Mothers, Day special from the heart

Parting  blessings to the family.

A mother is she who can take place of every one else but whose place no one else can take. She is not an individual,she is an institution who runs life . She does not give love,she is love personified ,the source of energy that sustains family .
I do not remember my mother ever kissing ,hugging or verbalizing her love for us as she had no time for that . She poured out love in all that she did from early morning which engaged her all the time she had ,be it milching cattle,churning curd,cooking , serving,upkeep of the house ,looking after everyones needs, till she went to bed at night .
We had a cow n a buffalo till she lived who would not allow anyone to touch them except her for the love of her touch . Her love encompassed each n every living being who crossed her life ,be it family,relatives,friends,strangers, helpers or animals - she loved all n all loved her.I saw tears welling out her eyes when she received n replied letters from/to my brothers or cousins . Our house was always bubbling with energy n activity n she could be seen running about all smiles thru out the day; but every night when everyone slept she would cover herself with a sheet in a meditative posture n I would watch tears flowing from her eyes ,though I feigned to sleep.Perhaps that was the time to share life's reality with the creator n seek strength n energy to move on.
For me her care included special attention when I would be unwell,preparation of some special dish when I would not eat what was meant for all,appreciation of whatever little work I would do to help her,ordering a special dress for me during one of my serious illnesses n carrying me in that dress to see Dussehra in pram as I was too weak to walk. Sometimes I feel May be I felt sick often just to seek her attention n to be near her.
Once she sent me (I was just eight years) with my younger siblings to a fair with a neighborhood family n gave a rupee (a rupee in those days had lot of value) to buy whatever my siblings desired,I bought them whatever they asked for n on return gave back the remaining fifty paise to her . She asked me why I did not buy anything for myself ,when I told her that I did not need anything ,tears that flowed from her eyes are my prized possession till date.
In class eight we used to have early classes for Board's Exams , a boy started stalking me to n fro the school ,I was extremely scared n did not know to deal with the situation ,could not share with anyone apprehending misunderstanding about myself. I suffered the trauma for a fortnight but as a keen observer she hugged me n questioned me one day on my return from school as to what was bothering me, I cried n told everything.She encouraged me to face the situation boldly n strongly telling me that all wrong doers are cowards n run away when confronted n never be scared of anyone under any situation. Next day I confronted the idiot with my shoe ,shouting at the top of my voice giving him a piece of my mind ; the way he ran for his life emboldened me to face life courageously .That is what a mother does.
The values she instills are ur valuable assets in life . Who teaches us love,honesty,integrity,trust,goodness,truthfulness,perseverance,compassion,kindness,sharing, justice ,high aspirations,sacrifice ,justice,faith in self ,life n systems ?
Her untimely demise shook the family ,leaving us broken n shaken ,all of us tried to connect the broken threads n move forward in life.We were taught the most difficult lessons by life - pain of impermanence
,disease ,loss of a dear one n acceptance of events as they occur at an early stage . Ur needs of life can be met but no body can fill the vacuum a mother 's absence creates.
We see in films that a mother visits the craving child in dream when there is desperate need . I experienced it personally . When I took up my job ,I was sharing an apartment with a colleague. Once I fell seriously ill with influenza ,was running high temperature ,remained bed ridden for days with no one to look after or care . Bread n tea was the only food available for days with heavy antibiotics n medication. My colleague would leave me locked the whole day till she came back . I was too weak even to cry n craved to have simple home made food . It was then that my mother came in my dream for the first time since her death; bringing a plate with hot moong dal n a hot fresh chapati prepared by her,took me in her lap n fed me with her hands . My hunger had been satisfied ,I felt healed n happy.It was such a fulfilling treat for my sick soul n body which is as fresh to me today as it was on that day. I still do not believe it was a dream ,There can be no truth more than this truth.
That is a Mother -she has the Earth,the sky, the ocean n the universe in herself, the Presence that delights n inspires.