Random Thoughts

It is a routine for me here to meet young mothers. Keeping in mind the energy the company needs to run a project in a foreign country, it has hired young individuals; hence plenty of young families here. And so are cute kids!! Their ages vary from three to six years mostly. Naughty and restless as kids are, they keep the whole Guesthouse abuzz with laughter, cries and fun. I watch them with delight. They remind me of my Mithi back home. Although she has just learnt to sit, she is likely to grow up to be a huge troublemaker. Here genes are to be blamed. She is entirely like her father who, in his childhood, was a notorious kid. Wherever something sinister happened, people would go around looking for little Ifii, the naughtiest of all. Mothers were scared to let their scrawny kids play with him, lest he spank them to unconsciousness. Ladies were hesitant to display their precious China in the parties Ifii was invited with his parents. And his mother could not purchase the nicest of lipsticks because he was fond of throwing them in the toilet. Such were his ways. So if genes are anything to go by, Meenal is going to be very naughty. She already has her likes and dislikes, chalked out pretty clearly and she is only eight months yet. She likes to mingle with individuals wearing light colored clothes only. She likes to sleep on her side (However much my mother has tried to lay her on her back on the plea that sleeping on the back makes a child brave). She hates cold. Milk is her favorite food and she is uncontrollable when hungry. She likes to throw tantrums especially when milk is being offered to her. Not that she would not want the milk when hungry, she just likes a little commotion before taking milk. She is already tech savvy. A cell phone is her favorite toy. She is the first grandchild of my parents. So they spoil her to their heart’s content. And now that I am away from her I am sure my mother would be leaving no stone unturned to make sure she is a happy kid most of the time.

So I was discussing how I am meeting new mothers these days. I am surprised to see how much a mother does for her child. I see them teaching the noblest of things to their off springs, like saying thank you or Assalamualikum to a servant and giving him his due respect, sharing their favorite things with others to let them understand the essence of giving, respecting their elders, loving their siblings and millions of things. Inculcating nobility in a minor, who has little idea about his well being let alone righteousness is easier said than done. These women let no instance go waste to teach their kids some good lesson. They are at their kids’ disposal till these little monkeys peacefully fall asleep, knowing that their mothers are still at their sides. So once a woman becomes a mother, she has a perpetual responsibility to fulfill and she willingly and whole heartedly fulfils it. It comes naturally to her. A mother was explaining me that she is habitually a deep sleeper but as soon as any of her kids would utter a small groan at night, she is up. According to a research, of all the humans, mothers have the sharpest sixth senses. Other senses of moms are pretty acute too. They would know which of their kids is up to what. Who has spilled water in kitchen and who is going to push whom. Again I would mention an interesting research here done of children under teens, according to which baby boys use left side of their brains since birth and have “Hyper Nervous Energy” in their brains till they turn thirteen years of age. Due to which boys are restless and hyper active most of the time. They do not like to sit idle. While girls, by default, use both sides of their brains. This is mainly the reason why baby girls like to sit primly and have colorful imagination. Whereas, boys are unimaginative and vigorous. Being girls themselves, moms have a little idea how boys function. But they learn with experience.

Everything in mom’s lives revolves around their kids. Off course husbands are also foremost in women’s life, but husbands can take care of themselves but kids are vulnerable at young age. They have no sense of right and wrong and their well being and here is where a mother plays a pivotal role. A mother is an epitome of sacrifice. She sacrifices her career, social activities, her sleep and whatever it takes, willingly. A mother is an institution for a child! A child completes a mother as a woman. This is such a beautiful relationship. And truly a divine gift!!