To amma with love
To amma with love
As I think about my recent visit to India, I think of my mother, as I often do. At 84 she still has a sharp memory, and a keen interest in the goings on in life. I remember dad often too...and shall write a separate blog on him next. This blog is about the wonderful qualities they have passed on to me!
Much has been said about the positve nature of the Gopalans, and by God's grace all of us siblings seem to have acquired that. From now I'll be referring to just the qualities I've acquired, this doesn't mean my siblings haven't inherited these, but hey they could write their own blog on this subject too!
I was once told by a friend, "you never lose your dignity, no matter what", and it made me realise that dignity is a core characteristic of mine that I truly value the most. And this has definitely come from my mother - I don't remember her ever getting into a public fight, and have seen her often walk away from what could be a potentially ugly scene. I also don't ever remember her complaining or whining about the problems in her life - she handled it all with such easy elegance and panache!
She also always sees the good side of people and issues - and boy has this been a wonderful treasure to have acquired. For of course no man or woman is perfect - and what good would it do to focus on each other's imperfections and faults?
I must mention the ability to be happy with what you've too here - as I grow older and see more of the world and people, I realise this is something that you either have or don't. You could have the world at your feet and yet find something wrong - with the world, the platter or even your own two feet! Amma didn't look for any worldly goods - just strived to be happy with her lot.
The gift of being able to treat one and all as the same - no matter what you have or don't, no matter who the other person is or isn't...I remember the manner in which amma would treat our domestic help - always willing to help her out, even when we had so little ourselves. And always treat the help with respect - there was no yelling at or belittling them.
Her ability to refrain from worrying, and total, unquestioning faith in someone, something higher taking care of things for her are two other gifts she has kindly passed on to us all. I wish I'd inherited her tremendous will power though - it might help a long way in keeping chocolates away from me! Only time will tell if I've the same ability as her to bear no grudges to those who have been unkind to me in my past!
With God's grace (and Raja's!) I've been blessed with a life of plenty. Added to that is my wonderful inheritance from my parents - a lot of it from amma. I'm sure it is these qualities that keep my feet firm on the ground and enable me to treat all men and women as equal, and lead life in a dignified and content manner.
To my lovely amma, with admiration, love & gratitude....
Vasanthi
Much has been said about the positve nature of the Gopalans, and by God's grace all of us siblings seem to have acquired that. From now I'll be referring to just the qualities I've acquired, this doesn't mean my siblings haven't inherited these, but hey they could write their own blog on this subject too!
I was once told by a friend, "you never lose your dignity, no matter what", and it made me realise that dignity is a core characteristic of mine that I truly value the most. And this has definitely come from my mother - I don't remember her ever getting into a public fight, and have seen her often walk away from what could be a potentially ugly scene. I also don't ever remember her complaining or whining about the problems in her life - she handled it all with such easy elegance and panache!
She also always sees the good side of people and issues - and boy has this been a wonderful treasure to have acquired. For of course no man or woman is perfect - and what good would it do to focus on each other's imperfections and faults?
I must mention the ability to be happy with what you've too here - as I grow older and see more of the world and people, I realise this is something that you either have or don't. You could have the world at your feet and yet find something wrong - with the world, the platter or even your own two feet! Amma didn't look for any worldly goods - just strived to be happy with her lot.
The gift of being able to treat one and all as the same - no matter what you have or don't, no matter who the other person is or isn't...I remember the manner in which amma would treat our domestic help - always willing to help her out, even when we had so little ourselves. And always treat the help with respect - there was no yelling at or belittling them.
Her ability to refrain from worrying, and total, unquestioning faith in someone, something higher taking care of things for her are two other gifts she has kindly passed on to us all. I wish I'd inherited her tremendous will power though - it might help a long way in keeping chocolates away from me! Only time will tell if I've the same ability as her to bear no grudges to those who have been unkind to me in my past!
With God's grace (and Raja's!) I've been blessed with a life of plenty. Added to that is my wonderful inheritance from my parents - a lot of it from amma. I'm sure it is these qualities that keep my feet firm on the ground and enable me to treat all men and women as equal, and lead life in a dignified and content manner.
To my lovely amma, with admiration, love & gratitude....
Vasanthi
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