important to me. For me, it was enough that she was home every day when I came back from school. She would welcome us with delicious snacks.
When I was a child, my mother hardly left home. If she was not home, then we knew she was taking someone to the hospital. If anyone got ill in the building, they would ask my mother to accompany them to hospital. Then I would wait till she got back home. Home was not home without my mother in it. When we grew up and left home, my mother took up more and more assignments in society. She was always capable of many things but her priority for many years was me. If that is not comforting, then what is?
Abraham Lincoln once said “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother”. My mother taught me discipline and to finish a task in hand. She would repeat the words “finish what you are doing before doing something else” over and over again. Finishing a job then became part of my nature. This inculcated quality has given me a definite edge over others in many walks of life. Likewise, she would repeat “study” over and over again. And study became a part of my nature. And there are many other such instances. Yes, she has definitely influenced what I became.
When I close my mind’s eyes and see my mother on her knees praying to god, I know she will be heard. It remains one of the most precious images of my life. I am glad god gave me my very own mother. I am sure you are too. Happy mother’s day.
About Author:
Dr Maya Mohsin Ahmed is a mathematician, artist, and writer. She has a PhD in Mathematics from UC Davis, California and has taught mathematics in India, Africa, and America. She also earned a diploma in communications and journalism from Mumbai university. She has published three fiction books, namely, “Bombay sunshine”, “Aspirations”, and “Stories of Apoopan and Amooma”. Maya now lives in Mangalore, India.
Also Read other Articles by Dr Maya Mohsin Ahmed:
- The distressed Indian farmer
- The Pathetic Academic Culture of Mangaluru
- The Many Pitfalls of Holding on to Money
- Why on Earth did we agree that Religious Conversions are Wrong?
- In the Land of Coconut Trees
- Mangaluru: The murky land deals of Karnataka
- The Sad Economic Disparity of Genders
- Mangaluru: Misuse of Scheduled Castes and Tribes (prevention of atrocities) Act
- Stop Domestic Violence