by Vladislav Vasnetsov on Pexels.co

Sunday was Mothers Day in the UK. It is time to realise how much mothers do for us. My children wanted to understand what my mother did for me. That was a hard one to explain. The biggest thing I feel she did was protect me. Absolutely thats what she did for me. From being a small kid ,mother kept saying NO, NO and NO for a lot of things but I forget the number of YES, YES and YES that I have had. I have got away with watching television at the time of important exams, openly appreciating boys ,wearing clothes that I wanted to and a lot more. Exams and studying were always important in our house because thats what you do when both parents are professors and also my extended family of grandmother and aunty were keen readers. Protected time of studies -my mother was possesive of these times.She made sure nobody disturbed me, not even friends phones. That time was given to me for sure. Now I realise it was so important,to have that discipline. My aunty helped me remind these hours of study time, I did not like it at the time but now realise how very essential they were.

Being a huge household, lots of people used to come to our house every hour of the day and all kinds of people.I am not sure of the sixth sense that my moher had but she used to tell me exacty who to indulge in talking to and sit with and the ones where it was best to go back to my doll house. Now I hear about abuse of children but thats what she was doing telling me No from chatting to certain people, never liked it at the time but now feel where she was coming from. She would tell me who I could be alone with , I would retaliate for sure as if I knew the best but now I know I did not as I was young and ready for any risk taking behaviour.

Food- eat whats on the menu as everybodies likes could not be catered to, large common kitchen and eat the freshly cooked food. She still very proudly says. -You were not over weight when you lived under my care. Aarrrgh.Thats true though. She protected my health and looks, my grandmother would make all kinds of potions and lotions to keep acne away in the teenage years. Loved the smell of sandal wood and rose in those very organic face packs.

These are just few things my mother and my elders  did for me and I will be ever so grateful. So this is what I told my children and actually realised I don’t really look after them in such protected ways. I have enjoyed every moment with the kids and loved being a mommy in my own way.

On mothers day – I got few gifts and a lovely card. The gifts they had planned with my husband and kept it all a secret. Kept telling my husband he does not have to live under so much burden of secrecy but he would not budge, I loved the suprise and gifts. The morning started with a superb energetic walk on the hills. Breakfast had to be quick as we wanted an early morning walk in the freshness of nature . For breakfast we got some homemade delicious cookies made by my son the day before. My daughter said the evening meal will be prepared by them. Three course dinner made by the children, mainly by my daughter-it was lovely. She tried some new recipes and it was all wonderful. Loved the day and the happiness around the dinner table was amazing as always.