Mother's Diary

Sipping a cup of red tea in the veranda. Pleasant morning today…forecasting a good weather ahead.  My husband is not so well, having back pain and high pressure.  Last week, he just came back from hospital. It’s 9 am now, he is still sleeping. I will wake him up after sometime. 

For last few months, something is happening with me. My veins get stiff suddenly. While I get up in the morning, I feel some pain in my legs. Everyday, I plan to visit a neurologist, but it’s not happening………there are so many household works; I have to postpone all the time. Four months back, Lalita, my maid went home and then, called me up from there that she would not come back as here, she did not enjoy with me and my husband – as we are old fellows. 

So difficult to get a part time maid nowadays! I got one last month, but she was not good at work and moreover, used to steal money and kitchenware, I had to ask her to go after a week. I am used to it, now. By 9 am, I generally finish most of the household chores. 

I am not scared of work. Just two people in the house. Two rooms, I always keep closed.  35 years I single-handily took care of my house, grew up three children. Only for last three/four years, I had to take help of maid. 

After my marriage, untill my children went to hostels and got married, days were altogether different. I did not have enough time for myself then; just used to get up early, make tiffin for children, make the breakfast ready for all, cleaning up utensils, clothes, broom my four bedroom house, clean up the veranda, courtyards, and then prepare the lunch, and once the children come back from school, feed them well, wait for husband, make tea, help the kid to do their homework, prepare dinner…….and then plan for the next day – what would I cook in the breakfast etc….

While my children started going to hostel one by one, my burden kept lessening….But some interesting thoughts kept me busy – what kind of son in law or daughter in law would I get……!!! And then, once all my children got married one by one ….I felt relaxed…..

All are settled in different places now….eldest one in the US, middle one in Bangalore and the youngest one is in Delhi. Almost every week they call us up….sometimes, they skip too….Not a big issue, they are busy enough, all are having their own families now. I also don’t give much tension to them, I don’t share with them my day to day problems….For many days last month, we had to eat only potatoes, dal and chawal as I had severe pain in my leg and my husband was bed-ridden, as the market is a bit far. I did not tell them while their father got hospitalised…what they would be doing from there except taking tension and sending money……. 

Now, our mornings are good….our radio and the TV news and songs make our home boisterous. But, with rolling of day…silence try to overrun and then gets triumph…..

Sometimes, I think, should we shift to an Old Age home. But, then I think how we will leave our sweet home…so many memories, emotions attached to it….. 

I don’t want money…..,but probably some more time with my children, my grandsons and grand-daughters….whose giggling, screech,  yelp are what I yearn for now!!!

Anyways, I am feeling really blessed today, all my children called me up in the morning to wish me “Happy Mother’s Day”!