Today on the eve of mother’s day, I felt, I should express my gratitude towards my parents. Knowing the fact that, no matter how much ever I thank them, it will just be a grain of sand in a big ocean, for the innumerable things they have done for me. Yet I am just making an attempt to thank them.
I am the youngest child to my parents. I was told; they wanted a girl child, so that is how I came into existence. Have two elder brothers. I consider myself fortunate enough to be born to this wonderful couple who have contributed in all possible ways for a good upbringing of me. Difficult to pen down all, so listing very few scenarios.
The environment at our house has acted as a catalyst, for me genuinely being interested in sports. My father is a carom champion and played table tennis, my eldest brother carom champion; second eldest brother was outstanding in football and basketball and now is a champion in badminton(he is the one to teach me to ride a two-wheeler too). All of them having won different prizes at different levels of competitions. (In short champion family). I grew up looking at them, at home we had a carom board and whenever they played I used to be limbu timbu 🙂 . Our dining table was where we played table tennis, by placing two steel glasses and a stick on top which was supposed to be the net. When I think of all that, it brings a smile on my face. Wonderful time spent together. A family that ate together, smiled together and played together.
When I was in first standard, my father decided to make me learn swimming. Initially I went with my brothers, in a well where I was thrown in the water by tying a tin behind my back (Wow what a feel) . Few months later, took coaching in Goa, when I went there for summer vacation. (My father was transferred to Goa so).
Finally, the full-fledged training I took in goaves swimming pool (Aquarius club). Workout, 3 hours per day. Cold water and hits from sticks of Umesh sir :). Somehow I used to try escaping and giving all possible reasons to avoid going for swimming. I even remember locking myself in bathroom so as to let the coaching time pass by. But my father was determined to make me learn swimming. Today when I enjoy in water and participate in competitions, I realize, if he had not forced me, I would never learn swimming. I still remember, every day when he picked me from swimming pool, he used to buy me a boiled egg from the small tupri, just outside the swimming pool gate (which is not there now).
My father made time to come and see my final matches of volleyball. He always used to get along something to eat (hence my friends also used to wait for him). Whenever we won, he used to treat me at Pranam hotel exactly opposite to globe theatre, on the way back home. It’s quite rare to see parents support a girl in sports and I was fortunate to get that support for every step in that direction. Each of my day used to start and end with them, I used to share all the day’s proceedings with them freely.
Coming to my mother, she took care of our health and fitness by preparing varieties of delicious dishes. The culture of going to hotel was very rare. My mother treated me like her third son, not forcing me to be in kitchen and all. She wanted me to study well and keep doing sports. She took care of us when Dad was not around. She has spent her whole life giving her children top priority. She gets to know about our moods just by a glance. Even today when I visit them, a sense of satisfaction that I get, when I see their cheerful faces on our arrival. If they are going out of station even for a day, that feeling of they drifting apart from me, i don’t like it. I feel that sense of moral support when they are within reach. They take care of all our likes and dislikes. Further, if we happen to share news about promotion, about receiving an award or any other achievement, my father gets sweets even before we reach home, a reason to celebrate “us”.
Also, there has been a time when I have hurt them the most by choosing a road less traveled by. Now being a mother of two daughters I can understand to what extent I hurt them. But by God’s grace, time has healed everything and I am very happy that they are with me standing firm, supporting me. I get to learn many things merely observing them, their unique way of love and care. The way they are active in this age also, I must say, if I decide to compete with them in the work they do, I am sure to fail.
They have been strict at times, but now I know the reason for that and the love hidden behind that strictness for us to be disciplined. There is a saying which goes “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”. I am lucky and fortunate to have such lovely parents whose actions speak louder than words when it comes to love and care for us and all their efforts to make us stand on our feet.
Love you Baba and Mummy.