Today,
March 8, is International Women’s Day. Themes, awards, cultural programs
and many such events are being organized around the world to pay tribute to the
spirit of womanhood. Here is my tribute to the most important women in my life.
They are the ones who have been instrumental in helping me reach where I am and
who, I know, will be there for me, in my times of need.
My Guiding Angel
As a Jewish Proverb goes – ‘God
could not be everywhere and therefore He made mothers’. It is
common knowledge that a mother is synonymous with unconditional love &
forgiveness and unlimited caring. My mother is no different.
Decades ago, she brought me into this world and since then, she
has been my guiding light and will always remain so. Her adept hand has always
helped me navigate through the highs and lows of life, letting me go and enjoy
the crests and pushing me to gather strength and face the troughs. While love
has been in abundance, periodic admonishment has taught me the difference
between the right and the wrong, the acceptable and the unaccepted and if that
alone would not be enough for me to understand, her follow up tears drove the
concept well and truly for the guilt of making her feel pained is something
that I can never forgive myself for. The superhumanly act of handling multiple
tasks simultaneously, which all women are adept at, she is an expert of. The
efficiency in dealing with dad and my schedules every morning that my mom
displayed is a lesson that no professional institute can make you an expert at.
Managing the limited resources and yet meeting all family needs and occasional
surprise family outings is an amazing tact that only she could display. The
subtle lessons that she has given me on behavior, respect for elders, love for
mankind, honesty, modesty and other such fine arts have all helped me define
myself as an individual, accepted, loved and respected by the society I live
in.
The learning that I have got from you, mom, I shall always
remember and remain indebted for. I have always strived and will continue doing
so to follow the path of goodness that you have guided me on and hope to be
able to pass it on to the next generation.
My Better Half
“Happy is the man who finds a true friend, and far happier is he
who finds that true friend in his wife” – Franz Schubert. I have
never met Franz Schubert still he has captured my feelings so well in the quote
above. Amazing, isn’t it?
Well, do I need to say anything more about my soul-mate? A mixed
bag of emotions and practicality, simplicity and complexity, a vibrant smile
and a short fuse, her presence makes the life interesting. The spirit of not
giving up that she lectures me on when I feel low is what keeps me going.
Although, the same spirit also means that I am the one who has to back out of
the arguments between us but, thankfully, those are far and few. A wonderful
cook that she is creates a problem for me with my tendency towards gaining
weight. Her trait of remaining positive and pushing me to follow the same has
helped me sail through many a storms and I sure owe it to her.
To you, my partner, I can never thank you enough for being my best
friend and my support system that keeps me going. While I may not have all the
qualities that you may have looked for in your partner, I know for sure that I
love you and will strive to keep you happy by going that extra mile when
required.
Sister – A Friend
It is said that ‘A sister is a friend, forever’.
In my case, she is more than a friend. The difference of almost a decade puts
me on a pedestal that is more than just an elder brother. And this was always
drilled in my mind by all elders, particularly so when the two of us fought.
“Don’t you feel ashamed fighting with her when you are so much older than her?”
Admonished, I was, still the squabbles continued, often.
Dad’s darling, like all daughters are, she has followed her mind
and heart, almost independently. Never liked being dictated and mostly took own
decisions, not getting influenced by anyone else’s opinions. And she continues
doing so. A tough personality with a loving heart she chooses the course of her
life as she feels like. Independence, though, does not mean insensitivity.
While she may not believe in saying it, the love and care that she has for
family and friends is unmistakable. Days may go by without talking to her but I
know that she is there, just a phone call away. It is indeed a blessing to have
a sister like her.
To you sister, all that I can say is that I pray to The Almighty
that you enjoy your life to the fullest and no trouble ever come near you.
Family's Darling
She is the Most Important woman (more appropriately, woman-to-be)
in our lives. Our bundle of joy, our lifeline, the youngest and the liveliest
member of the family, she is my darling daughter. Our lives revolve around her.
Raising her has taken me and my wife back to our childhood and also to the
realization of how our parents felt while raising us. Of course, there is a
huge difference between then and now in terms of the available resources,
influencers, atmosphere and even thinking and attitude, the experiences that we
go through each day are unique, mostly pleasurable, some irritating, yet all
unforgettable. For you my kiddo, I pray to God to help us guide you on the
right path of learning so that you grow up into a wonderful, responsible and
respected woman.
To all these women in my life, here's wishing you a Happy Women's Day and a BIG thank you for being
integral parts of my life and making my life complete. I feel blessed with all
of you around. You all are indispensable and should there ever be a time when
you feel the need, you can always count on me to be with you to share any
burden that you may have to bear.
May God be with us all!
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