living – whatmamathinks

It was a regular summer week with work, summer school, swim practice.

Ryan successfully completed second week of summer biology. Four more weeks to go.

It has rained off and on and I feared my flower plants will drown. They did not and with today’s sun, they are radiant again.

I have kept myself busy at work and that helps to keep sadness at bay. Except when I shelve books, my mind fills up with old memories of my parents.

Sean and I talked more about “what’s next” for us.

I went shopping alone on Friday, a chore I generally despise but I quite enjoyed myself this time. Ma was surely smiling at my transformation.

Talking to Gouri, mashi, Breshpati and Khushi brings comfort. Gouri is so smart, she set the new wifi password in baba’s phone and tablet. She does not know any of her alphabets, never went to school, never learnt to read. I wish she would go to school but she is unwilling. I will continue to drop hints.

Gouri got her first Covid vaccine.

Khushi sends me photos of ma and baba with her. She seems to cherish her memories of them.

Gouri is nurturing baba’s plants. She often sends me photos of flowers.

Sahana, Sean and I went to our sweet, little downtown for a leisurely stroll, dinner at our favorite Syrian restaurant followed by locally made ice cream. The evening was picturesque with strawberry pink clouds casting pink glow on the earth. Ryan stayed home to mow the lawn and waste time on phone.

We celebrated July 4th in National zoo cooing at the antiques of baby panda as she tried to waddle after her mom. She was so sweet.

I brought back a pile of books again from the library. We shall see how much I read.

I have finished the entire series of Downton Abbey. What a great series. What should I watch next and why did I wait so long to watch it? Tonight I hope to watch Downton Abbey movie.

It is amazing that life goes on despite….

That is it for me this week. Hope you all have a great week and your list of “goods” is long.

Again, it feels quite morbid to find the “goods” in a week when baba died. Thinking about the “goods” is therapeutic though and it shifts my focus away from sorrow.

Baba’s end was peaceful. Like ma, he went gently into the night.

He never had to know that ma had passed away.

He was in his own home cared for by people who cared about him.

My friend from Hyderabad called long distance to arrange for steady supply of oxygen cylinders to make sure baba could breathe.

My friend’s husband, a physician, took baba’s caregiver’s call at any hour and guided him over video call. He took charge of my father’s well being and did his best to help him recover. When I approached my friend regarding his fee they declined.

My cousin registered him for health department in case he needed readmittance to hospital.

My friend from school and her husband stayed in constant touch with the caregiver, ready to help.

A friend from social media who I never met in real life jumped into action making calls for oxygen.

I write all this to show that people fought with him and for him.

My flowers look beautiful and there is not a single weed in sight. Weeding, watering and tending to the plants have been truly comforting.

Sahana graduated from college with magna cum laude in both her majors.

I went to Sahana’s graduation and met my big, beautiful family that I married into. They held my hand, lend a ear and just loved. I could give my mother in law a hug after over a year.

Ma and baba would be happy to know I am enveloped in love and kindness by friends and family near and far in my time of need.