Rachna says

It is nearing 4th December and my mom would have been 62 had she lived this long. She passed away in 2001, just 4 months after my wedding, quite suddenly….. It is not as if I do not feel the pain of losing her but it has become less with passing time. A beautiful lady, too beautiful actually…… as kids while growing up, my sister and I used to wonder why we could not have inherited her flawless beauty… the beautiful straight hair, a radiant, glowing complexion and great features. Her slim body is what we have surely inherited :), at least.

Coming from a well-to-do family, she had a very strict upbringing. She was extremely adept at cooking and also knew sewing, stitching, embroidery, crochet work. She knew how to make finger-licking pickles ( I have inherited some of her passion for food too). A vegetarian, she could churn out fabulous non-veg dishes without so much as tasting them. She was extremely friendly and social to my father’s reclusive nature. She was a simple homely lady, very dedicated to her family and extremely loving. When growing up, my father was a person we were afraid of. I hardly ever remember him giving us a hug or showing his emotions towards us but mom made up for it with her excessive loving. She kept the family well-knit.

As kids, I looked up to my father more because of his intelligence, his reading habit, his well-informed self was how I wanted to be. Mom was someone always there for me – not someone I hero worshiped. I loved her no doubt but I did take her and her role in my life for granted. It is only when she went away suddenly and then when I had my kids, I missed her presence, her warm smile, her selflessness and her hug terribly in my life. I can now relate to her so much more, now that I have my own family. I want to share stories about my kids with her. I want to swap recipes with her. I want to learn from her wisdom of bringing us up. There is so much talking to do but she is not there. There is this huge void in my life with her absence which will always stay with me. I cherish my memories of her and I derive my strength from her when I am lonely or sick or feeling sad.

I miss you terribly and I love you deeply, mom. You were the best ma there ever could be. Thank you for blessing my life with your love, strength and resolve. Happy Birthday to you! I know you are always watching over me.