Rahi turns Twelve :)

It was this day around 12 years back when I was cut to part a piece of me from my body and my soul.

Yes, every mother would understand when I say this because the ten months attachment which grows like a part of you and then are placed in front of you as a specimen – here’s your baby!

Even though the umbilical cord is cut, and the baby is separated from the mother, the child is never separated from the soul of the mother. It is that connection which always makes her worry for her child in every thick or thin times.

Thinking that it is 12 years feels like yesterday and the handsome young man that you have turned into is really amazing because my eyes have seen you changing from that infant to this young man Rahi, that you are today.

Your naïve nature and innocence have always worried me because I always feel you are in a dream world and it is true that you’re a dreamer as your stories are also related to a world which we all dream to be in. But the reality is much far from that and hence, sometimes I worry how you will cope-up with the insensitive world.

But this morning when you were telling me the incident that occurred in your class with your friend Mahnoor, where some kid was being naughty, and they were treating other kid like a slave and Mahnoor raised her concern with that kid as not to do but still he did. This made Mahnoor upset and hence she went to tell her teacher about it. Class Teacher took it as kid’s game, and she said if they are fine then you shouldn’t bother. This made Mahnoor feel sad and angry. You as a good and caring friend went to make her laugh and with your silly gesture she did laugh!

When I asked you why? what made you do so?, And your answer was that when Mahnoor gets angry she gets headache and she was holding her head, so I figured something is upsetting her.

No matter how insensitive this world may be my dear Rahi be who you are and never change. Because this is what we need more, and I am sure with your generation things will change.

Wishing you loads of love and wishes for your dreams to come true. The way every day you say, ‘I love you Mom’!, without any reason like a song, each time I thank for having you in my life. We only planned to have a baby, but we had no clue when you will be born and how you would be, but it happened to be on Women’s International Day – March 8^th and you a Feminist by nature what can I ask more!!!

Happy Birthday Son, enjoy and yes, eat less sweet hon!

~ Dawn

There is always some madness in love ...!

Love is a very beautiful word with a beautiful meaning, isn't it?

Whether the love is for your beloved, your parents, siblings, friends, animals, your children and so many more they differ in the sense the expression of each type of love can differ.

I remember when my daughter long back went for her science camp for 3 days and as usual I told her to enjoy this time. But she says I cried when she came back...! Well, even today she teases me for that and I make joke out of it that actually I cried because you came back!!!

"The moment we cry in a film is not when things are sad but when they turn out to be more beautiful than we expected them to be" ~ Alain de Botton

All that is fun and now after many years my son went for his science camp for 3 days. I have not let him go alone anywhere until this time. We never encouraged sleepover for our kids as parents. It's not that we don't understand that or know that kids enjoy but thinking of other issues we always avoided. Kids have done sleepover with friends where we as parents are also present there.

Hence, when my son was going for his science camp I had all the typical motherly worries, will he be able to find things out there, will he be able to manage himself etc..! But then I said well he has to manage no matter what because I can't go and help so why worry and get stressed!

"In order to move on, you must understand why you felt what you did and why you no longer need to feel it" ~ Mitch Albom

Though at home everyone missed him, we as parents and his sister but it was only our dog Reyna who actually expressed it by holding on to his clothes and sleeping on them.

He had left on Tuesday and today he came back. Me and my husband were waiting for the time and also the school notification about their arrival so we can go and pick him up.
The wait was done after couple of my meetings and then when I got the text message from my son's school, we both went to receive him.

I was really not sure how my reaction would be because I was normal and eager to see him and hear all his stories. The moment I saw my son's face in the middle of his other schoolmates, tears filled in... is this love? The moment he came to me and I hugged him I started crying more.

When they are far you miss them because you love them but when they are with you then? Then also it's an expression of love through tears conveying that, I missed you!

"There is nothing as powerful as mother's love, and nothing as healing as a child's soul"

~ Dawn

Until when is it called as discrimination?

Until when is it called as discrimination? These thoughts have been creeping in lately and the reason is my children.

As part of learning and sharing, I often discuss how things were when I was of their age and the main reason to share this with them is to give a glance of the era.

How things were different and yet we survived and how things have changed and we see how the generation is all about.

Definitely, we all agree with the change and the generation being much smarter than what we were. At least, there is more awareness and technology that is a big blessing.

The other day I was telling about how I was helping mom in the kitchen even when I am in 10^th grade and how the responsibilities increased from there. When I walk-thru a day’s chores that I used to do besides my studies and games, my 9-year-old son starts sharing his feedback. He said, mom whenever you tell about how you were told to do things by your mom I feel your story is just like the Cinderella ... the very thought and his expression always brings a big laugh for me.

Imagine, our elder’s instructions were taken with all due respect and we used to do it but today? Those are seen to be as rude or bully.

The other day I was telling my daughter how we managed our studies and helping in the house and it was not a weekend job but it was something we grew up with because that’s how life is going to be even when we are out of our student life.

My daughter immediately starts with her gender discrimination statement. Mom, even he should be doing things at home. The point of learning and taking responsibility stands on the side and a new topic started with gender discrimination.

I explained how her brother will be slowly pulled into this as he also needs to learn and be independent no matter what gender he is, or who is his partner in life, one has to do their part and not to be dependent on anyone.

As I was saying this I also started thinking about my time... yes, I remember when I was a kid my elder brother used to do chores at home, he used to make tea for parents and boil the milk which was a tradition those days. But as we grew up things changed and yes I wondered that’s so true things changed.

My parents never discriminated but I guess my mom was more worried to make me independent than my brother because she might have thought he will be home and she can manage it for him.

Yes so far I was not thinking of anything like that in fact I felt proud that I was able to help my mom with her daily chores but todays kids are putting these discrimination thoughts in mind that why didn’t your brother helped in the kitchen?

Sometimes awareness can take you to that crossroad where you wonder :)

Dawn