My closest friend is my daughter. You can call her my very best friend. I was a stay at home mom. Being motherless myself from an early stage I used to be worried that it shouldn’t happen to my children. I loved my children with an intensity, always worried that I may kick the bucket way too soon leaving my kids to life’s vagaries. My whole world revolved around them and still do.
My husband being in the army the children and I were alone at home most of the time. As the children grew up and we faced the many transfers of my husband, we would be posted to such places where education was not up to the standard we liked. We didn’t like leaving our children with relatives. The one option left was hostels. My husband didn’t like leaving Nola in a hostel, but he was okay with our son being left. His thinking was that a boy can take care of himself better than a girl.
Wherever we were posted, Nola and I used to be alone at home and would keep each other company. We enjoyed each other but Nola would forget that I was the mother and would boss me. We had many fights too as she would question my decisions about her.
With her I never needed to talk to other people, as my own chatterbox kept me entertained with her talking and singing all the time. As a small child she was highly protective. Once we went to Nathiagali in winter for skiing. We had invited my cousin and her family for the trip with us. We had gone for a walk. My cousin Z playfully pelted me with snow balls when she suddenly called for help. My daughter had pushed her because she thought I was being attacked by Z.
It’s funny really even my granddaughter M 1 thought when she was four years old that Nola was my mother. She asked M 1 how old was Nano (that’s me) and her reply was that I was six and younger than her. Nowadays Nola’s son TJ is quite confused. He has heard her many times saying that Nano is her eldest child. The last time I visited he was trying to find out what his relationship was with me.
When she came to USA with her husband she was a student on a scholarship. We helped with money as much as we could but still life was hard for her. Years before when looking at an Epilady in Woman’s Weekly I remarked that I was going to get it for myself if I went abroad. At that time it was not available in our country. Can you imagine she had remembered that. She sent me that on my birthday. She knows my penchant for crockery. I have told you the story previously how she made her children carry a set of five dishes and a Lazy Susan. They had to change various airlines along the route. Her children were fed up on hand carrying Nano’s gift and wanted to throw it away.
During my various operations, she was the one looking after me. I won’t bore you with the details. She would nurse me to health and recovery. She would do whatever I asked her with unfailing good spirits. She was truly God’s Blessing for me and still is. I am glad that we are friends more than mother and daughter. Hope we remain so.😌. Amen.
A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same. (Elbert Hubbard)
Don’t walk behind me, I may not lead
Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow
Just walk beside me and be my friend
(Albert Camus)
And here is a poem which sums it up.
When we first talked to each other
I knew we would always be friends
Our friendship has kept on growing
And I’ll be here for you to the end.
You listen when I have a problem
And help dry the tears from my face
You take away my sorrow
And put happiness in it’s place
We can’t forget the fun we’ve had
Laughing ’til our faces turn blue
Talking of things only we find funny
People think we’re insane- if they only knew
I guess this is my way of saying thanks
For catching me when I fall
Thanks once again for being such a good friend
And being here with me through it all
(Anonymous)
Flowers and Breezes 