A few weeks ago we had a workshop at work. Everyone from the India office had come together. Our HR team also come down from HQ in Norway to organize this workshop. One of the most memorable sessions was where all of us were divided into groups of two to discuss the people who inspire us.

My colleague had a couple of people on his list. One was his mother. He spoke at length about his mother, her strength, her courage, her encouragement and undying support for him to pursue higher education and a career of his choice versus joining the family business.

I could feel the immense respect, gratitude, love and the motivation he derived from his mother. I could relate to each one of his statements. Even my life would have never been the same if not for my mother. Later in the day, we had a common session with the entire India team and it turned out that 98% of us looked up to our parents (either father or mother or both) as our biggest inspiration. I’m sure that you too echo these feelings.

Today, I came across this series of ‘Mom’s Touch’ videos. They are put together beautifully and I recommend that you take a few minutes to watch this:

Also, this video about the world’s toughest job. No leave, no pay, on duty 24 x 7 and the only thing that all mothers seek is their happiness in yours:

It’s difficult to imagine life without my mom. She has always been there. PERIOD.

I’ve always seen her as the caretaker of the entire household. She not only worked as a social worker in an orphanage along with my grandmother but also handled matters at home with equal ease. On exam days, she would sit with us for studies. You could go to her with any problem and be assured of a solution.

Only after both her daughters moved to larger cities for education/ work, did she finally find the time to invest on herself. She started learning yoga, excelled her exams and now is a certified teacher. Yoga not just gave her better health, but also a set of friends with whom she can go out and hang out. She finally has her own set of friends – not family, not wives of my father’s friends or my friend’s mothers.

After my spinal injury, she’s back to being my all-time support for everything under the sun. I have helpers, but when they take leaves or breaks, my mom fills in for them as well. She rarely gets a holiday from me.

She travels with me when I have office work. Leaves behind her daily life and adjusts to my schedule.

Most recently, she has learned Reiki. Her only objective behind this is to heal me. She practices it every day.

Another passion in her life is to feed her daughters with their favorite food. The joy in her eyes after listening to “this tastes yummy” is incomparable. I think, the connection of food – serving – eating – happiness is very peculiar to mothers.

My mom is always a step ahead in assessing what I might need. Since the time I got my spinal cord injury, she has been hands-on with all things related to me; from insurance to banking which at times requires physical visits to keeping a stock of my medical supplies to the occasional doctor appointments and many other things. She always travels with me.

I get the strength to do whatever I do because she’s always with me as my strength and support system. I hope to be the same for her. Love you mommy <3 <3 <3

All of us were dependent on our mothers even before we were born and then growing up as kids. When we grow up, the tables turn. Now it is our time to take care of her. But then some of us get a spinal cord injury and return back to the kid-mode. This video of mothers and their kids with disabilities has left me speechless.