My First Mother’s Day

Normally I’m quite cynical about all these so called special “days” like valentine’s day, rose day, chocolate day, kiss day etc etc etc… I mean you name it and there has to be a day for it! Not that I don’t like to be wished or don’t wish my close people on such relevant days but somehow I’m quite repelled by the overall commercialization of these days. We now officially know that from marketing and promotional success point of view, Valentine’s day in India is actually a more celebrated event than Diwali or Holi. And belonging to the same marketing fraternity I can’t even say everything is irrelevant or not required, though like many other things there has to be a limit to it. Imagine a multivitamin health supplement ad being positioned as Valentine’s Day gift for your loved one? Oh yes, I did spot it in a mainline publication during Valentine's Day marketing fever. Coming to emotional events like Mother’s day, imagine banners all over web that read sentences like “click here if you love your mom”. From Alphonso Mango to Platinum earrings, everything has to “the” gift, which if not given to your mother would just not prove your love for her! 

Owing to these reasons, I actually refrain from making a big noise of any such day in our lives that are more of marketing gimmicks than anything else. But have to say that all my cynicism and skepticism went for a toss this mother’s day when I saw the little one giving me his trademark gummy smile first thing in the morning. And when Nitin asked him lovingly to wish mumma a happy mother’s day, there he started to grin and gave a further bigger smile. Yes, a four-month can’t speak but his big toothless smile was reason enough to suddenly make me feel special that day, to make me pick him up in my arms immediately and hold tightly as the most prized possession of my life. After that I received a call from my mom and when I wished her “happy mother’s day”, she replied back with a jovial “same to you”.  Wow, there was something in that “same to you”. Yes, yes I know emotional glands become hyperactive the moment you enter parenthood but you know, you have to experience it to know what I mean by feeling most special by just a smile from the little one. Remember your first mother’s day or your first father’s day? Ya, ya exactly that kind of feeling. No gifts, no overtly emotional celebrations, just a quiet lunch-out with family, sweet wishes from close friends and acquaintances, light conversations with my mom and lots of fun with the junior – ingredients enough to make my first mother’s day just so special and memorable. Must confess that motherhood is one such experience that actually makes me look forward to be wished for being a mom on mother’s day, the day after and the day after and… well didn’t I tell you that mommydom makes your emotional glands hyperactive ;-)