Lost and found
“Grand mama! Grand mama….Good God! Nobody hears me! Are you there granny?” shouted 16 year old Rachel as she scurried through Margaret’s hallway only to find her heartily rocking in the chair, smiling from ear to ear, deeply involved in Archie comics, her all time favorite pastime. Upgrading her liberty to authority, Rachel clutched the rocking chair, snatched the book from Margret’s hands and threw her a stern look. Not so surprised Margret, tiredly sighed and spoke, “Buttercup! This is the third time in a day. I know I live across the street and I also understand I am your personal diary but I too need a break to get scribbled all over. Just allow me a couple of hours and we’ll meet for tea, alright! Ignoring Margret’s denial, Rachel continued, “Grand ma, were you aware about mom having the citizenship of two nations? Startled Margret instantly sprung up from the chair and whispered, “What makes you think so honey? Does your dad know about this? Turning back, Rachel waggishly giggled to herself and replied, “I guess, yes! Probably, dad was simply living with the fact for all these years but I realized it a few minutes ago so wanted to confirm it with you.” Totally bemused Margret, tensely asked, “Oh dear God! How in the world was I not aware about this? Which is the other nation apart from the United States? Tell me now, Rach!”. “Imagination”, blurted Rachel.
Margret’s face turned red; ignoring Rachel,
she slumped back into the chair, and began reading Archie again. Rachel settled
on the sofa next to her and continued, “Granny!
Don’t be angry. Don’t you want to know what’s in my mind? And I promise it’s
not my imagination.” No grandparent can escape from having a soft heart for
their grand children and Margaret was no different. She kept the comic aside
and readied herself for what was coming her way. Rachel appreciatively smiled
and spoke, “Thank you, granny! Let’s
bring the focus back onto the elephant in the room. Our home is not home
anymore because Mom is not herself anymore. Your daughter is more a triggered
gun than human now days. She is invariably in zero tolerance mind set. I feel
that she has turned cold towards the world and life, for the reason best known
to her and its sabotaging the peace of the house and our bonds with each other.”
Margret, who had until then misconceived this
conversation to be yet another ditzy one, was now sitting upright, trying to soak
up every statement attentively. In need of more clarity, the worried old lady
asked Rachel to elaborate. Rachel obeyed and continued, “Last night, daddy’s friends, Mr. and Mrs. Cooper visited us casually
for evening coffee. Though daddy had a hearty evening with Mr. Cooper who
seemed to be a happy go lucky kind, for mom, it was no less than fighting a
battle. Mrs. Cooper sounded more of a nosy sort which triggered mom’s zero
tolerance mode as she was incessantly questioning us about our personal routine
details, comparing it to theirs’ and making some cheeky, uncalled for comments
concerning the same. Dad simply laughed it off and I quietly devoured my donut
as it dint interest me. But your girl, the dramatically motivated soldier of
the house began shooting her back with cold statements to axe down Mrs.
Cooper’s sharp nose but little did she know that it was a lizard’s tail. Mr.
Cooper who accidentally noticed the frosty smiles and stony eyes on both the
ladies' faces simply grabbed the hint and quickly whisked his wife and himself
off homewards to avoid causing any further awkwardness. Believe me, one more minute
delay would have allowed us to witness the most ferocious volcanic eruption of
the generation. Tell me granny, why does
mom even bother to fight such useless battles? Doesn’t she know that not all
battles are worth fighting or not every situation is to be perceived a battle?
She’s simply under the delusion that it’s her duty to straighten every wagging
tail around her. Can someone bring her to the reality? ”
Poor Margret was about to say something but
Rachel impatiently interjected, “Grand
mama your answer can wait for a while, listen to this one. A week ago, mom was
walking back home after a tiresome day at the day care centre when she happened
to bump into our meddlesome neighbor Mrs. Heck who pulled over her car and
insisted mummy to jump in as she too was heading homewards. After reaching, when
mom was about to thank her, not so surprisingly, Mrs. Heck interrupted and made
a snooty comment about her job by saying that she was thankful for not having
to slog like mom at work as hers’ was a comfortable office job with fancy
perks. Before mummy could question her cheek to callously babble about someone
else’s profession, Mrs. Heck scornfully grinned and pulled away. Mom entered
the house fuming with rage and took out all the anger on poor daddy who
accidentally spilt water on the dining table, taking the clue, I simply slid out from the scene to avoid being her
next target. It’s been 7 days, 18 hours and 25 minutes, but mummy’s anger
hasn’t dampened and she says it won’t until she teaches Mrs. Heck a lesson
because it seems it’s her policy to never allow someone to drag their brag and
also flaunt their taunt over her. Now tell me granny, which IMAGINATION is sillier,
the 1st one or this one?
Margret sheepishly smiled and blurted, “The third one where she thinks she’s the
ringmaster of the world’s circus.” Agreeing to Margret’s answer, Rachel
dejectedly spoke, “Granny! We need to do
something soon. Mummy will get out of hand if she further holds onto her
foolish beliefs. Pops tried telling her many times that she should just stop
caring to teach lessons to others because life’s already taken up that
responsibility, nonetheless it was useless.”
After some serious contemplation, Margret
strolled to her room, grabbed a note pad and a pen, handed them to Rachel and
told,” Sweetie! For a mother, any sincere
input coming from her child is treated equal to a bible verse. So more than me
or dad, you’ll be of help here. Now with no further delay, let’s get on with
something that has always had high influence on your mom since her younger days
and they are- ‘Letters’. Anything verbal
passes through her ears but anything written gets etched in her heart. Let’s use your position and my experience to
bring back mom on track.”
By saying so, Margret leaned back comfortably on the easy chair, closed her eyes and began dictating to Rachel,
“Dearest Mom,
This is a sincere confession to you from your sixteen
year old sweet daughter. My sixteen years wouldn’t have been this delightful if
not for a mother cum friend like you. I admire and appreciate your ‘strong and just’
nature as well as your clean and simple living which is so rare that everyone
wants to stare.
Despite you being the human of best quality and
premium character, I humbly feel your beliefs are in need of rewire and request
you to open your mind to the same because we all are truly missing you and we
do not wish to lose you wholly.
The thing
stopping you from reaping the perks of your nature is that you are being a real
fanatic of your own beliefs which is blinding you from tolerating anything
contradictory. Please accept that not everyone understands the significance of
mutual respect like you do, not everyone knows the knack of no nonsense living
like you know and not everyone can live and let live like you can. Hence
putting up a real fight to make the world understand and go by your beliefs
doesn’t sound like a great idea and the sooner you soak this up, the
better the days shall get for us.
So my’ just’ lady, live and let others around you live
with their own beliefs, lousy or lovely. Care not to teach anyone lessons
instead have a little more tolerance and you’ll see what you lost all these
years with your intolerance.
Come back to us soon mom. Your home sweet home awaits
your warmth.
Yours hopeful daughter,
Rachel”
A year had passed since handing the letter to my mother. One Sunday evening when we were relishing our coffee and cookies, Uncle Chuck, a grocery store owner of our neighborhood infamous for his snobbish nature, also whose grand son and I were classmates since childhood, suddenly came over and passed me a hand out of his store’s advertisement about part time job openings. Before I could respond he snickered and said that if I took up this job, It could allow me to go to the university next year which otherwise would remain just a dream. Mom, who was silently watching the scene from her table, calmly walked over to us like she had heard nothing at all, warmly greeted Uncle and invited him to join us for evening coffee.
The very minute, I knew I had found my lost mom and our better days had begun!
A Simple thought to live well
“Caring less” makes us less careless.
“Minding less” makes us more mindful.
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