Being a mother is not about what you gave up to have a child, but what you’ve gained from having one.
My motherhood has been an immensely joyful journey, though not without its share of heartbreak. Life was a spectrum of emotions. There were days when my cup was overflowing. There were days that I wanted to run away and questioned every decision that I ever made. All the good and bad feelings gave my life a purpose. Motherhood is walking around with all of your nerve endings, raw and exposed. It is the most extreme measure of being alive.
I always loved being a mother because of the hugs, the laughter and the lively chatter around.
I am happy when my kids (now grown-ups) are happy. Each day, they amazed me with their new words and discoveries. I remember the long drives when we were in Sudan. Being away from our homeland with our young children, we spent our weekend mornings exploring the place. We played a word game on the way. My five and three-year-old children enjoyed making new words. Their faces lit up each time they came up with a new word. The whole experience is unforgettable, not just for their language development (both love writing and are passionate about it) but for the giggles, cries of joy and even disappointment at times.
My children have taught me to be more patient, more loving and much more appreciative of every moment we have together as a family. It is not limited to just the mealtime. Every moment–waking up, getting them ready for school, packing their lunchbox, waiting for them to return home, homework, leisure time–all of it is a fulfilling experience. I was an extremely short-tempered, hyper person. I yelled and screamed at everyone during the peak times. But over a period of time, I noticed that my children patiently listened to my ranting. They followed my instructions and were self-reliant. What more could I ask for?
Bedtime is the best part of motherhood. Although I was extremely tired and exhausted towards the end of the day, I looked forward to the bedtime stories session. I lived every moment of the fairy tales, adventure stories, etc. All the characters came alive, and we all had daily conversations with Alice, Winnie the Pooh, and Tom Sawyer. Oh, it is an endless list!
My life as a mom was a hectic life that was filled with schedules, diaper changes, feelings and much more. There were so many things that I loved about being a mother, but the one that gave me immense joy was when my child said, “Mama give.” She was asking for the toy that I held in my hands!
As a tomboyish, playful child, I enjoyed playing outdoor games. But what I enjoyed most to date was rolling on the floor with my children, laughing hard. I enjoyed soaking in the world through my children’s eyes- collecting leaves, chasing butterflies, and making sand castles. I enjoyed watching their little hands, feet and faces covered with mud while they giggled over my mud-covered face. The pure joy of just watching them be kids and reliving all those first moments when they have discovered how to do things on their own is what motherhood is all about.
I was seriously ill at one point. My children took it upon themselves to get ready for school, pick up their lunch boxes packed by Dad, and do their homework. Over and above their schedules, they made it a point to share their day at school, read the newspaper and play Scrabble. They, along with my husband, checked my medicine doses and temperature.
Motherhood is knowing joy, even while experiencing the hardest trials of life. I have learned to rise to any occasion and found myself lifted to new heights while stretching beyond any limits I once put upon myself. I had many challenging moments while my husband was away on assignment for a long period, my children stood by me like rocks and gave me the courage to overcome those moments of crisis.
There was a frustrating period when I regretted giving up reading, writing (which I always enjoyed and was appreciated for) and socialising. My children motivated me to take up a research job and nurture my writing skills. I started Blogging, of course, and I appreciate the leads given by a fellow blogger, with much prodding, that convinced me to venture into this field. I am thoroughly enjoying my stint as a regular blogger and reading interesting blog posts by other writers.
With rarely a dull moment, I’ve experienced more adventure in mothering my children than I’d ever imagined. Motherhood gives me an excuse to stay young forever, kicking off my shoes and letting down my hair while enjoying love beyond measure. Motherhood is my life, my joy
Pradnya Surve
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