Oh! Mother what are you? To define is to limit.

What could I write more in this context for which much have already said and written? Mother! In dictionary, an ordinary noun but for me an immensely profound adjective. Literal meaning, a woman in relation to a child or children to whom she has given birth or in case of adoption; who brings up a child with care and affection, looks after kindly and protectively, sometimes excessively so.

  

 

Anyone can be a mother, but it takes a special person to be a mom, because a mother is not just the one who gives us life but also the one who takes “care” in all manners in order to teach us how to live. Mother is someone who knows all our mistakes and differences and still thinks we are absolutely amazing and sticks to us. They say God cannot be with us everywhere all the time and so He bestowed us with the gift of “Mother.”

     

“Mother may be educated or not but she is the best teacher from whom we can learn how to show CARE and AFFECTION.”

Mother- A day falls short for your praise, but as they said, Happy Mother's Day!

I love my Mumma and am sure we all love our mothers.

When we think of a “Mother”, we either perceive an image of a conventional mother (our mother) or somewhere try to picture an ideal woman. One of the best exemplar would be ‘Mother Teresa.’ Indeed she did justice with the noun.

 

“It is not how much we give but how much LOVE and CARE we put into giving.”

Also, we have ample of documentaries, movies, poems, books and songs dedicated to Mother, all in and for female forms. However, I feel the word being exclusively feminine should not compulsorily draw attention to the female category alone. As I perceive, it purely means a being that devote enough love and care for another being in all respect. Based on the concept, “Let the beauty of what you love be what you do” and I believe whomsoever reflects this quality, is a Mother and not essentially a female in general i.e. a “Mother” could be anyone (who cares enough) and not necessarily an ideal one.

A single father (is a mother) who looks after his child with all love and care so that he can fill the void of his child’s mother.

An elder brother or sister, who cares enough for one’s sibling(s) and cares least for oneself at times, is a mother.

      

A servant or maid is a mother, who selflessly spares more time with his or her employer’s child because the “actual parents” are “busy enough” to give proper attention to the child.

A friend can be a mother who takes care of us when we pass out after drinks, fall sick, go out of cash, commit all sort of blunders or cooks for us when we miss home and support us in all our endeavours no matter what the circumstances.

 

A teacher is a mother at school, who takes care of the students as his or her own children. It’s easy to love one’s child and bear his or her tantrums but hardly can bear other’s. On the other hand a teacher not only tolerates all kind of tantrums of the students but also teaches them valuable lessons of life. Make them aware of their potentials and talents and shape them into better human beings.

 
 

The person, who rescued a dog from a burning house or sheltered stray animals, feeds them and takes care of them, is a mother.

 

    

Mother Nature is a common personification of nature that focuses on the life-giving and nurturing aspects of nature by embodying it in the form of the Mother.

Although the place of a ‘real mother’ is irreplaceable, yet we must treasure the qualities of mother in any appearance possible.

Let me share a couple of incidents I witnessed in my life where I could actually comprehend that a Mother is not just the special woman we have in our lives but any being who loves and cares another being, selflessly.

I hold strong faith in Sai Nath (also known as Miracle God of Shirdi) and often visit His temple in my vicinity. Just outside the temple, sits there an old indigent lady abandoned by her real son. She lingers in shabby clothes and unkempt hair, weak enough to stand and walk properly. She is always surrounded by a pack of street dogs; she loves them, shares her water and feeds them with whatever hand outs she receives from people who passes her by. Dogs in return are too loyal to her, never leave her alone and bark fiercely on people who try to ill-treat her. Watching them my eyes get moist and I see a mother in her who is compassionate to her faithful dogs.

 

“Do not judge by appearances, a rich heart may be under a poor coat.”

Another occurrence, where one day while enjoying my evening stroll I noticed a limping puppy stuck on the corner of the road, was accompanied by two cows; one of them was licking the wounded limb of the pup and taking care of it while the other cow was standing in defence as in not allowing anyone or anything to harm the pup. The motherly scene was heart-warming where two different creatures were connected with the feeling of care. When I look into the eyes of an animal, I don’t see an animal. I see a living being. I see a soul. I always feel animals are much more solicitous than human.

   

 

Unfortunate are those who lack a caring soul in their lives or neglect the one they are bestowed with and maltreat them.

If you can’t be grateful to them (mother in any form) then there’s no need to be bad with them either. Fortunate are those who have a mother or a motherly presence and cherish it and take care of them in return.

Fools are those who search God in temples, mosques, churches etc. and are unable to see God in every motherly figure around.

What is heaven and does it exist? I maintain that heaven is the happiness of being able to love and care and yes it dwells in every mother.

“Main mangoon kya khuda se jannat apne liye,
  Meri Maa hayaat rahe mere liye yahi kaafi hai.”

 English Translation:

“Oh! God what heaven should I ask from you..

  Existence of my Mother is enough for me!”

Let us pay our sincere tribute to the mother (in all forms) in our lives who made this earth a better place to live in. Hope we too can become one like them because at the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.” Hope that we too can become compassionate enough to be a Mother! Amen.

*Anamika Sen (Ani)*