Every second Sunday of May is celebrated as Mother’s Day in India. So, this year Mother’s day in India is celebrated on 9th May, 2021. Though by and large an American holiday, it came to be celebrated around the globe. We in India celebrate it as an other country would – in our own special way.
But as we stop to buy those greeting cards, take our mum out for a movie or a meal, and generally lavish her with gifts, do we stop to think of what exactly it is that we are celebrating? It is all well and good to escape into the Hallmark (or the more popular Archies, in our case) way of things, but a little reflection on this occasion needs to be required as well.
So what does the word ‘mother’ mean to us as a nation? What do we mean when we wrap that gift or reach for the cheque at that fancy restaurant? Of course, we mean to say, I love you, thank you for all you do and so much more. But can we not reflect on how it is said? How exactly does buying her a special sari turn into saying “Mother, I’ll always be there”?
Aren’t we showing our love through something inanimate? As we buy more and more, we seem to be draining life away from ourselves – alienating ourselves – and pumping in life into things that are otherwise non-living. So then the prospect of buying a spa voucher for our dear old mom, seems to come to life, while the mother itself – and the quality of our relationship with her seems to ebb away.
To ponder on this, think of twenty maybe thirty years ago, when our mothers were daughters. Did they not have ways to show their mother love, without having to buy her a new phone, say. That generation didn’t even have mobiles! Does the thought not make us dizzy?
So, this Mother’s Day while we celebrate, as we may, we must spare a thought for what it is we are doing when we say Happy Mother’s Day! Let’s lavish our mother’s with love, but let’s not let that be an excuse to splurge on her. Let’s instead spend some quality time with her, cook a meal for her, or get her talking about anything and everything under the sun. And yes, do let us make her feel she’s special in her own way!
