WakeUp 96 - Love

Here’s a wakeup after a brief hiatus because of the Dubai travelogue.

It's been in a way a perfect day with the ups and downs in terms of mood swings. I started the day by reading news about how an educated young man, earning handsomely, murdered his wife and tried to setup the death as if a burglary had gone wrong leading to her death. He took extra measures to set the scene before murder to avoid the suspicious radar pointing at him, but the police not being convinced with the sequence of events after the murder questioned him. He confessed to the murder during the interrogation. And I wondered how rotten things were - lives being cut short tragically because of the whims and fancies of another human; newspaper was filled with news about plenty of domestic crimes - all related to money, ego and jealousy.

At night getting off a share-auto after a minor argument with the driver, I went to a fast food outlet. After a few minutes an elderly lady and a boy in his 20s unshaven, sporting a round neck t-shirt and white shorts stepped in. They appeared to be well off financially. They ordered something at the counter and came to a table. It was then that I noticed the lady holding the boy's hand as they walked. She wasn't that old that she needed support and it seemed more like she was supporting the boy. The boy had an unusual smile with his mouth open 80% of the time and with an awkward neck movement. The mom stood holding the son's hand while the boy sat down and started sipping a coco cola bottle. Something didn't seem right about the boy. After every two sips, the mom would faithfully wipe his mouth.

The mom was looking tired and yet she continued to stand holding the boy's left hand. For a short while she let go of the hand and the boy began swaying gently with his arm moving forward and backward. If it were a party, you'd think he was dancing. His mannerisms were like that of a mentally affected person and he wasn't able to control his movements. Just before they picked up their takeaway order, she wiped the boy’s face completely; just like a mom wipes a 3 year old child's face when they have some dirt on their face. And there was something touching in the way the mother stayed beside her son in those 15 minutes in the restaurant - amidst her fatigue, amidst all the worries and burdens she carried. I don't know how to describe what I felt - the closest word I get is touching; poignant to see that mother's love; mothers tend to love despite everything. They might shout and be angry at the child but they still keep loving the child - love no matter what comes back in return; love that doesn't ask for anything in return.