Monday, September 08, 2008

Mom's Knee Surgery

My mom had her knee surgery today. I took the day off and had the opportunity to be the one to take her to the hospital. We got there at 8am, surgery started at 10:45am, she was done at 12:30 PM and was brought back to her room at 3:30PM. I stayed until about 5:45PM and then I left to go and pick up my kids from the daycare.

I would do this again for her any day. There is something so special about mothers. I feel so glad that I was able to be with her.

As I watched my mother sleep, I thought of all that she had given up for me. She had a job in a bank back in the 70's (big deal for a Pakistani woman) and she quit to stay home with me, because I cried at the babysitter. The next few years, I benefited from having my mother walk me to school regularly, or wait at the front door with warm almond milk for us, or a fresh hot lunch every day. Mom baked regularly, she sewed our clothes, and she bought us treats. Mom was our life. And today, I was blessed enough to have the opportunity to take care of her. How fitting. How lucky I am. And at the same time, it broke my heart to see her in pain. I'm only glad that this was not a life threatening surgery, and that really, after this is truly over, she will be a lot better off. Maybe in a few months time, we can take her on a shopping spree to Buffalo again. This time, with a new knee, she will be able to keep up with me and my sister. I can't wait.

I just hope that one day my children feel for me the way I feel for my mother. For now, all I can do is live with her example, and hope to be loved as much by my kids as she is by us. I can try to be a good mother and hope that one day they love me for it, and that they don't find too many mistakes in my efforts.

Then again- I can't really go wrong. I have one of the best examples to learn from.

No comments: