My earliest memory of you.
I never thought about this before until today so digging up my memory lane for your first memory took a while. It's funny how no matter how hard I try I can't remember anything before that. I don't remember a lot from the after too but this particular memory, though very insignificant and in pieces, somehow became the first one of yours.
Akhnoor, Jammu and Kashmir.
Chilling Winter morning. Everything covered in mist. I remember you and me walking hurriedly down the road. Already late for school, you carried my tiny school bag in one hand and held my hand with another. Me on the other hand having those little legs back then worked hard to follow your fast paced steps. Dressed up in a ocean blue salwar- kameez with a red sweater from what I recall, you looked beautiful even when you didn't try to.
I remember I defined the distance from our house to the school in four parts- Before park, the park, after park till Mayuri's (my then best friend) house and from her house to school. So usually what I did was, walked till the park then act all tired so that you would carry me in your arms. I loved being in your arms. It felt safe and I knew nothing in the world could hurt me when I am there. But then as you know I was a mischievous kid who loved to trouble her Maa in every possible way so I would just throw tantrums for you to carry me whenever possible. But I always made it a point to climb down your arms before we reached Mayuri's house or before we started seeing other kids of my age on our way because as much i loved being there, I didn't want anyone to think I was a baby whom her mother carried to school.
We used to talk all our way to school. You asked me what I wanted to eat for lunch, whether I had learned all my previous day lessons properly and told me to finish my tiffin. We even had few quick quizzes on our way.
I remember the way you smiled at me while waiving me goodbye. That smile, it's my favorite thing in the world. Entering that school, where all I was was a shy kid, your smile was what got me through the day. Even till the last day of my school life, there wasn't a day when I would feel confident enough to face the world without a smile and a kiss from you. Those were my strengths and always will be.
I know how difficult it was for you to take care of me and my toddler brother when daddy had to be away for work. To take me to school while Orko (brother) was left alone sleeping at home and then running back to home from school before he wakes up, it was hard but you did it anyway.
In case you don't know- You were great, Maa. You were always this perfect mother and the perfect women whom I aspire to be. You loved me and believed me through everything and I can't be grateful to you enough for that.
I love you Maa, till the end of the world and beyond.
( Backdrop for the readers-
My father was in Army so we were always traveling in every 3 years. This memory is from when I was around four and my father was posted in Jammu and Kashmir,India. He was staying in some remote area of J&K while my mother, brother and me stayed in Akhnoor cantonment.)