Skip to main content

Motherhood

One of the most delightful moments in a parent's life is when her child achieves something and is recognized for it. I felt a surge of emotion when I saw my little angel perform as the lead dancer at her annual dance function last Sunday. Its not that I was seeing her on stage for the first time (she has been performing since she was four), but the feelings are the same every time. Pride, maternal love, happiness, a sense of personal achievement, all overflowed.

I felt all the more fulfilled because she is literally the centre of my universe, the core of my existence. I have chosen to look after her as my full-time occupation, so that when she arrives from school, all agog with the excitement of the day's events, she finds me waiting to listen to her. Of course, some minor compromises were in order for this privilege. Like not opting for a full-time job, or not taking any traveling assignments. I have seen her wait expectantly for me on the occasions I have been unable to be there when she came home. Disappointment is writ large on her face when she meets a locked door.

But it has been worth being a stay-at-home mother. Barring the pangs on seeing successful women whiz about going to their offices, and managing both home and jobs. I have never been able to entrust my child to somebody else's care. She is too precious, and besides, I want to watch her growing up. I will not miss those moments for anything.

She fully acknowledges my contribution and involvement in her life, and insists on reminding me too. She takes immense pride in my achievements and forces me to talk about them. And openly admits that I am her role-model. Isn't that enough salary for a mother?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

All We Imagine as Light- Lyricism on Celluloid

When an Indian film makes it the prestigious Cannes film festival, the world sits up and takes notice! And the lovely ladies swinging on the stage is a recent memory that brings a sense of pride. I had the good fortune to catch this film on screen recently. A review of such work is unnecessary, but still am bursting to say a few words. Right from the scintillating background score, to the events that unfold like pages fluttering in an open book, to the effortless performances, it's a masterpiece all right! The first half romances Mumbai- in the rains, at night, in the bazaars, in dingy rooms, in the local trains. Image source: Wikipedia  The second half shows what light truly is, brilliant sunshine, crashing waves and salty air in a small coastal village in Maharashtra. You can feel the taste of salt, the breeze in your hair and the touch of sand under your feet, the cinematography is so real. Payal Kapadia masters the art of holding back, of showing beauty in the mundane. The hosp...

Guru Dutt - Legacy of an Overlooked Genius

"Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaae to Kya Hai:" This heartfelt anguish was literally personified by film maker and actor extraordinaire - Guru Dutt, whose birth centenary happens to be tomorrow (July 9).  Maestro or Failed Genius? All his life, he strove to depict his vision, his dreams on celluloid. Yet, even as he strove for success, for renown, he was a bit of a recluse, a black sheep himself. It was as if he wanted to challenge the language of popular cinema by being within the format, from the inside. His women had brains, taxi drivers and masseurs were philosophers, sex workers pined for spiritual ecstasy, and friendships blossomed between unlikely people. Common people on the street spoke wiser logic than academics or high-nosed editors. The topics of the films may seem dated now, but the eternal truths voiced in them remain relevant.   His films were distinctly different from other popular Hindi films. They had all the commercial elements of song, dance, comedy, romanc...

All Work and No Life - Off Runs the Wife!

The recent ramblings of some elderly gentlemen (one a company founder, another a CEO) on how much we many hours we should be working, are symptomatic of all that is kaput with corporate India. The reason we have so few cases of innovators and path-breakers. The reason why Nadella and Pichai shine overseas. The reason start-ups and entrepreneurial attempts fail faster than you can say 1,2,3. These guys have got all the mathematics wrong!  Machismo and Hot Air I find these announcements to be glaring examples of the inherent tendencies of machismo, bullying, slavery, high-handedness privileged males in our country are used to.  At home, when raja beta works, rest of the family keeps quiet. When he needs food, wifey supplies it. Shhh, raja beta is sleeping, don't make noise. Don't irritate him, get him a cup of hot tea/coffee, quick, he's tired from working all day. You get the drift? The whole ecosystem in the workplace is designed to reward the raja beta slaving away rather ...