Priceless and Invaluable

My mom is a magician. I can watch a recipe video or have her send me an email with step by step instructions and still not get it right. But, if I watch her cook the recipe one time - I get it. The magic is in the tiny nuances passed from generation to generation - like soaking the tamarind in water and using the juice instead of tamarind paste. Or how mixing the spices in oil first and then adding vegetables makes them tastier. The experience contained in the vessel that I know as my mom is priceless.

My mom is the epitome of love. My niece is one year old, and she does not understand words, but she lights up when she hears/sees my mom. And other people do not have the same effect on my niece. And when I observed my mom, I realized that my niece is THE MOST PERFECT child in the entire universe for my mom. She is perfect the way she is, and my mom can express this without saying a single word. I feel blessed to have had the same experience as a child. And it has helped me see that it is possible to love somebody without wanting or needing anything from them. To be loved as you are is the greatest gift one can receive. To be accepted as you are - flaws, warts, temper tantrums, and all are priceless.

My mom is patient. Her ability to tolerate and compromise is a strength that took me years to understand. As a young child, I would see my mom as a housewife, mother, and daughter-in-law and wonder how she could be satisfied? And it was only after I had experienced working in corporate, travelling all the world, marrying for love that inner peace is not dependent on external factors. It comes from within. My mom knew that being happy with what you have is true happiness at a young age. Having seen her role model this for me is priceless.

My mom is caring. Moms are a different species than dads. I remember the one time I had chickenpox - she stayed with me night after night soothing me with neem leaves without a single complaint. When I had a fever, she would make me my favourite dishes or coax me to drink the medicine. And my dad's answer to any of my complaints is - 'Go to bed. It will be fine in the morning.' That's why when things are not going well in my life, I need my mom. The care my mom has for her kids is priceless.

My mom will do anything for her kids. When we were young, we moved from the south of India to the north. And it is a complete culture change in terms of language, weather, food, dress. And my mom learnt the language so that she could teach my brother and me. She learnt how to cook the food of that region because we demanded to eat it. She learnt the festivals and rituals so that we did not feel left out. The way my mom worked miracles is priceless.

As a girl child, I was a trial to my mom. I rebelled at the thought of cooking, marriage. I thought my dad was cooler because my mom stayed at home. I fought with her over her dress choices for me. I sulked when she forced me to eat something healthy. I took my frustrations at her when things did not go my way. I did things like going abroad, marrying a foreigner, which tested her limits of what was possible. But, all through these, I knew my mom was there for me and loved me. This knowledge is priceless.

Now that I am a married woman and a dog-mommy, I realize how great my mom is even more. My appreciation for the woman who is my mom and all moms in the world never ceases to amaze me. Even the words in this post fail to do justice to how Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (meaning - all that is grand, great, glorious, splendid, superb, wonderful) my mom is.