Dear MIL, Thank You For Not Interfering In Our Lives Despite Being An Important Part Of It!

I am in love with your son, but you are why I love him even more. You never made me feel like an outsider. You carefully guided me each time I was lost.

Dearest Mummy,

Thank you for giving me the greatest treasure of my life, your son who became my husband. A man who waits for me before starting his meal. The one who respects my opinions and challenges me to become a better version of myself every passing day. I am in love with your son, but you are the reason I love him even more.

You welcomed in me as your own!

You hugged me the day you first met me and welcomed me as a daughter in your life. This one gesture of selfless acceptance and love meant a world to me.

You took the effort to bake countless cakes and carefully packed them for my overseas work trips, even before I was married. And you lovingly asked me if I wanted to eat something- the day I arrived in my new home after my wedding.

That day, after all the chaos, at 3 AM in the morning after I removed all the make-up from my face, you heated a piece of my favourite cake. And I sat there watching, feeling warm tears flow down my face, out of happiness.

You have listened to every woman who had something to say, you have been their trusted friend, confidante, advisor, and counsellor. And you are a shining example of the nurturing bond of sisterhood! This doesn’t just involve your sisters and friends and acquaintances but your daughters, including me!

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You have allowed me to speak, sometimes pausing in between our conversations, as a sign of love and respect. This something which I adore about you.

There is so much I respect about you!

Instead of gossiping and mindlessly indulging in mainstream TV soaps, you have chosen to invest yourself in creativity. You sew your own blouses, knit beautiful sweaters and mufflers for us.

And you create your own special recipes, tend to your little garden in our balcony, read, solve puzzles and take long walks in our apartment compound. You do every little thing that ignites your mind. Honestly, you are an example for young women like me who strive to follow their passions in a world of million distractions.

You are a staunch feminist, the most thoughtful one I know and you are someone who is never afraid to voice your opinions against women facing injustice. Be it movies, books, and life, I cherish the countless conversations, we have had on empowering women and standing up for each other. You have treated me as an equal and inculcated the same values in your son.

Though you lost your own mother when you were young, you have set a wonderful example of motherhood for your children and your siblings. Your own son, and daughter, are two extremely educated, kind, and humble human beings. I believe they got their precious life lessons from you and Daddy.

Both your kids and I have our own space, thanks to you

You taught your son it was okay to know how to cook, to do household chores. And above all, to never feel entitled enough to depend on a woman for doing things for him, as long as he could do it on his own. As he finished his PhD in a foreign country, away from you, you gave him his freedom of calling you, whenever he wanted to. He adores you yet, you never chose to control his life.

Even after our wedding, you urged him to appreciate me for my little accomplishments. This is something that makes me smile, each time, and he does it, on purpose.

You taught your daughter to be independent, strong, and yet very kind. Never did you make her feel like a woman’s place was in the kitchen but you inspired her to study! She is now a super-specialist in a field of medical sciences! You carefully moulded her into a phenomenal woman, just like you.

As for me, you never made me feel like an outsider. You patiently saw me through my goof-ups in the kitchen, and carefully guided me each time I was lost. In your criticism too, you always inspired me to be a better human being.

You always gave us our space, even when we were a thousand miles away from you. And loved us unconditionally, without wanting anything in return.

You were my cheerleader too

Even though you never got a chance to work professionally, you always advised me to pursue my career and my dreams. You were excited when I sent you pictures of all the places I visited.

After my wedding, you refused to take charge of handling my wedding jewellery, even when I insisted. You urged me to put them all in a locker. And even urged my mother to not spend on expensive gifts during the wedding. You mentioned that you were happy to get another daughter in your life and you meant it, sincerely.

Though you love being with children, you never ask us when we would have our own. You give us the freedom to take our life decisions without the slightest interference.

And you are impartial and never take sides.

You care for everyone you know, day after day.

I am so glad that I married your son because in return, I got you as my Mother.

We love you, Mummy. Thank you for being you. In this world, I hope we celebrate amazing women like you, every day.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Love,

Your Daughter, Friend, and Admirer.

Dedicated to Mrs. Sandhya Samal, a woman of substance.

Mother’s Day 2020: Let’s look at Mom as a human being, with a persona more than just the mother that takes care of you, of the home, or also a working mom who tries to walk the fine line of work-life balance. Let’s look at the woman she is, and celebrate her this Mother’s Day, whether she is with you or staying away from you, during this period of lockdown. Let’s make Mother’s Day 2020 memorable for your mom, or if you are mom.

Picture credits: YouTube

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