Mother, Aai, Maa, One cannot imagine the depth of Love & compassion lies in these words. One must owe everything to this Idol of God. “ Tumko na dekha Humne Kabhi, Lekin Uski Jaroorat Kya Hogi, Ae Maa, Ae Maa, Teri Surat Ki Siva Bhagwan Ki Surat Kya Hogi”. Only three alphabets “Aai”, “Maa” can make much emotional sentinel even to the rudest person in the world. But still, we don’t recognize it.
When I was small, school going I too was so Rude, My Mother was striving hard for me but I had not recognized her importance. Even there are many incidents in my life when I felt underestimated due to my mother. I always try to avoid my Mom to go for parents meet in my school, and ask father to go for the meet. Because although she was well qualified, in fact had done Mastery in Arts but in Marathi Literature which I felt useless for the Parents meet of a Convent school strictly conducted in English. I just can’t explain how wrong I was.
Once there was a Party arranged at one of my classmates Anushka’s house on the occasion of Mother’s Day. All friends were invited with their mother for the get together.
The invitation was given to my mother also. She also got ready for the party. One of my Friend came to my house with her mother, who was a Doctor. I was quite nervous because my friend’s mothers were at some good position, there were hardly some housewives. Next, Anushka’s Father was an Engineer, NRI Businessman that made me aware that what a fabulous Party it would be. And I thought my mother would be the only one who seems quite low standard.
I don’t want to get embarrassed in the party because of my mother’s ignorance of English. As I have mentioned, indeed I was very merciless, and mercilessly I ignored my Mom who was getting ready for the party & went alone for the Party giving the excuse that my mother is not feeling well. But my friends told the truth to Anushka. And she was so much angry with me. Indeed, I deserved that but again I had done because I was loving my mother & it might hurt me a lot if someone in the party abuse or make a joke of my mother.
When I was enjoying party games with some of my friends, Anushka accompanying some other friends went my Home & requested my mother to please come for the Party. She brought my mother in the Party. Now this has made me very shameful, somewhere I knew that I was wrong. She only introduced my mom with her mother told her that Aunty was not feeling well but I requested her to please join us.
As it was decided one by one every child with his/her mother is being called on stage for sharing some views.
Anushka & her mother were called. Anushka begin her speech-
“My dear friends today I want to tell you one story, a story that I had listened from my grandmother, when I was in London.
The story of Mom’s Sacrifice-
“ My mom only had one eye. I hated her... she was such an embarrassment. My mom ran a small shop at a flea market. She collected little weeds and such to sell... anything for the money we needed she was such an embarrassment. There was this one day during elementary school.
I remember that it was field day, and my mom came. I was so embarrassed.
How could she do this to me? I threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school..."Your mom only has one eye?!" and they taunted me.
I wished that my mom would just disappear from this world so I said to my mom, "Mom, why don't you have the other eye?! You're only going to make me a laughing stock. Why don't you just die?" My mom did not respond. I guess I felt a little bad, but at the same time, it felt good to think that I had said what I'd wanted to say all this time.
Maybe it was because my mom hadn't punished me, but I didn't think that I had hurt her feelings very badly.
That night...I woke up, and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. My mom was crying there, so quietly, as if she was afraid that she might wake me. I took a look at her, and then turned away. Because of the thing I had said to her earlier, there was something pinching at me in the corner of my heart. Even so, I hated my mother who was crying out of her one eye. So I told myself that I would grow up and become successful, because I hated my one-eyed mom and our desperate poverty.
Then I studied really hard. I left my mother and came to Oxford and studied, and got accepted in the Oxford University with all the confidence I had. Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. Then I had kids, too. Now I'm living happily as a successful man. I like it here because it's a place that doesn't remind me of my mom.
This happiness was getting bigger and bigger, when someone unexpected came to see me "What?! Who's this?!" ...It was my mother...Still with her one eye. It felt as if the whole sky was falling apart on me. My little girl ran away, scared of my mom's eye.
And I asked her,” Who are you? I don't know you!!!" as if I tried to make that real. I screamed at her "How dare you come to my house and scare my daughter! GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!" And to this, my mother quietly answered, "oh, I’m so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address," and she disappeared. Thank goodness... she doesn't recognize me. I was quite relieved. I told myself that I wasn't going to care, or think about this for the rest of my life.
Then a wave of relief came upon me...one day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. I lied to my wife saying that I was going on a business trip. After there union, I went down to the old shack, that I used to call a house...just out of curiosity there, I found my mother fallen on the cold ground. But I did not shed a single tear. She had a piece of paper in her hand.... it was a letter to me.
She wrote:
My son...
I think my life has been long enough now. And... I won't visit London anymore... but would it be too much to ask if I wanted you to come visit me once in a while? I miss you so much. And I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I decided not to go to the school.... For you... I'm sorry that I only have one eye, and I was an embarrassment for you.
You see, when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn't stand watching you having to grow up with only one eye... so I gave you mine...I was so proud of my son that was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye. I was never upset at you for anything you did. The couple times that you were angry with me. I thought to myself, 'it's because he loves me.' I miss the times when you were still young around me.
I miss you so much. I love you. You mean the world to me.
My world shattered!!!
Then I cried for the person who lived for me... My Mother. “
After a huge cloud of Applause for her & her mother.
“ Me and my Mom was invited, I was crying listening to Anushka’s story as I knew it was targeted on me. But soon was surprised listening my mother’s voice, I was zapped when she introduced her & gives a good speech in fluent English. she told that she had joined an English Speaking class last month and I was speechless, in fact so much embarrassed & my mother embraced me. I took the microphone & tell the truth & ask all to please forgive me. Anushka & her mother came to the dice wiping away my tears her mother told me that regretting vanishes all mistakes. She added that she too is M.A. in Sanskrit & had learned English few years after marriage and she too is a Housewife & the toughest job in the world is to become an eminent Housewife. She also explained me the importance of a mother. I am really thankful to God who has sent Anushka & her mother as Angels who has made aware of my ignorance. And that was the one of the most memorable day in my life. From that day onwards, I respect not only to my mother but to every mother in the Universe. My Salute to All the Mothers in the Universe.
Matru Dev Bhav!!!
:- Suyog M. Potdar ( Amravati)
[This is one of my award winning article, published in many newspapers and magazines, It is actually an abstract from my Novel "An Angel who changed my Life" and is also included in my novel "Rich Dad Poor Mom", these Novels are based on very awesome real life stories. ]
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