Time! Know it's Worth!

Two days ago we went to meet my in-laws. It was a nice family time as always. While kids were engaged in playing with their dad and grandpa, my mother-in-law and I got into a conversation about writing. I knew my mil used to write poems (from her college days). But I never had a chance to read her creations. So that was the day!

With gleam in her eyes and pride in her voice, she started to read her poems to me. I could feel the happiness while she read all the poems one after the other. To my surprise and shock there were only a handful of poems.

With a 60 plus years walking on this earth and with such a good command over the language, why in the world did she stop writing!

I could not hold the question for long and asked her the reason to quit writing.

It wasn't a surprise to hear what she said. Marriage, kids, responsibilities, adjustments, and an ongoing list. Doesn't it sound familiar? That's what we tell ourselves when it comes to justifying our own time and needs.

Anyways, before leaving I asked her if I could borrow her diary for a few days. She gave it to me..:-)..

Drive back home that night was not quiet peaceful for me. There was something within that had changed that night. It was my outlook towards my needs!

I kept wondering, my mil spent more than half of her life trying to find out 'one fine day' when she could sit undisturbed for hours and write again!

I kept wondering, that I lived 30 years of my life looking down upon my mom without acknowledging that she sacrificed her needs and time to let me and my siblings be what we are today! How I wish I had known all these things years before! My mom and I could have been the best of friends (as we are today); that I believe she must have longed for from the day I was born! She could have also continued with her passion of teaching (she was a teacher before marriage)..only if i had know the value of a mother's time back then..:-(..

Big question is how many women / girls give upon their passion just because other members in the family are so busy building up their dream castles at the value of her time.

Never-the-less, it is not too late yet!

One of my very close friends, in fact, God Mother to my kids, once told me...."Life will go on with increasing responsibilities, but never forget your 'Girlie' time. You need it. It's your breather." Now I truly understand what she meant.

So here I am writing this blog..:-).. Everyday making it a point to make some time for myself to write, to paint, to read, to bake or sleep for hours without being disturbed (I can't loose on my beauty you see..:-)..for that a Biiig Thanks to my hubby who takes care of kids while I sleep..:-)..)

Before I say good bye to all the lovely people reading this article, I am sharing two poems. One is from my mil's collection that I liked the most and the other one is mine that I love the most.

Happy Reading!

रात     (by Sunita Mendiratta)

धूप कुछ नर्म हुई

शाम फिर ढल गई

सितारों की ओड़नी ले

तुम बन संवर गई

सब पर छिड़क इत्र निद्रा का

तुम स्वयं ही लज्जा गई

दुल्हन का सा रूप रचा

तुम विरह में खो गई

भोर होने से पहले

तुम तनहा हो गई

लाल रथ पर सवार

बन दूल्हा जब आया वो

तुम न जाने कहाँ खो गई

यूँ ही आने जाने में

दिन से रात हो गई

बिटिया  (by Prachi M)

बिटिया होना आसान नहीं था

अपनी पहचान का सामान नहीं था

माँ बापू की लाडो,

भले ही थी में गुडिया;

पर इस दुनिया से टकराना

आसान नहीं था

बिटिया होना आसान नहीं था

बचपन पर अपने नाज़ बड़ा था,

आँगन बाबुल का सपनों सा सजा था;

आँखों में आँसूं न थे सदा के,

माँ का आँचल आसमां से बड़ा था;

बिटिया होना आसान नहीं था

उम्र बड़ी जब उड़ान नई थी,

कट कर ज़मीं पर पंख गिरे,

सचाई की तस्वीर कटु बड़ी थी;

रस्मों का बंधन कड़ा था जकड़ा,

दिल को इजाज़त न थी वरना,

कौन कहता है हमको

अरमान नहीं था;

बिटिया होना आसान नहीं था