To My Mom

Not long before January 9th, 2021, I asked myself, “What is the reason that I have been celebrating my birthday for the last 30 years?” Why had my mother been so enthusiastic all these years about preparing delectable foods for me on my birthday, without wanting anything in return? What did I return to my mother? as well as others. I recall bothering my mother for no apparent reason when I was a child. I honestly believe that the birthday celebrations should not have been for me, but rather for my mother, who has given me such a wonderful life.

Too often, we take things and people for granted because they are free or require little work. Mother is first on the list. We take Mother for granted, we take health for granted, we take peace of mind for granted, and finally, we don’t take care of all the free people and things we have with us and instead spend the best years of our lives running behind the expensive ones who can never give us complete happiness and satisfaction.

I’ve never seen God; the only face of God I know is my mother’s.

I agree that work is the most essential aspect of our lives, but so are family, health, and personal serenity. Every day since I moved out of my house for work till now, I have missed my mother. Of course, I have a wonderful wife and a lovely daughter, and I talk to my mother every day via video call, but the feeling of not being with her, of not being beside her, is difficult. Life can be difficult, and it is up to us to make decisions that are best for us and our families. I’m still trying to find a day to spend with my mother.

Finally, I want to dedicate this to my mother back in India. Amma, I can’t begin to describe how much I adore you and how often I miss you every day. Words cannot express my gratitude for the wonderful life you have given me.