How old a mother am I? I am as old a mother as you are……
Wish you a very Happy Birthday sweetheart and to me too. You must be wondering why am I wishing myself, right? Because when a child is born it is considered as a second birth of a woman as it involves a big risk for her life too. Hence Happy Birthday to me too.
Today as you turn fifteen, I have become fifteen years old mother as well. I was not born a mother. I was a teenager too like you, at some point of my life. This journey began fifteen years nine months ago for both of us. The moment I got to know about your arrival, I was very happy and at that very moment I decided to bring in that newly required discipline in my life. Everything a mother does has deep impact on a child and hence I decided to follow whatever was best for you. I stopped outside and junk food which I used to enjoy sometimes and started eating home-made healthy food only. I started reading books with positive approach, chanting mantras, self-talk which was positive and meaningful. I always ensured to be in positive and happy mindset as I wanted you to enter this world with good physical as well as positive mental health.
I started sharing the bond even before I had seen you. I started talking to you regularly as I felt that communication was the first thread between us. I wanted to give my best to you and believe me I never repented giving up on certain things or following the discipline strictly. This routine brought a lot of benefits to me as well. Every good outcome has a well-planned, organised plan of action. It does not happen overnight.
After your birth when I saw you, you appeared like a sweet angel to me with chubby cheeks, red lips, long, dense and black hair. You had a delicate husky voice, which of course did not last for more than five days and then came the roaring tiger. I forgot how to sleep at a stretch for hours and became alert of each and every movement around you. I used to feel guilty to
leave you alone in one room while you were asleep and come out for some time. You became an inseparable and integral part of my life.
I started growing with you and made so many mistakes like every beginner. Once I remember you were crying bitterly and I got worried as only two of us were at home. Somewhere I remembered the home remedy my grandmother had mentioned to cure the stomach ache in babies. I tried it on you and you started yelling even more. I was very scared as I could not understand why your stomach was paining so much? I was just clueless when luckily your grandmother arrived. She opened your blanket to check on you and almost burst out in laughter. I failed to understand why she was laughing when you were yelling at top of your voice. She told me that your stomach was not paining but it was empty as you were hungry and my remedy made you further hungrier. That was the first comedy of error in our relationship and many more followed after that.
You started crawling, teething, walking, talking and every step was a new milestone for me as well. I learnt so many things of dealing with your growing process. Then came the phase of your schooling, your first entry in school, play group, was on my birthday. It would be only for two hours so I used to drop you and wait outside to pick you up. My tiny angel had entered school and your first Parents’ Day where you played the role of a tiger. Gradually over years you have grown and I have witnessed various beautiful nuances of this process. I have learnt a lot from you and in the process as well.
The years passed and you have become a handsome, matured, trustworthy, dependable, loving boy, I would still say boy. Now you are at that threshold where soon you will enter a new world. You will want to explore, take new experience, search new meaning of life. My best wishes and blessings will always be with you. I will not stop you or ask you to always hold my hand and walk, but wherever possible make use of our life experience. That will save energy and time for you, which you can utilise positively towards other goals of your life.
Go ahead, fly high, but never get cut off from your roots. Life is very colourful at this stage and it always will remain so if you act on it cautiously and carefully. Go ahead but intermittently turn back towards your loved ones, make new connections and commitments but do remember the prior ones. Just remember one thing that once we were also your age. Every moment you grow, I am also growing as a mother as it is a new experience for me too. Being a mother, I will be experiencing every new stage in your life for the first time as well. I may not be perfect but I would like to assure you that I am always with you in every walk of life and will always be there.
You are my world; I took a break from my job when you were born because I felt you had complete right on my time. After that we joined the same school together at the same time, you as a student and me as a teacher. You never believed me as teacher but I was always a mother for you. I have always tried to be a supportive mother, who, at times becomes tough
on you because I do not want the world to be tougher on you. I feel sad to do so but as a mother it is my duty to give you right and conducive environment to the best possible way which will help you survive and succeed in the outer world, which is full of competition.
I will conclude by saying that always nurture your sensitivity but never let it be your weakness. This sensitivity will keep the human in you alive. Respect, preserve and cherish the ones who love you unconditionally. You will have very few of them in your life, learn to recognise them, they will never flatter you but always support you in your good and bad times. Do take out time for these precious relationships and rest all can always wait. I always prayed to God that you should get the best of teachers and friends as they are the strong pillar of support and guide you through life. Never take these precious relationships for granted as we never know when time will change. I have always loved you beyond myself and will always continue to do so. God bless you with all the happiness and best of everything.
Your mother.