Before I was a Mom

Before I was a Mom -

I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed.

I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a Mom -

I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot... words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -

I had never been puked on - Pooped on - Spit on - Chewed on, or Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind and My thoughts. I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom -

I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests...or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom -

I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small could affect my life

so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -

I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom -

I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

I had never known The warmth, The joy, The love, The heartache, The wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.:-)

Date with a Woman!!

After 21 years of Marriage, my Wife wanted me to take another Woman
out to Dinner and a Movie.

She said I Love You but I know this other Woman loves you too and would Love
to spend some Time with You.

The other Woman that my Wife wanted me to take out was my MOTHER who has been a Widow for 19 years,
but the demands of my Work and my three Children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That night I called to Invite her to go out for Dinner and a Movie.

'What's wrong, are you well,' she asked?

My Mother is the type of Woman who suspects that a Late Night Call or a Surprise Invitation is a sign of Bad News.

'I thought that it would be pleasant to be with you,'
I responded. 'Just the two of us'

She thought about it for a moment, and then said,
'I would like that very much.'

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit Nervous.
When I arrived at her House, I noticed that she too seemed to be Nervous about our Date.

She waited in the Door with her Shawl on.

She had set her Hair and was wearing the Dress that she had worn to Celebrate her last Wedding Anniversary.

She smiled from a face that was as Radiant as an Angel's.

'I told my Friends that I was going to go out with My Son, and they were impressed, '
She said, as she got into the Car.

'They can't wait to hear about our meeting'.

We went to a Restaurant that, although not Elegant, was very Nice and Cozy.

My Mother took my Arm as if She were the First Lady.

After we sat down, I had to read the Menu. Large Print.
Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting
there staring at me.
A Nostalgic Smile was on her Lips.

'It was I who used to have to Read the Menu when you were young,'

She said.

'Then it's Time that you Relax and let me Return the Favor,'

I responded.

During the Dinner, we had an Agreeable Conversation, nothing
Extra-ordinary, but catching up on recent Events of each others Life.

We talked so much that we missed the Movie.

As we arrived at her House later,

She said, 'I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.'

I agreed.

'How was your Dinner Date?' asked My Wife when I got Home.

'Very Nice. Much more so than I could have Imagined,' I answered.

A few days later, my Mother died of a Massive Heart Attack.

It happened so suddenly that I didn't have Time to do anything for her.
Some time later, I received an Envelope with a Copy of a Restaurant Receipt
From the same place Mother and I had dined.

An Attached Note Said:

'I paid this Bill in Advance.

I wasn't sure that I could be there;

But nevertheless, I paid for Two Plates 
One for You and the Other for Your Wife.

You will never know what that night meant to Me. 

I Love You,  My Son.'

At that moment, I understood the Importance of saying in Time:
'I LOVE YOU!'

and to give our Loved Ones the Time that they Deserve.

Nothing in Life is more important than God, your Family and friends.

Give them the Time they Deserve, because these Things cannot be
Put Off till 'Some Other Time.'

Pass This msg on...
To A Child,
To An Adult,
To  A Parent,
To a Friend
To your Mate or
Someone You care for...

Rescue at sea

I have a friend during Toastmasters journey - Mr. Ajit Dembla. He always posts beautiful stories in Google Buzz and I always add those stories to this blog. When I feel like reading my past blogs, I go through some of those and they gave me real joy. Here's one of those stories. Enjoy.

Years ago, in a small fishing village, a volunteer rescue team was formed to help in cases of emergency. One night the winds raged, the clouds burst and a gale force storm capsized a fishing boat at sea. Stranded and in trouble, the crew sent out an S.O.S. The captain of the rescue rowboat team sounded the alarm and the villagers assembled in the town square overlooking the bay. While the team fought their way through the wild waves, the villagers waited restlessly, holding lanterns to light the way back.

An hour later, the rescue boat reappeared and the cheering villagers ran to greet them. Falling exhausted on the sand, the volunteers reported that the rescue boat could not hold any more passengers and they had to leave one man behind. Even one more passenger would have capsized the rescue boat and all would have been lost.

Frantically, the captain called for another volunteer team to go after the lone survivor. Sixteen-year-old Hans stepped forward. His mother grabbed his arm, pleading, "Please don’t go. Your father died in a shipwreck 10 years ago and your older brother, Paul, has been lost at sea for three weeks. Hans, you are all I have left."

Illiterate mother / अनपढ़ माँ !!!

मेरी अनपढ़ माँ
वास्तव में अनपढ़ नहीं है
वह बातचीत के दौरान
पिताजी का
चेहरा पढ़ लेती है
काल-पात्र-स्थान के अनुरूप
बात की दिशा
मोड़ सकती है
झगड़े की सम्भावनाओं को
भाँप कर
कोई भी बात
ख़ूबसूरत मोड़ पर लाकर
छोड़ सकती है

My illiterate mother
is actually not illiterate.
During a conversation
She could always read
My father’s face
and assuming some tension
which could lead to some contention,
she could alter the direction of the
conversation.
Judging the time, place and person,
She could redirect everything
to a beautiful note.

दर्द होने पर
हल्दी के साथ दूध पिला
पूरे देह का पीड़ा को
मार देती है
और नज़र लगने पर
सरसों के तेल में
रूई की बाती भिगो
नज़र भी उतार देती है

If in pain, her concoction of
milk & turmeric would kill
all the pain,
a cotton wick soaked in
the mustard oil, she could
save you from all evil eyes.

अगरबत्ती की ख़ुश्बू से
सुबह-शाम
सारा घर महकाती है
बिना काम किए भी
परिवार तो रात को
थक कर सो जाता है
लेकिन वो
सारा दिन काम करके भी
परिवार की चिन्ता में
रात भर सो नहीं पाती है।

The fragrance of her incense
would keep the whole house
fragrant, day & night.
Without doing any hard work,
the whole family would sleep
tired at night.
She, working the whole day,
thinking about the family wouldn’t
get a good night’s sleep.

सच!
कोई भी माँ
अनपढ़ नहीं होती
सयानी होती है
क्योंकि
ढेर सारी डिग्रियाँ
बटोरने के बावजूद
बेटियों को
उसी से सीखना पड़ता है
कि गृहस्थी
कैसे चलानी होती है।

True, no mother is illiterate.
They are clever,
because even after
accumulating many degrees,
a daughter has to learn from
her mother,
how to run a family?