I am very proud that I am like you and I was born to you,
I am proud that you are my mother and my mentor,
you are the woman who has touched my heart since I was a baby,
even now when I wake up from dark dreams, thinking of you comforts me.
I remember my early childhood days in Chennai,
when you would teach me maths, science, Hindi and English,
patiently correcting the million mistakes I would make,
never losing your temper for even a minute,
always smiling and always ready to teach me once more.
I remember the days when you used to take me to movies,
sometimes even buying tickets in black so that I would be happy,
I remember you coming home from office everyday,
with a pastry for your son from the nearby bakery,
not missing out on that even on a single day.
When I passed the IIT entrance examination,
you proudly announced it to all our family and friends.
I felt wonderful that for once you and appa,
were so proud of their irascible son,
who was so difficult to manage.
Every time I try to tell you what you mean to me,
how much I love you and how well you have taken care of me,
during my long bouts of illness when darkness enveloped my life,
you just brush it aside with a shrug of your shoulders and tell me,
that you just did what every mother would do for her child.
There have been times when I have made you feel very bad,
yelling at you because of my beastly temper which I could never control,
you always tolerated it and folded me in your comforting arms.
When I cried in dejection and faced failure at every front,
it was you, my dear amma, who held my hand and consoled me.
I remember our trips to interviews for years and years,
I would finish the interview and during our return journey by train,
I would go to a different compartment and smoke cigarettes,
and you would wait for a long time and then come to check on me,
fool that I was, I would show my wrath on you.
There have been times when I have been an angry son,
who failed to listen to you and defied your wise words,
but every time I came back to you with my tail between my legs,
you have embraced me warmly and welcomed me with open arms,
and helped me pick up the threads of my shattered life.
Amma, when you had to be operated upon,
you did not tell me because you felt I would get distracted,
there were none of us to take you to the hospital,
brave woman that you are, you went alone and got admitted in the hospital,
when I found out about that I was very distraught and angry.
Amma, there is no one like you and there never shall be,
you are one wonderful woman and the backbone of our family,
I love you and wish that in every birth of mine,
I am born to you as your son and to no one else,
Amma I love you and I always shall.
Now finally on a lighter vein oh my wonderful dummie,
have a very very happy and wonderful birthday,
may you live long and be on my side forever,
oh my sweet amma, I love you and I shall do so forever.
No words to express whats going on in my heart after reading this….Mothers are superbly amazing….Jay …this is really touching……Whole hearted birthday wishes to Your lovely Sweet brave Amma…. Happy Birth day and Stay blessed 🙂
Wow! This is so moving…I can feel the emotions in your words…such a beautiful dedication on her birthday! You must read it to her! She would be so proud!!
Mothers are such wonderful souls…they are always governed by unconditional love!!! My mother is my heart and soul and I wouldn't be where I am without her! But that said I have seen and heard instances where mothers can be otherwise and that's so heart-wrenching! We lucky ones perhaps take it for granted!!! A heartfelt birthday wishes to your amma!
Sweet and poignant tribute to dear Amma!
Maamaji this is such a beautiful poem about Paati!! So moving and touching and truly celebrates her as the amazing woman that she is :)) xx
Such a warm and glowing tribute. Your mother must be proud of you. And your father too. Many more happy returns of the day to auntie …