Monday, November 30, 2009

MOTHER COURAGE

The past week everybody was busy about the first anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai. While we remembered those hours which defy ordinary epithets, life went on - before, during, after.

This is about one such ordinary life. Almost every day, while going to college fairly early in the morning, I see a mother escorting her daughter, dressed in her blue-checked uniform, to the school bus. The daughter suffers from cerebral palsy and does not have much control over her limbs. Usually the mother half-pulls, half-carries her, but if they are running late, then the mother has to carry the daughter in her lap, cradling her lolling head on one shoulder, schoolbag slung on the other.

The mother is painfully thin and gaunt, the child is almost a teenager. It is quite a long walk from their chawl (slum) to the Highway, where the bus for that special school comes. I have never seen her lose her temper, even when she is half-running to catch the bus, even when the child is throwing a tantrum.

A daily walk of unsung courage that humbles me every time I witness it.

17 comments:

Nupur said...

Me first to comment :) YAY

Nupur said...

Such cases inspire us and make us thank the Almighty to have not put us in such situation..

Me gets senti whenever I see something like this around..I just can't stand that pain which I see and sense :( But less we can do !

Aparna said...

I admire the grit and determination of the parents who work so hard to give their children a little bit of normalcy in their lives.
I often ask if I would have shown such patience and courage under such circumstances. Perhaps not. And that is why such experiences are even more humbling for me.

Pinku said...

Wow!!!

Salutes to her.

nsiyer said...

Brilliant! God cannot be everywhere and hence he made mothers.

Kavi said...

Awesome.

manju said...

You are right- this is a story of exceptional but unsung courage!

Swaram said...

I bow to her! Unsung courage indeed! She is an inspiration for sure.

magiceye said...

indeed!

Deepanjan Ghosh said...

Wow!

Tomz said...

Thats how a mother is created..I have no other words to explain my emotions while reading this..

Urmi said...

It will be very little to say anything about Mother but I would like to salute her. Excellent.

Gauri Gharpure said...

lovely..

sujata sengupta said...

kudos to the mothers who make life a joy for their kids.

Onkar said...

So moving and so inspiring.

Calvy said...

inspirational!

nice post!

Anonymous said...

When we fret over small things in life everyday, we forget to see how really blessed we are. I don't know what I would have done in a similar situation. It tears my heart to even think about it. Long live her courage! Gold bless her child.