An open letter to my mother

By: Dayananda Thiyam
As we all know how much a mother loves taking care of their children. We did not grow up knowing all the things that we know today. Right from the moment a child comes out of the mother’s womb, he is given the highest care to lead them to a good path where they will be a good person in the future. Today, let me take the opportunity of this article and share the relationship that a mother and her child has – from my own perspective. I think my story can relate with a lot of my readers because this is something that I went through.
Before I continue, I would like to write something for those without the love of their mother by choice or by grace. I know what I am about to write might make some of you feel bad but trust me – it has a happy ending. Most of those who have a mother go into the concept of ideology that they only have one mother because their loving mother is alive. But for those who have lost their mother, all the mothers in the world can be your mother. A mother is not only the one who is blood related to you but those who love and take care of you wholeheartedly.
When I was writing this article, a question came to my mind. That question kept distracting me. I tried really hard to find the answer to that question but all in vain. Should the mother have to take care of their children until she gets old or till the point she leaves for heaven? This is the question I am struggling to find the answer to.
The role of a mother is very large and could not be compared to anything in this world. When I was a teenager, I felt very annoyed with my mother for carrying about me so much. It even sometimes makes me feel very chained. But now, I have realized the value of caring from my mother. I know how to say this but – that carrying from my mother evolves into love and then finally it goes way inside my heart. I still remember my mother took me hand in hand for the first day of school. Funny how small I was – holding the big hand or rather the fingers of my mother, scared of crossing the road, scared of seeing the fast vehicles, mixed emotions all over. I was also thinking how my teacher would be – will she be like my mother? Funny me.
Coming back to the relationship between me and my mother, I don’t usually keep any secrets from my mother. Honestly – we are more like friends. Funny but – I even share stories of relationships. You know what! When I share all this with my mother, it gives my mother a high chance or a clear idea of who I am, so that when I go down a wrong path she can always correct me. I know – I have also seen some of my friends who don’t really share anything with their parents. You know why they are not sharing anything? Maybe because they are afraid that their parents might think they are bad or that they are below their expectations.
In 20 years of my human experience on this planet earth, I have seen that there is a high chance that those who don’t share much with their parents always end up falling in the wrong path of life. Sadly, I have close friends who now have started using drugs just because of not being open to their parents. With all the things that I am sharing with you all today, I am not suggesting that you should be open to your parents and parents should also allow anything that their children say. But all that I am putting is, it gives a chance to rectify some mistakes.
I would not carry on, let me end here. Love your mother, or parents in common – just be friends with them because they also want to be friends with you. Just share anything with them, they will never judge you.
(The writer is an ex-student of Herbert School Changangei, Imphal West.)