Monday, January 14, 2008

Happy birthday Amma..


I have been saying this every year on this day to you…although I always have felt that your birthday was the least celebrated among all of us…Even this year when I though of buying a nice birthday gift, you wouldnt allow me to buy anything more than a microwave plate..

It doesn’t make much sense to thank your mom just like that coz just a thanks doesn’t suffice the gratitude and love any child has..It looks very clichĂ©d if I would say that you are the best mom in the world…I think every son or daughter feels the same..But I must thank you for these which I cant probably tell in your presence ..

For bringing us up sacrificing the best times of your life living frugally so that we had a home of our own by the time we grew up..

Learning trigonometry even though you were a English teacher.. so that you could teach me when my grades in math were abysmally low…You were as sleeply as me when I tried to learn it from you.

Teaching me how to cook so that I wouldn’t struggle when I stayed alone..I might have cribbed going to the kitchen back then..But I am simply loving it now..Appa insisted on washing our own plates and you used to grab it from my hands when I reached the kitchen..I realise how both of you loved us however differently it was..

Taking me to those painting competitions even though you were pretty tired most of the days after work..

Making bitter gourd fry for dinner although no one except me at home were really inclined to eating that..I felt special whenever you made that at home..

Taking me to for St Jude novena and instilling faith when I was probably sort of at crossroads in my life..I loved walking around St mary's church after that short prayer..Something which I would detest vehemently years before.

Teaching me its better to tell the truth than say another lie to cover up another…

For buying us whatever we asked for during that train trip to Karanja(Mumbai) when you got transferred..You probably were more sad than we to leave us back in Trivandrum…In the train ride back home I looked at my brother's face and we both knew how afraid we were thinking of you staying alone there..though we never said anything about it to each other..

I was 18 then but I felt really scared.

I admired you for visiting Binumon daily in the hospital and giving moral courage for his parents…You weren’t the typical hospital visitor who would drop by with a pack of apples…

For making my favourite chapatti aloo curry breakfast when it was much easier for you to buy a pack of elite bread and butter..and for serving the dinner before prayers whenever we were really hungry. Although Appa dint like it very much..

For not telling Appa that I was doing the crossword puzzle secretly though I was given strict orders not to open it before the exams..


I feel proud when I hear from old students in the school that you were one of the best teachers…Although you never taught me in school(though I dint want it for the awkwardness of being in such a class), I can understand why they say that…

I know you don’t do your medical check ups regularly because you think we will get upset knowing your fluctuating sugar levels…I knew you had to take care of us and Ammachi in spite of being a working woman and not in the best of health…I have made you upset several times esp when I was caught copying in school. .

Thank you for never hitting me when I was bad..

You woke up at 4 in the morning , made breakfast and lunch and reached school at 8 to continue the battle there..

I grin when you advise me to wear proper winter clothes whenever I go out..Old habits never die..isnt..However old the child gets a Mom cant help not being the Mom...

I probably cant say more because it doesn’t seem to end as I write..

happy birthday Amma..

28 comments:

Anna said...

A very happy birthday to your amma!!Nice post.

Mishmash ! said...

Am sure this is the best gift ur amma has ever received !

Wishing her a very happy b'day and all the good health!

Shn

anN-series said...

Mommmieeee...I was remembering mum today wen another cooking attempt failed. Now reading this post has made me homesick all over again :~(
I guess all mothers are alike wen asked wat they want for a birthday gift...I ask my mum and everyear she says the same thing 'get good grades in class'..now that is a costly gift to give..Happy Birthday :~)

Unknown said...

hi mathew,i am first time here..while i was reading this post u made me to think more abt my mom too...Nice post..u r lucky in getting such a wonderful Amma..
Many Many Happy returns on her happy b'day!!

Anonymous said...

"Thanks" is such a small word to say to our parents fr all dat they have dne fr us ....but you made "thanks" sound worthy ....:))) .....Happy bday to your mom!!!

N A R I YA L C H U T N E Y said...

Mathew , A very Happy Birthday to your Amma :).My Dads Birthday is today and I saw your post as soon as I wished him :).

silverine said...

The greatest gift a mother or a parent can receive is this...that their kids remember or appreciate what they did with no thought of a thanks!

You just did that! Whatay wonderful birthday present!! I could almost visualize what you wrote!

A very happy Birthday to a truly deserving mom! God bless your mommy!

eljo said...

A very touching post! Its only when we grow up that we realize the extent of sacrifices our parents have made to provide us the very best in life. Here’s wishing your amma a very happy b’day. Hope that she has many many occasions to be proud of you & your bro.

Dhanya said...

A very happy birthday to your amma from me too.. It's always mama's boys and papa's girls.. I would suggest you to show her this article.. That would be the greatest b'day gift that she'll ever receive.. It was not long ago that I wrote a similar b'day wish to my dad (http://itsmyownspace.blogspot.com/2007/03/to-first-man-in-my-life.html).
But I never got the guts to show him that although I knew he would be happy.. But now it's too late.. :(

Still Searching said...

This is so nice! Hope you Mom is reading this! And I know what you mean when you say she doesnt get checkups done regularly because she's scared of the results.. same with my Mom...

Happy Birthday to your Amma! :)

Nanditha Prabhu said...

I guess while growing up we just take them for granted! but what you have given to her today might be the best gift ever! indeed she is lucky to have you for a son....as you are to have her for a mom! my birthday wishes and prayers to your amma!

ap said...

Such a beautiful present ....
Wishing your Mom a Very Happy Bday..

david santos said...

Guten Morgen, Mathew.

Good posting. Thank you.
Have a good day

Anonymous said...

Nice post. I always enjoy reading your posts...but this one was special...special enough to leave a comment ;-)
Even though i cannot relate to any of the things that u've thanked your mom for...but still...a mom is a mom...they're all same... very, very precious.
Wishing amma a long n happy n healthy life.
D

indianadoc said...

Mathew, wish your amma a healthy, long life...You brought in so many memories...Mothers are often the most unrecognised, most taken for granted person in our life...I often wonder whether I would be able to match her selflessness and sacrifice once I become a mother myself...I dont know...I just hope I do...

Prasoon said...

This was sweet. I hope she had a wonderful day!

J said...

How sweet! There's so much we want to thank our mothers for but we never get around telling them directly, especially if we know that the ganga-yamuna will start flowing after the first two lines itself :) yeah, old habits die hard...Happy b'day to your mum!

jj said...

belated b'day wishes to your mom.
Just today I was arguing with mom on how I ve grown up and that she needn't worry so much about me, i can take care of myself blah..blah,,. but your lines..

"however old the child gets a mom can t help not being the mom"
made me think twice!
wonderful post !!this could be the best birthday gift you could ever give your mom!

VIDYA said...

:) :) Belated Happy bday 2 ur amma.

Its when we are away from our parents that we really miss them a lot, and think of the things they have done for us over the ages.

your post was really beautiful.

mathew said...

Collapse comments

@all
Sorry for late replies..i had to work in office..though very uncharacteristic of me!!;-P

@Annu
Thanks for dropping by…

@Mishmash
Thank you..

@Annu
Thank god she never asked me that for a gift..i would have struggled mightily..

@chitra
Thanks for dropping by..yeah I feel very proud of that..

@Nimmi
:-)

@Nariyal chutney
Convey my wishes to him as well..hope you made it special..

@Anju
Exactly..the greatness of them is that they don’t really consider it great enough..

@manju
Thank you…

@Dhanya
I never felt that..maybe coz I don’t have a sister..

@Still searching
I think there are many out there like that..

@Nanditha
Thanks a lot..

@AP
Thanks a lot..

@D
Glad that you drop by here..everyone relates but maybe in different ways..:-)

@indianadoc
Everyone thinks along same line..maybe our mothers thought they wouldn’t match up to our grandparents..but finally all are good as good as anyone..

@Prasoon
Thanks a lot dude..

@Jyothsna
Hehehe…athe athe..for me its more a barrier issue..

@Jo
Thanks for dropping by.. and yeah however u try hard to convince them, they perceive it as their right!!

@Vidya
Thank you..

@Anonymous
If you felt gratified after writing those comments am happy for you….i don’t perceive it as a talent to have remarkable knowledge of expletives..I myself know enough to give exactly what you gave me..But then I don’t want to be like you..

How do we know said...

if i could write so well for my amma, she would be a lucky woman! Who knows, one day i might, but this post will stay with me a long, long time. Thank you Mathew!

jj said...

by any chance, was your mom an eng teacher in kv pattom? ms.lily luke?
it jus struck me after readin few of your posts..

mathew said...

@how do we know
thank you..and ofcoz anyone would have as many things to say abt moms..

@Jo
wow..that is some amazing guess you have made..considering i have never mentioned that anywhere in this blog..so were you taught anytime by her..??

jj said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
jj said...

yup :).. ..class 6, way back in 98 or so ..Her daily task is something that actually initiated me into writing....
so, being an amazing mom..she was an awesome teacher too.She used to encourage me a lot.on a personal note..one of my best teachers in KVP

Alameen said...

belate birthday wishes to ur mom...

I saw ur name in many blogrolls.. But never knew that u write in such a beautiful way.

after reading this, i feel like talking to my mom...

never stop writing...
Cheers
Al

Alexis said...

That was a nice Birthday present for your mom. Great piece of writing and that too straight from the heart. I am sure that she is really proud of you. We all are :-)

My belated birthday wishes to your mom. Convey my regards to her...

mathew said...

@Jo
:-)

@alameen
thank you!!

@Alexis
glad to see you back..missing your post..would love to see the Alexis in full throttle again.. :-)