For Mother's Day, I decided to write a small piece dedicated to a great woman and one of my best friends: my mom.
Here are some of the greatest lessons I learned from my mom:
1. Always stick up for your kids. My mom was always my biggest advocate, and in many ways she still is. She taught me from a young age what it meant to believe in your children and to wholeheartedly encourage, support, and inspire.
2. What it means to belong to a community. My mom was always active in different city and church organizations. She helped me understand the importance of belonging to a community and encouraged me to be active in extracurriculars in high school and college. Some of my best memories are because of those activities and I am so thankful I did them. While living in Michigan during Ridhwi's residency, I have not been able to be very active because of Ridhwi's work schedule and having two young kids. It makes me realize how important it is to be a part of a community and how much I miss it now that I'm away. This is one of the things I am looking forward to most when we move to Wisconsin next month- becoming active in the town.
3. Don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself. It doesn't accomplish anything. Sometimes you have to pull up your big girl panties and do something to make your situation better.
4. Sometimes you just need your momma. No matter how old I am, some times I just need a hug from my mom.
5. The importance of helping others. My parents have always helped others and taught me to do so from an early age. Whether it is serving at a food kitchen, adopting children overseas through different organizations, or letting friends crash at our house when they need to, my parents have always been open and loving to those in need. My mom is also one of the most compassionate people I have ever met, bar none. Any time I need her she is ready to listen not with her ears, but with her heart.
6. The beauty of a strong marriage. This is one of the most beautiful things my mother has taught me - something that has greatly enriched my own life. My parents have been happily married for 35 years. They taught me that true love is selfless and kind, and what it means to truly and wholly love your spouse.
7. The value of hard work. My parents owned a business when I was growing up, and they definitely had to work to make it successful. Long nights, early mornings, and business trips were common. However, no matter how hard my parents worked, they always made family a priority. This lesson also applied to school. I've always had a tough time with math - no matter how hard I tried. I remember once in college I got a C- on a test after weeks of studying. I was really upset and drove home to have dinner with my parents. They asked me a simple question, "did you try your best?" I replied I did and they said, "then that's all we can ask for". I realized at that moment a very important life lesson - that sometimes all you can do is your very best and you should be proud of the work you have done, regardless of a grade. I was a better person for the hard work I had put in and that was what was important.
8. How to be an adult. By the time I left for college, I could cook, do my own laundry, manage my finances, and generally be independent. I was taught these lessons growing up and I was thankful that when I moved away from home I was emotionally and physically able to take care of myself. I didn't go through an "idiot" phase in life while I learned tough life lessons because I had been taught them at home before I left.
9. The importance of doing the right thing. My mom has alway taught me to do what is right, even if it is hard. Not only has she shown me through examples in her own life, but also has lovingly guided me through problems in my own, helping to shape me into the person I am today.
10. How to be a mother. Perhaps the greatest lesson my mom has taught me is how to be a mother to my own children. Many times I find myself calling and asking for advice. I value her experience and I am so grateful to have her in my life. One of the most unforgettable moments of my life is when she walked in my hospital room after having delivered Amita and my mom saw her for the first time - I'll never forget the look on her face. She looked back at me and it was as though our bond had somehow strengthened - I understood all the times she said, "when you're a mother you'll understand" and how she would say that there was nothing stronger than a mother's love. She was absolutely right. In that moment I finally understood the extent to which she loved and cared for me all those years.
So here's to you, mom. I love you. I sincerely hope you have a happy Mother's Day. Wish we could be there to celebrate with you.
Here are some of the greatest lessons I learned from my mom:
1. Always stick up for your kids. My mom was always my biggest advocate, and in many ways she still is. She taught me from a young age what it meant to believe in your children and to wholeheartedly encourage, support, and inspire.
2. What it means to belong to a community. My mom was always active in different city and church organizations. She helped me understand the importance of belonging to a community and encouraged me to be active in extracurriculars in high school and college. Some of my best memories are because of those activities and I am so thankful I did them. While living in Michigan during Ridhwi's residency, I have not been able to be very active because of Ridhwi's work schedule and having two young kids. It makes me realize how important it is to be a part of a community and how much I miss it now that I'm away. This is one of the things I am looking forward to most when we move to Wisconsin next month- becoming active in the town.
3. Don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself. It doesn't accomplish anything. Sometimes you have to pull up your big girl panties and do something to make your situation better.
4. Sometimes you just need your momma. No matter how old I am, some times I just need a hug from my mom.
5. The importance of helping others. My parents have always helped others and taught me to do so from an early age. Whether it is serving at a food kitchen, adopting children overseas through different organizations, or letting friends crash at our house when they need to, my parents have always been open and loving to those in need. My mom is also one of the most compassionate people I have ever met, bar none. Any time I need her she is ready to listen not with her ears, but with her heart.
6. The beauty of a strong marriage. This is one of the most beautiful things my mother has taught me - something that has greatly enriched my own life. My parents have been happily married for 35 years. They taught me that true love is selfless and kind, and what it means to truly and wholly love your spouse.
7. The value of hard work. My parents owned a business when I was growing up, and they definitely had to work to make it successful. Long nights, early mornings, and business trips were common. However, no matter how hard my parents worked, they always made family a priority. This lesson also applied to school. I've always had a tough time with math - no matter how hard I tried. I remember once in college I got a C- on a test after weeks of studying. I was really upset and drove home to have dinner with my parents. They asked me a simple question, "did you try your best?" I replied I did and they said, "then that's all we can ask for". I realized at that moment a very important life lesson - that sometimes all you can do is your very best and you should be proud of the work you have done, regardless of a grade. I was a better person for the hard work I had put in and that was what was important.
8. How to be an adult. By the time I left for college, I could cook, do my own laundry, manage my finances, and generally be independent. I was taught these lessons growing up and I was thankful that when I moved away from home I was emotionally and physically able to take care of myself. I didn't go through an "idiot" phase in life while I learned tough life lessons because I had been taught them at home before I left.
9. The importance of doing the right thing. My mom has alway taught me to do what is right, even if it is hard. Not only has she shown me through examples in her own life, but also has lovingly guided me through problems in my own, helping to shape me into the person I am today.
10. How to be a mother. Perhaps the greatest lesson my mom has taught me is how to be a mother to my own children. Many times I find myself calling and asking for advice. I value her experience and I am so grateful to have her in my life. One of the most unforgettable moments of my life is when she walked in my hospital room after having delivered Amita and my mom saw her for the first time - I'll never forget the look on her face. She looked back at me and it was as though our bond had somehow strengthened - I understood all the times she said, "when you're a mother you'll understand" and how she would say that there was nothing stronger than a mother's love. She was absolutely right. In that moment I finally understood the extent to which she loved and cared for me all those years.
So here's to you, mom. I love you. I sincerely hope you have a happy Mother's Day. Wish we could be there to celebrate with you.
Thank you baby! I love you so much and am so proud of the woman, mother, wife and especially daughter you are! What a special present! Happy Mother's Day to you, too" love, Mom. xxxooo
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