**JP** Mother Hands

 

Mother's 'Hands' Few years back I have made a courtesy visit to my new friend, who was an Army Officer at Wellington, in Tamil Nadu .In the reception hall, I have seen a big photograph of a pair of 'hands', which I presumed should be the 'hands' of some 'holy' person but did not enquire with any one about the photograph. After a brief discussion both of us have started for another work in my friend's car. While traveling I have found the same photo of 'hands' in the dash- board of the car. Now with a curiosity I have asked my friend about the 'hands' in the photo. Without answering me, my friend stopped his car well before our destination. After a while, he has requested me to take the photo and asked me to have a close look at it. I could able to see the 'hands' closely and found it belongs to an old woman, with wrinkles in the long fingers, but clean and trimmed nails. I still was guessing that the 'hands' should belong to some woman-saint .With a very big sigh my friend told me that the 'hands' were belongs to his mother. With a shock I asked him why he has the photograph of her 'hands' instead of her full image. The Army Officer narrated further………… These are the 'hands' that have developed me, and these 'hands' are always in my thoughts. I feel happier to see her 'hands' than her face. I have taken this photograph just few hours before her death. These 'hands' are no more existing in this world. These 'hands' have developed the person, who is in front of you. To my knowledge my mother has never taken a rest. My father, a drunkard last his life at the age of 32 leaving our family bankruptcy. We are three children and our uneducated mother was left alone. In a miserable situation, my mother was working as a maid in a doctor's house. She used to do all trivial jobs in the house including, cleaning of house,utensils,dog care,wasing clothes etc…Also she was engaged in a couple of houses as a maid. It is a painful thought in me to guess about the thousands of utensils that were cleaned by these 'hands' of my mother. After coming home from her work she will cook for all of us and make all of us sleep, before she piles up water from the well. We all slept in the same kitchen room. Even in her sleep, her 'hands' will move with out any purpose. While taking us to school, everyone will aspire to hold her 'hands' resulting a competition among us. To hold such 'hands' I used to get faith that developed my confidence. Even during her small ailments, her 'hands' used to rub her face to activate herself for the next job. It was through her 'hands' we all have been brought-up. One day while working the doctor's wife has beaten my mother as she has broken a pickle bottle. My mother never retaliates and kept silent. As I was watching this scene, my mother took me back home silently and showed her perseverance. She did not even cry for the situation. No 'hands' have consoled my mother on that time. She did not have much faith in God, but has tremendous faith in her 'hands' in bringing up her children. She does not care for anything except work, work…through her 'hands'. In my younger days, I did not realize the importance of her 'hands'. Instead I have treated her badly on many occasions when my expectations were not met by her. But she has never been angry with me. During my college days, she was admitted in hospital for jaundice. It was that time we all have started understanding her value as mother. Then I have worked hard in my studies and joined in the Army. Step by step I have moved to a higher level in the Army. I took my mother with me wherever I was posted. She never asked any money from me. One day I have asked her to accompany me as I wish to buy her a pair of bangles for her worshipful 'hands'. She refused to have the bangle as she did not like to wear costly ornaments. Instead she made a request to get a watch for her, which she has missed in her 'hard' days. According to her, her 'inner-watch' always reminds her 'go-go' attitude towards her work. After getting the watch from me, she has showed her 'hands' to everyone with a joy. After my posting at Delhi , I took my mother along with us. She was hospitalized for her heart ailment. During her resting period, I have asked her why she has tolerated all her sufferings with out sharing to all. She told immediately that she would not have brought all of us to a stage, if she has shared all her feelings that would have frustrated the developing minds. It is this moment that I have understood her true nature and took a photo of her 'hands'. These 'hands' are no more with us, but these 'hands' reminds my life journey through the safe 'hands' of my proud mother. What more we can do for her, except this small gesture of keeping the photograph of her worshipful 'hands'? The narration of the Officer ends here as tears were rolling in his eyes. Before we reach our destination, I do pray these 'hands' in the photo, with a feeling that I have prayed for millions of such 'hands' in our planet. These are the holy 'hands' that did not expect anything, but they have embraced and comforted many human beings. Some where I have read that 'God has given the gap between our fingers, only to hold another 'hands' in the journey of our life'. But we do not often understand this message. How is we going to repay these kind of debts to such worshipful 'hands'? The decision is ours……..

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