Mother!

Mother is one word that can draw widely disparate emotive responses from individuals, perhaps more than any other word can. This likely because this is one of the first words one encounters on being ejected onto earth. And when I say “mother”, that’s a mother statement for all forms of the word—mamma, mummy, mom, mammy, mater et al. An individual’s early life is very deeply connected to this word, as it spells everything in the universe from the essentials of food, water, clothing, excretion… for most. That’s a time when there’s little any cradled being can do to repel the smothering and attention or protest against being stuffed with tasteless cereals.


As we grow, the mother becomes the to go-to for most things. For many she’s the hard disk on which you can download any information you want. And there’s enough GB to absorb the drivel. Get a little older and she’s one who is seen as clueless about a world that’s changing swiftly and more often than not a victim of our rebellious rage. We often feel caged in and limited by her instructions on how to conduct ourselves. But we know that if she starts to lose her grip, the man of the house may be called in to wield the stick so that you know who’s boss.

Tired of her constant admonitions, some decide to seek out freedom in distant educational institutions in their youth or resort to treating their homes as night-stays—seeking to spend their free time with friends and acquaintances who seem much more in-tune with the world and way more with-it.

Then comes a time to leave the nest and you step out with eagerness and a faint sense of insecurity, but the former is the more powerful emotion. Some time after the departure, you start to value a few aspects of living in your mother’s home. You may also get doted upon again and spoilt on infrequent visits, which for some leads to a change of heart.

Those who decide to tie the knot, get another mother free. She’s not quite like your mother. The mother-in-law is far more forgiving and indulgent than your mother if you are a son-in-law. Quite the opposite if you are a daughter-in-law. In case of the latter, the standards are far more demanding than those that would apply to even her daughter, if she has one. But this is a subject I’m not very qualified to dwell on, so I’ll leave it here before brickbats start flying my way.

As you age and your offspring start to grow, you start noticing your mother’s traits in your better half, if you are a man. If you are a woman, it is unlikely you will ever see your father in your spouse, the former is usually placed on a very high pedestal.

Short point: No matter what age you are, you can never escape your mother. And you can never stop saying the word “mother”—even if it is just to curse.

Happy Mothers’ Day!