It’s precisely the very nature of modern existence that has us eulogizing every one and every thing worthy of it. It’s indeed celebrations of the sort that perhaps hold us in good stead as a modern civilisation, one that has us realise that no one is lesser than anyone else and that every due share of attention should be showered on every individual.
And perhaps among the multitude of such observances that has the entire world singing paeans of glory in sync with one another is this very essential celebration of our mothers. Celebrated every year on the second Sunday of May, Mother’s Day has grown to be among the grandest of observances and possibly the most significant of them all. For none of us on this earth would ever be anything without the ones who birthed us, this celebration of all moms out there is no less than a celebration of life itself.
No matter how opinions and views manifest practicality by believing that mothers need to be lauded everyday, there’s indeed no harm in setting aside a special dedicated day to the cause. Because celebrations do not necessarily need to be about extravagance. And anyway, even in all lavish observances, none of us in the world can simply match upto what our mothers have always been doing for us. It’s basically the thought that counts and the gratitude that matters for that one person we would be forever indebted to in all our breaths and sighs.
So even as we go about celebrating all the love mothers are capable of, all the sacrifices they make for us and awe about at their absolute ease at multitasking, it’s perhaps a grim reality that we are overlooking. It’s only natural for someone who loves us so much and so unconditionally to happily while away their entire life for our sake. In fact every mother cares so deeply for her child and loves them to such faults that they would do even the impossible for them. And while that is something that’s literally out of bounds for anyone to decipher how, it has become the norm for us to expect that our mothers would be capable of everything. Not to say that they aren’t. In fact in all their might and motherly pride, these women wouldn’t ever let their souls settle for less. And perhaps that’s exactly where the mahogany steps in to disrupt the vivid canvas with a few specks of instant idealism translating terrifyingly to a lesser reality.
Source: Washington Post
Mothers, in fact women to be precise, are very often exalted as superhumans. While that itself is an endowment no one would shy away from, there’s something subtly disturbing that’s at play in this whole jargon of being more than just human. In elevating them from normal humans to the pedestal of someone with superhuman powers, we are not lauding mothers right. Because what we are doing is burdening them with an extra layer of demands in the guise of appreciation that they are obliged to fulfill because the world considers them as superheroes!
Even when we might be applauding ourselves for placing mothers at par with beings over and above the lesser mortal, what we are doing is in fact the contrary of what we think we are. In presenting our mothers as more than humans, we are probably decimating them. Because with each feather added to the cap, comes another flock of responsibilities and wants which while our mothers would make themselves more than capable of conceiving, would only exert them all the more.
And in any essence whatsoever, superhumans aren’t a reality. Their superpowers are superficially suited to the sci- fi world even where being responsible for the upbringing of an entire individual is a task unheard of. Superheroes go about saving the world, mothers strive to build a galaxy of such worlds that secure in and of themselves.
It’s perhaps time we took the onus of our lives on ourselves and not expect our moms to make our life out of theirs. In all unending odes of motherly love, it’s also perhaps equally pertinent that being a mother does not rob these wonderful women of their prime identity as individuals. Motherhood indeed is a responsibility but more than that it is a blessing of choice stemming from empowerment. The time indeed is high for the world to realise that all mothers, in all their tender motherly strength, deserves more than just the branding of superhumans to take cognizance of their enormous dedication. Instead of unwittingly but conveniently sending them off to the realm of superheroes as a means to live the privileged human lives ourselves, it would perhaps be a greater tribute to mothers if we could just let them live free for once, forever there for us yet never nowhere for themselves. Perhaps the best way we all can love our mothers back is not just by being her child but also by being the caring mom to her when she needs one! That sure isn’t any less unique a gift to surprise our mothers this Mother’s Day around, is it?
