Dear Mother!

It started as early as I can remember,

Waking up in winter morning was difficult back then because we weren't as financially viable to buy a sweater or use warm blankets,

I remember rubbing my eyes to see my mother trying to cover me with her blanket and she is sitting on the bed, waiting for sunrise,

It wasn't a big deal for me back then, because that's what mothers do, they sacrifice everything for their children, but that just did not stop there, many such instances are hard to count, this woman thought me how to be selfless, she was my first teacher to teach me things which school won't, she taught me a lesson nobody could.

I learned very early that my mother was in a toxic relationship with my father, the marriage was a compromise from her end to help her parents, it did not bring her happiness, but it did to her parents,

That was the first step she took as the daughter, a sign of courage and bravery in getting married to a man she hardly knew, I am not too sure of her dreams, because she hardly spoke about them growing up, I just remember she told me that she wants us to study and have a good life, she did everything back then to make sure that my education isn't impacted because of our financial condition, even though she is not educated but knew the value of education and damn did she made sure I get graduated. And today her vision reflects and shines upon my blessed life, she thought me to dream even when you are living in a nightmare.

My father was and is toxic, and violent, and broke her many times, there was domestic violence now and then, and as a child, I went through it, I saw it with my own eyes, unable to do anything and feeling miserable, there was group crying session with mother and my younger brother, which is still as traumatic as it can get, but she manages to get up every day, perform her duty as a wife and mother and showed me that even when there is a storm you can still hold your ground, the storm will eventually pass and you will have good days, that's the kind of influence my mother's has on my life, the never giving up attitude comes from her and I am so grateful that she thought me that without even making it obvious or preachy.

Growing up was not so easy, on one side dealing with a toxic father and on another hand struggling financially, we had to take charge of our lives, we couldn't depend on the man of the house, hence my mother became the woman of the house, she would juggle her work, setting stalls in fair, selling flowers on a street, sitting in temple or dargah for long hours to sell coconuts, she was always traveling but she made sure I am self-sufficient, she thought me to cook, wash and clean. I hated her for that for someday and but eventually, I knew why would she want me to learn all these things, today when I look back at that and take that as a lesson to be self-dependent, today when advertisement comes on television about teaching boys on household work, I look at her and smile, she was wise beyond the generation she grew up in, and for that, I owe her enormous amount of respect.

The terms such as courage, strength, resilience, never give up, brave, confident, self-love, and self-sufficient which I possess today, I owe it to my mother, she thought me how to love, and live a life, she made sure I understood life, she is and will always be a pillar of strength and courage for me, she stood her ground against all odds, and she made sure that I don't have to struggle as much as she did.

Her resilience won, her struggles gave up in front of her courage and today I am a son who is proud of what she did back then and salute her for everything I have become today.

A proud son.