Time with her on “Mothers Day”

By Samiya Anwar

To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power.

A guardian angel gifted by god, one who takes care of everything from tree to pod, who taught speech when we could hardly speak with syrup of affection and love, she taught what life is. Her scolding, her chide, contained with love she could barely hide. In failure her faith makes us strong, she cannot be replaced, she is full of grace. She is next to God, really. She is the most precious gift given to us. She is mother.

With mother’s day (Sunday May 10th) right around the corner, there are billions of people wondering how to make it special because this is the day to celebrate, to show love and appreciation to mothers. It is not a festival but occasion, an opportunity to do something, something for the one who is reason of our smile, for our lives. She not only carries us in womb for nine months, but loves unconditionally. There is no limit to her love. Nothing there is in the world that gives you joy of mothers love, the grace of mothers care and a world in mother’s eyes.

What special thing can you give her? She is special indeed. Mothers have a special capacity to love and to give of themselves. They never expects, they only knows “to give” whether it is just a small hug or their precious time, they always gives off everything. Isn’t so? Yes. They are special and only the mothers have that special skill of making things special in life. They turn a sad day into happy. Our holidays and birthdays are made more memorable because of the things they plan and do. They know just the right presents to buy for us. They know how to make us happy. They add their touch of love to everything they do. So it is really hard for any child to give something in return to mothers who don’t expect anything. It is in their very nature. Still we want to show some appreciation in the form a gift to the most loving person on our lives. There is no better way to show mom that you care than giving her a memorable gift that she will cherish forever, we all think. Right!

And most of the countries have already started feeling the air of this special occasion. Billions of people are excited. But I am not. They must be thinking to buy a gift, to take mother on shopping, etc, not me. It is not that I am cutting down expenses with recession hit round the globe; I just want “to appreciate”, “to talk” and I wish “to spend time” with her. But I don’t really have it. In a quarter months I would fly to Australia living her behind in India. It is fortune and I have to be away from her. So it’s ok, I am not just happy for this event, I am sad too because it’s going to be my last Mothers Day with her celebrating in the family I am really gonna miss her and don’t really know how will I be leaving without her. Only a few hours with Mom is all it takes to make her feel loved and special. She will love it.

So don’t think of money or budget. Stop pondering what mom should I take for mom? What she will really like it? Is this good for her? She I take her to this place or that? Will this be she liking? Enough, you can give her something without purchase. Something which has in no shop, give her “your time”.

What you can do on Mother’s Day?

- Pray for your mother (if dead or alive, it is important)
- Surprise her with your visit (if not staying together)
- Send her an e-card or wall-paper of flowers (it doesn’t cost you)
- Switch of your cell-phones and shun all appointments with friends and colleagues
- Talk to your mother about your lives, dreams and goals
- Let the mother speak her mind
- Watch a favorite movie together or read a book (she will like it)
- Cook her favorite food instead of taking her outside (she will love it)
- Clean the house, help her in work.

These are the few ideas which moms will love and you don’t have to spend anything on expensive gifts from the markets. Money spent on your mother cannot replace time spent with her. At this time of economic slowdown, if you gift something pricy say chic cell phone, an electronic device, a diamond or gold jewelry, mothers aren’t gonna like it. They will never want there children to spend huge amounts on gifts. Mothers knows your financial bills, your use of credit cards, etc. “Mothers Day depresses me when I see my children spend money on gifts that I know they really can't afford” said Asiya mother of two children who loves to gift mom on the day special. But if I am not wrong nobody will really put forgo to the thought of not celebrating it or not doing something different for their mothers including myself.

So all the more, it will be nice if you could spend some time with them - something they don't "expect from their children now-a-days. Like Sheela Dixit, who didn’t see her son for last years when went US soon after studies and settled down there? Forget about the celebration, he doesn’t even greet his mothers on festivals. It is disappointing but true. The one gripe many moms share is that their kids don’t spend enough time with them.

For some “Mothers Day” is a big event, and for others it is morose, the children who lost their mothers at different ages of life miss them the most. It really touches me when my mother misses her mother (my grand mother) on seeing a movie of daughter-mother relationship or may be because the mother’s affection is in no other relation. Her love is countless and meaningful. Nobody can take her place. Her deep parental kindness in bringing us up and the hardships she has gone through will never be repaid as they are priceless. Her love is endless and indescribable!

Yet, what counts is you’re thought not any gift. If we spend few hours with our mother on this mother’s day it would the best thing we could give. The perfect idea of making a mom happy is “time with her”. Appreciate her and make her feel special. She needs our attention and love like we need hers. Happy Mothers Day all!