It's flu season again. Last week, I felt the symptoms. And eventually that weekend, I found myself in bed and nursing a flu... Having learned independence for long, I know I can deal with this seasonal flu just like before. But one phone call from my mom has made my flu-weekend different.
My mom is in town for a few months holiday, and she stays at my sister's. Her vacation is an extra special occasion to us. It's a once in every year or two that she visits us. So inspite of our hectic life we ensure that her presence be valued everyday. And since I live far from my sister's and don't get to be with my mom this whole time, I always call her from work in the morning. So when I've received a call from her that day I'm terribly ill, I'm so surprised. I wonder how she sense that I'm sick. Then I've realized that her razor-sharp maternal instinct hasn't changed a bit through all these years.
As promised, she came by with my sister the following Sunday morning. As soon as she walked in the door, she prepared soup for me; extracted some lemonade juice; and, tidied up my messy kitchen while we were busy chatting. And all I did was slumped on the chair and watched her incessantly as she was juggling around the kitchen. I was sentimental. It seemed like ages since I last felt this kind of motherly care from her. Although I knew I could take care of these things, I let her be in-charge of my life that weekend. And for a rare moment, I let myself feel like a little girl again...
This is what my mom loves most --taking care of her loved ones, including friends and relatives close to her. In a few weeks she'll be turning 67, but her maternal touch has never wavered through all these years. That same utmost caringness she had when her three daughters were 7, 12, 16, 21 and 25 years old is still and remain unaltered; Very much same as how it was many years ago.
When I was living with my family, I recalled how my cousins, my aunts and even her friends would come to her and seek maternal attention. And she would spare them that same care that she gave to her family unconditionally.
I remember asking her one time, "Who do you think among your daughters will be like you when they become mothers?", and she said, "No one." I just grin and look at her, because she doesn't know that one of her girls has been closely watching her while growing up, and slowly inheriting her motherly qualities.
