Because it's time to stand up and be counted! And why do I say this? Because, whether we like it or not, moms are the most down-trodden, under-rated ("Oh? You are only a stay at home mom?" said with a smirk and a pitying look in the eye!) work horse, load-carrying multi-armed machine put on this earth!
Mom is put upon: "Mom! I need this project finished by tomorrow morning!" said with a wail at 10 pm at night.
Mom is taken for granted: "Mom! I'm bringing my hommies over for dinner!" flung over a shoulder when off spring exits the house at 5 p.m for basket ball practice. Or just to hang out at the coffee shop.
Mom is a warm, fluffy, comfort blanket: "Mom! John (Arun, Deepak, Stan, Wilberforce, whatever!) dumped me!" Or "Mom, that hurts!" Or "Mom! I am feeling sick..."
Mom is a part of the furniture to be sat upon 24x7: Mom! Dilip's (Jack, Greg, Rahul, Rohan, whatever!) Mom is always at home, everyday. Why do you have to go out to work...shop...meet a friend...whatever?" (Maybe she has to work? Maybe she needs a break?").
Mom is the eternal piggy bank: "Mom! I need 10 bucks. Pleeeeeze!"
Mom is the sturdy bulwark to hide behind:" Go on! Scoot! I will speak to your Dad...teacher...coach...whatever!"
Mom is the event manager:"Right, I will pick you up from school, drop your sister off at ballet class, get the chart paper you want for tomorrow's art class, get your dinner ready, come and pick you and you sister up and get you home quickly so we can get your home work done on time. By the way, your Dad's working late again today!"
Mom is the supreme politician: "So, OK. You want to kill your brother, strangle your little sister, never ever speak to your Dad? Ok, let's sit down and talk this over shall we?" Oralternatively, "Go to your room and don't come out till you have calmed down!"
Mom's scream:"Right! That's it! I have had enough! I am leaving...and NEVER, EVER coming back!" accompanied by sound of door slamming... and opening a couple of minutes later...
Mom is the best chef in the world, and sometimes not but still willing, to cook up a storm: "So there you are...chicken curry for you, ham sandwiches and fries for you and grilled fish for you."
In the meanwhile Dad, if he is around, is in the office. Working late. Again! For reasons best known to him...
And a working Mom has it even worse...because she is often blamed for going out and earning a living. After all, who gives a hoot about the money that is needed to make two ends meet? But, God forbid, if the Mom works because she actually has a career...that is absolutely the worst, most selfish reason for having a job!
But one day, things change. Life changes. The kids grow up. And Mom is suddenly not important at all...
In fact, sometimes Mom doesn't even exist (after all it's soppy to need your Mom once you are all grown up at 15 or 20 or 25 or even more). Unless of course you have kids off your own and then Mom becomes all-important again! Most often as a baby sitter and sometimes because suddenly you sympathise with all that your Mom has been through!
Quite often, Mom ends up as a punching bag and the reason de etre for all that may have gone wrong in your lives: failed relationships, disappointing careers, lack of self-esteem, things that haven't been done and can't be rectified, feelings of guilt, goals unmet, an array of "what ifs" and "if onlies".
Mom is easy to blame. She will never retaliate, never hurt, never speak the truth that is difficult for the child (even the grown up child) to swallow, never not be there when called upon, never, ever do anything that will cause the child to exit her life...and, perhaps, never come back! Oh no!
Because when all's said and done, Mom is a coward when it comes to losing her child's love. It's so easy to keep Mom in line. All the child has to do is say, "Mom, I love you." And all is well with the world!
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