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VANITYSHACK MAGAZINE
BIG MAMA
RULES ON
MOTHER’S
DAY!
BY ANURADHA VENUGOPAL
She sings to me.
She gives me the first sweet before taking one for herself. She is sad when I
leave the house. She waits for me to get
home as soon as possible. She opens
the door for me, sometimes slams the
door on me. She smiles at me just because she’s happy to see me. She makes
me laugh with her choice of words. She
drives me crazy with her stubborn ways.
She fights with me then quickly makes
up with me. She loves her dosa and sambar, just like me. She is a fellow dragon,
she’s water and I’m fire – no wonder she
has the power over me. She is my biggest fan. She loves me. She drives my
Monday blues away. She makes me feel
like the best aunt in the world.
VANITYSHACK MAGAZINE
The truth is, you don’t have to have
given birth to a child to be a mother.
Mothers are everywhere. They are our
grandmothers, aunties, cousins, sisters,
family friend, sometimes even strangers. Mothers care about you, ask you the
hard questions, demand best behaviour,
expect as much as they do for you. They
sacrifice their own creature comforts
just so you can have yours. They love
you. All they want is for you to be happy.
Motherhood transcends biological
bonds. Thanks to my niece Juhi, I know
how it feels to be a mom. Let’s go beyond the commercialisation and stereotypes this Mother’s Day.
Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers, aunties, my mother, my sister (and me!).
She is my niece Juhi.
I have been taking care of her since she
was 3 months. I have become part time
mother, part time big sister. I bathe her,
clean her up, make her lunch and feed
her. I put YouTube videos for her. I read
stories to her, chase after her, play hide
and seek with her. I become a kid again
– just for her. I worry for her, I get mad at
her. I buy stickers for her. I discipline her.
I am her cheerleader, her confidante. Although I’m not her mother, I’m pretty
close. I am her auntie mom, her Valiamma (Big Mother in Malayalam).
Thanks to Juhi, I see the world in a completely different light.
DREAM. PLAN. CREATE.
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