HATS OFF MOM ON 80 ROCK-SOLID YEARS















Pic.: Vivek D'Cunha


“Ever since I was born, there's been one person who has fed me, loved me, taken care of me and mostly guided me. It's you – my one-and-only granny!  And, today is your 80th birthday…  Happy birthday Mai… I miss you loads. Come back soon. Much love. Muwahhhhh!”

Well, the grandson, who is saying “I miss you… Come back soon” and who is blowing his ‘Muwahhhh’, is my 22-year-old nephew, Sherwin, who lives in Mangalore. You can see him in the picture with his dashing granny, my mom!

She turns 80 today. She has gone to Kuwait, my bother Rony’s place, on a holiday. I called, a while ago, to wish her… and learnt that they were in church. So, I am yet to say to her, “Happy b’day mom.”

This Post is for all my young nephews and nieces. When we, the five sons of our mom, were of the age of our nephews and nieces, our mom was young – in her early forties. She was energetic, optimistic, hardworking (back-breaking is appropriate), trusting, accommodating, sacrificing, patient, tolerating, brutally honest, simple and loving… She was a born ‘giver’… and efficient organizer… an adorable host… an utterly faithful wife, Pious… an all-merciful and protective mother…

And, now at 80?

The energy is sagging, the body is wrinkled… But, the back is still strong enough to carry the load… It may sound harsh; she does carry that for her sons, their wives, and grand children!

Mom is a great believer. Yes, in her sons and their children. To me, personally, the very thought that my mom believes in me is enough to fire me with courage!

I learnt how to bear the burden in life happily – from my mom…

I learnt how to walk the extra-mile in life – from my mom…

I learnt to forgive and forget in life – from my mom…

I learnt to survive in life with bare minimum… stay hungry and walk for miles, if needed – from my mom…

I learnt how to be a great host and how to organize events (with literally nothing in your possession but a large, happy heart!) – from my mom…

I learnt to be religiously grounded – from my mom… Nobody taught me the meaning, value and depth of Lord’s Prayer, ‘Our Father’ - particularly, the phrase ‘Give us our daily bread’ – as amazingly as my mom did…

I learnt to say the most sincere ‘thank you’, ‘I am sorry’, ‘It is okay’ and ‘Have mercy on me’ – from my mom…

I learnt to think about the little-ones at home, while having food outside – from my mom…

I learnt the meaning of the phrase ‘Rainy Days’… from my mom…

I learnt be conscious of my clay feet, the glass house, the log in my eyes… yes never to judge others -  from my mom…

The money that her sons give her, she saves carefully… It comes back to them when they need it the most!

Today, we may need a Face book or someone to remind us about our near and dear ones’ important days. A b’day, an anniversary etc… But, mom remembers everyone’s… her children’s, their wives’ and children’s… everyone’s!


So, Sherwin and all my dear nephews and nieces… thank-you for keeping mom – your granny – young and dashing. Just remember one thing: granny did not go to any school to learn how to be a great mother, wife, grandmother or mother-in-law. Nor do we need to go to a school to learn how to be a great son, daughter, grandson or grand daughter and a daughter-in-law. And, this, too: how to be simple and graceful in life as she could be!

A ‘I miss you’, ‘I love you’, ‘Come back soon’… and a big ‘Muwahaaaa’ from me as well!

“Hats off, mom!” on 80 rock-solid years!


GERALD D’CUNHA



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