“Amma….uppu…..” ( Translation : Ma.. ..salt) Padma screamed
from the dining table. She started taking deep breaths as instructed by her
yoga teacher to control her seething anger. Her mother had prepared her
favourite upma for breakfast today as asked by her but like every time she had
forgotten to put salt in it.
“Forgot… "she sniggered “How can someone forget some basic things just
like that” Padma recollected her school days when her mother would forget to
put sugar in her milk sometimes making her irritated early in the morning.
Forgetting salt was perhaps the most common thing that she did regularly
otherwise every day there was something new forgotten.
She clearly remembered her 13th birthday when she wanted a
pink frock to celebrate the beginning of her teenage and her mother had conveniently
forgotten that aspect. She got her a lovely red dress for which Padma got
complimented a lot. But then it was not pink right… and only a teenage heart
knew the pain of not getting what it wanted. And the mother of all events was
when she had kept something on gas and had completely forgotten about it as she
went about doing the household work only to come back to a completely charred
vessel which was rendered useless thereafter.
 |
| Source: Google Images |
Initially till the time she was 10 Padma did not notice all this
closely. But since last couple of years she had began to notice it and it irked
her to see her father, who was a man particular about discipline, adore his
wife who could win the Ms. Forgetful title at the international level hands
down.
Padma had begun her journey as a teen and she now understood the
meaning of having a partner in life and the importance of being compatible. She
had just started forming an image in her mind of a person she would like to
have in her life and the first thing that she knew was he should not be
forgetful at all.
Seeing her mother rushing from the kitchen with the salt dabba in hand
brought Padma back from her reverie. She tried smiling meekly in response to
her mother’s “Sorry chitti…” along with a peck on her cheeks.
Dejectedly she got up from the table and joined her father in the
living room where he was reading the newspaper. “Dad… there is something I have
been wanting to ask you since long.. Please don’t mind my asking you but today
I want to know the answer.”
"Sure beta…” he replied folding the newspaper and keeping it away.
"Dad.. how on earth could you be with a person like Ma for so long. I
mean she is good but she is so forgetful and you are so meticulous about
things. Does not it get irritating at times to bear with her nature?” she
blurted out in one breath.
He smiled tenderly and replied “ Beta when we got married times were
different. We lived in joint families and there were daily instances of things
happening which could be easily called the onset of war. I was very skeptical
about this new entrant in my family especially because I also barely knew her.
But your mother with her nature had not only won hearts but had drowned the war
cries behind tinkling laughter. My mother had a very sharp tongue and a shrewd
nature but she with her forgetful nature barely remembered any insults. She
gave love and got in return, that made life simpler. Your mother taught me that
many times in life it is not only important to remember but also to forget
things. And as long as she remembered the real essence of life,which is to love
a little bit of less salt or sugar can be accommodated upon. What say?”
Padma was left smiling on listening to this as today her father had
helped her redefine love from the otherwise rosy image she carried of it.
P.S: This is for all those loving mothers who might not remember to add that extra dash of cream to milk, or that pinch of salt to food but never forget to love unconditionally! Happy Mother's Day <3
P.S: This is for all those loving mothers who might not remember to add that extra dash of cream to milk, or that pinch of salt to food but never forget to love unconditionally! Happy Mother's Day <3