I am 38 years old, and am still not a ‘Mother’. I know, some eyeballs must have popped out, because when a girl is 30 plus and not a mom yet, everyone around seems to have an opinion. I am given a lot of advices- “Oh it’s a phase, maybe later, you will change your mind“ , “Oh, who will take care of you, when you will grow old” – “ Oh you are an escapist” or even worse “Is everything fine, did you consult a gynaecologist” or worst “ You would not know, true love ever”. Well I am totally fine physiologically and no ‘I don’t believe, I need to become a mother to know love’. My love towards my Mother Earth is far beyond for anyone to comprehend or to pass judgements. Yes, there are times I succumb to societal pressure, succumb to my own biological needs-knowing my body gets prepared month on month to contain a life and being a woman our basic function is to procreate, (but is there any space left in our planet), so that instinct is there, but it’s my ethics, I feel morally obligated to not deplete the planet of its resources further for my own needs. Well, coming to failing to understand love. I definitely do not claim to know the love of a mother for her child. But condemning a woman to a loveless life- if she has consciously chosen not to, (or maybe not able to, whatever is the reason) is totally unfair. I am not a mother, but that doesn’t mean, I don’t know, how to love. I am a sister, I still remember every lil thing my brother did for the first time, my mother carried him but I maintained a journal of every day of the nine months, I’ve wiped butts, spoon fed, cleaned up puke, had sleepless nights to sing my brother to sleep. I am a teacher, I know how it feels to watch your students grow and develop and prosper, to participate in their progress and want the very best for them. I am a pet parent, I have stayed awake all night to tend to my dog’s wound, and cried when she was sick. I am a lover, I have compromised and sacrificed. I am a friend, and had sleepless nights, consoling heart breaks and praying for them to get through exams and their dream institutions and dream jobs. I have bathed the sick, injured and cured them back to health. I am a partner, I know how it feels to be a part of success, to see him cross milestones. I am a daughter, I know how it feels to have someone else’s blood running thick in your veins. I have seen, read and heard stories of Mother Teresa, Maa Sarada, about their universal love, which had no boundaries, about their capacity to love in spite of not being biological mothers themselves. For me Love is responsibility. Love is my ability to respond to people’s emotions, feelings, thoughts and actions. My love is universal, my love is unbiased. I don’t deserve to be judged and my power to love be questioned. Thank you. Namaste.
