Five Small Things About a Big, BIG Love (a.k.a Around the World in 80 Clicks)

I have been tagged by the sunny Sue and the joyful Goofy Mamma to do this beautiful tag. Thanks guys! When I saw it doing the rounds I kept thinking to myself, impatiently like a child, "Mera number kab ayegaa?"

The tag is: 5 things that you love about being a mom. Next, find someone to link to and tag - someone from your own country, if you like, but definitely someone from another country (let them know that you've tagged them!) - and link back here and HBM and leave a comment.

Now I know some of the things that I feel and will write over here may sound like I'm parroting others' feelings about this blissful state of being, but that's just the thing about motherhood, isn't it? The sense of universality that it encompasses. In fact, if you sit back to think about it, it's one of the more major factors that have brought us together and made us bond. Hell, we even have a community all our own -- 'Mommy Bloggers.' I am so proud to be a part of this sorority. It's an honour, a priveledge and a pleasure.

You all know that I love being a mom. I harp on and on about it enough here ;)
Motherhood has totally and absolutely changed me. In good ways and yes, bad as well (but I won't dwell on that here). I feel as if I was put on this Earth to give birth to and mother these two little bundles of neverending joy and mischief that I've been so incredibly blessed with. I still do have dreams of my own, but I don't mind putting them on hold while I delight in the company of my children. My children. My sons. My boys. I am still overwhelmed whenever I say these phrases, whether out loud or to myself. So much so, that I actually stop and repeat it to myself a couple of times in my head just so that I can savour the beauty, wonder and bliss that these words fill me with...my children, my sons, my boys.

But having said that, am I a great mom? No, no, hell no! And when they grow up, I'm sure my boys will tell you the same. But I am a mom. Irrevocably so. Do I love being a mom every single second of the day? I'll honestly say "No", because motherhood comes with its fair bit of trials, tribulations and frustrations. But then again, those are only momentary. At the end of the day, I love being a mom every single day. And that's the truth too.

And here are my top five reasons for revelling in motherhood:

1) The act of creation. I am overawed about how I helped make these two little people and that they lived inside me for nine months each. For nine months they were nourished exclusively by me, grew in the coccoon that I provided, were comforted by my heartbeat and had their lives intimately intertwined with mine. The thought still fills me with absolute wonderment.

2) Linked to the above is that they have brought me closer to God. I don’t pray ritually everyday. I don’t go to the pooja room everyday. But I have a closer relationship with God today, than I did before motherhood. I just need to look into their eyes or hear them laugh to bring me closer to Those Above and feel grateful and thankful. I also feel anchored, which is how I pray my boys feel towards me.

3) I have learnt to see the world a-new through their eyes. A bird’s feather, a crawling ant, the setting sun look; everything seems fresher, brighter and newer when you look at them through the eyes of a child.

4) I have rediscovered the world of books. And music. Old favourites have made their presence felt in my life again, and I am not going to let them get away this time. Not just that, but my children have also helped reignite the flames of creativity. I was going through such a bad dry spell where writing was concerned. I thought my pools of imagination had dried up; that I’d lost vision and direction. But motherhood inspires me on a daily basis and in doing so it has brought me back to life.

5) Motherhood makes me want to be the best that I can possibly be. Not just as a mother, but as a woman, as a person – as me. I try to teach by example. I use the ‘magic words’ more often now, than I did in my entire life. I try to reach for the stars…I do fail, but it makes me try harder. Twenty years down the line, I want to be able to look them in the eye and say, “You know, I gave it my all and I’ve done the best I could.” And hopefully, they won’t fault me for that.

And now, I tag:
Mystic Margarita (US)
Preeti Sharma (Mumbai; not really a ‘mommy blogger’, but a mommy and a blogger, so…)
My Namesake (Bangalore)
Shankari (Chennai)
Karma Calling (US)