I never dreamed I would be a mother -of -two. I always thought I would be a nun, and wear the white habit with a rosary tucked into my waist. The nuns who taught us ,were, in my adolescent eyes,the perfect beings . Their way of life seemed complete to me . Renunciation, service and devotion to the Lord. Bliss!
I never dreamed I would one day, be sneaking a jam sandwich at bed time , and have my daughter roll her pretty eyes at me , reminding me , in a furious whisper-“Maa, aren’t you supposed to be off-carbs?"
I never dreamed , one day , I would be scolded by my younger one , clad in baggy "capris"that has more buttons than my keyboard, jangles at every step, and ends at the fleshy shin,-"Mama, you have no fashion sense ."Not to mention that she completes her outfit with an oversized shirt, left unbuttoned , the shirttails flapping wildly in the breeze and displaying the rude words on her inner T-shirt-"I am prettier on most days", and a pair of sneakers that have pink satin strips on the sides.
I never dreamed , I would be told , on being checked for bedtime TV, -"Mama, jao yaar, tang mat karo."(Mama, go away and don't bother me )
On having recounted the unsavoury details of a classroom fight, to my sympathetic spouse , I never dreamed,I would be accosted , in the corridor, with teary eyed accusation of "betrayal of trust"-"Mama, how could you?"
I never dreamed , in the midst of a tiring day , a soft hand would untie my apron, and snatch the roll of dough and the "belan"(rolling pin ) from my hands , ordering me , mother-like,-"Mama, go watch some TV, let me make chapattis today."
I never dreamed I would one day, be sneaking a jam sandwich at bed time , and have my daughter roll her pretty eyes at me , reminding me , in a furious whisper-“Maa, aren’t you supposed to be off-carbs?"