Wednesday, 20 May 2026

Véronique et sa maman Anne - Mother's Day - Entry 3 - 50th Newsletter competition - tribute


 



Véro bébé avec sa maman



"Ma mère est morte 6 mois après mon mariage. J'avais tout juste 23 ans et elle 44 ans.

Chaque maman est unique, nous n'en avons qu'une.

Je pense pratiquement tous les jours à elle.

Elle n'a pas connu mes enfants et d'office quand il y a un événement dans la famille, je pense qu'elle aurait du être là. Et son souvenir est bien présent, malgré le temps qui passe.

Montrer à mes enfants sa force de caractère, son enthousiasme.

Elle a décidé de garder sa maladie secrete. Nous n'avons su que 6 mois après ce qu'elle avait. Elle ne voulait pas que notre attitude change vis à vis d’elle.


Vous allez me trouver bizarre, mais parfois je me dis: est ce que j'ai oublié sa voix? Si elle revenait est ce que je reconnaitrais sa voix?


Ma mère avait un caractère bien trempé. Quand elle était petite, ses parents la forçait à manger, à finir son assiette. Ce qui était assez logique, car ma mère était née en 1941. Donc en pleine guerre mondiale où on ne gaspillait surtout pas la nourriture. Elle gardait la nourriture dans sa bouche toute la nuit et la recrachait le lendemain matin aux toilettes. Les dégâts sur ses dents ont été considérables. À l'époque, personne n'en n'avait conscience. Mais je peux dire que jamais ses enfants n'ont du finir une assiette et que l'hygiene buccale était une priorité! Elle a tellement souffert chez le dentiste à sa vie adulte qu'elle habitait dans son bâtiment.


Elle était douée pour les études et avait fini son cursus complet d'humanités à ses 16 ans. Malheureusement à cette époque, dans une famille de province, les filles ne devaient pas faire d'études et pour s'échapper, il n'y avait que le mariage comme échappatoire. Ce qu'elle a fait à 18 ans en se mariant avec mon père. En quittant leur pays d'origine, mes parents ont pu se libérer de cette emprise familiale et mon père a autorisé ma mère à travailler. Ça me fait drôle d'écrire cela, car de nos jours, personne ne doit demander l'autorisation pour cela. Ils ont eu une vie heureuse à Paris, et nous ont aimé tellement mon frère et moi.


Elle me manque, mais c'est souvent notre lot à tous."


Cette histoire vous a plu ? Assurez-vous de ne manquer aucune autre ! 



Voici le troisième article pour célébrer ma cinquantième newsletter, soit environ un an de publication régulière sur ce blog. Pourtant, comme vous pouvez le constater, j'ai commencé en 2012.


Vous trouverez peut-être ces histoires ci-dessous intéressantes, ou vous trouverez d'autres articles en français dans la section « French ».



Pois et Blanche main …petite histoire de Nathalie Andrews - guest post


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Dr. Ashok Kembhavi, un héros méconnu et demi-marathonien senior #tatamumbaimarathon2026


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Sanaya & her mother Lekha - tribute 14 - family Mother's day compilation



 


These lines are from my almost 19-year-old daughter Sanaya about me. They cover qualities and irritations and aspirations.

"The early, happy memories that come to mind most about my mom would be when we used to go to the children’s playground or parks and just walk, play games and spend time together.

My mom is very affectionate and needs us to express our love physically. Like she’s the type to not let us leave the house if we haven’t kissed her. On some days she may ask for hugs or to cuddle on the sofa. She’s also very focused and persistent like when she wanted to lose weight, she completely changed her mind set and her whole lifestyle to get the results she wanted. She always gets what she sets out for herself. She’s very empathetic, like when I make a mistake or when I used to be up to some mischief, even though she gets mad she most likely would understand where I come from and didn’t act as if I was crazy.

One of the most irritating things about her when we were children, not anymore, was she used to get really, really, really mad at us when we, me and my sister, lost something. Even though I think it was a bit too much the way she would get mad, today I never lose anything. In my friends’ groups, I am among the most careful with my things and am now always ensuring that everybody has their things with them as we move around. I guess I have my mom to thank for this.

I definitely don’t feel the same about my mother now versus five years back as I was 14 then. With my mom we had our ups and downs and there were those periods of time when it was difficult for us to get along because both of us were entering different and difficult phases of our lives. I realise my mom and I are poles apart and yet so similar in the not so good side of who we are, so it used to amplify any argument.

If I could give my mom a new skill, I think it’d be an emotional regulator because I think it’s anyway, something anyone could use to be happier. I think that she and I are both extremely sensitive. At some point in our relationship, I felt that we could have gotten through things more easily if she wouldn’t take things so personally. She would usually get stuck on something I had said earlier. I feel that if she were able to develop this skill it’d help us go much further in the relationship we share."


When I read what Sanaya has written and what her older cousins have written I see perspectives change with time & experience and both mother & daughter getting older. I shall redo a similar inquiry in some years and check what she thinks then. For me, having my daughters and seeing who they are becoming is the biggest blessing. No one teaches us how to be a mother. It comes from instinct and what we've seen at home growing up. We all want to be the 'safe place' for our children. 

Most parents try to stop their children from pitfalls that they've experienced themselves. 

This ends the Mother tribute series with the family. I hope you all enjoyed what you read and in turn have thought about your parents or loved ones.


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You can read other tributes here 


Mother's Day family compilation- tribute 1 - Latha on Ammini Warrior


or 

Tuesday, 19 May 2026

Anagha & her mother Rajashree- tribute 13- family Mother's day compilation



 Anagha, my cousin Rajashree’s daughter, is a busy doctor in the States. When I asked her to write something for her mother, I thought she probably would take some time but she quickly came back with photos and text. Sadly, I have seen neither of them for a long time now. But we remain connected despite the distances.

Rajashree is also Radha’s daughter… See 

Here is what Anagha wrote: -

“Mom has several qualities that I love but these are the four in the forefront.

1. I love how she used to stay up late with me while I was studying or painting.

2. She still understands me better than anyone else, which amazes me every time. I truly don’t think there’s anyone in the world who knows me better than my mom.

3. I love that she stays true to who she is and always does what she believes is right, regardless of what others may think.

4. She is rarely ever in a bad mood. She has such a simple, genuine, and clear heart and mind — never pretending to be one way while thinking another.

She always encouraged me to talk to more people and be more outgoing since I’ve always been more introverted. She still does. I think, in the end, it really helped me become a better person for my patients.

I think I feel the same way about my mom. I looked up to her growing up, and I still do. Now that I’m older and have met more people in life, I appreciate even more who she is as a person.

The New Habit I would like to gift her: Use sunscreen generously and spend more money on herself.”




In these few lines, I got to know so much about my cousin. Raji as we know her always makes me feel like a little baby when she calls me ‘Lekhu Kutty’ or Lekha, the little child.


This series of articles can be considered as a collaborative family memory chart for the future generations and the ones already finding it hard to figure out who’s who in the family. Maybe it can be a trend and you can do one for your family too?


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Jyoti & her mother Jaya - tribute 6 - family Mother's day compilation



or


Sujatha & her mother Sarada - tribute 7 - family Mother's day compilation

Monday, 18 May 2026

Shweta & her mother Swapna - tribute 12 - family Mother's Day compilation

 

Shweta & her parents on her PhD convocation


For my cousin Swapna, daughter of my father’s brother, life has been all about her family, being a homemaker & a mother. 


Her daughter Shweta has penned down some lines for her. Her memories show how a mother’s presence means the most to a child. Money and comfort are important but can come later.


 

" I have several memories of my mother, but one of the earliest I remember was when I was at my annual function in UKG. I was 5 years old and I saw her in the crowd in a blue saree that she still owns. 


At that moment, I remember being the happiest to see her. It has stayed in my mind & heart. 


Her qualities if you ask me are that she’s the life of the party, her stories make everyone's day, she believes in physical affection.


If I could gift her a new skill? I would love for her to get the chance to learn dancing, cinematic dance I believe... she loves it and never got to learn it because her parents chose to teach her music not dance."


I see in Shweta's tribute that children notice everything and being a parent is a lifelong job. Do you notice that your mother would love to learn to dance? Why not do an activity even as older adults together and deepen the bond or friendship you have with one or both of your parents?




You can read the Swapna’s tribute to her mother Sarla here.


Swapna and her mother Sarla - Dilli ki Deviyas - Tribute 3 - Mother's Day family compilation


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You can also enjoy the other tributes here


Sujatha & her mother Sarada - tribute 7 - family Mother's day compilation


or 



or 



Anushree & her mother Shreedevi - tribute 10 - family Mother's day compilation



or 



Shalini & her mother Meena - tribute 9 - Mother's day family compilation


or 



Sunday, 17 May 2026

A young mother, Abhilasha’s ode to her own mother Vineeta - tribute 11 - Mother's Day family compilation

Vineeta & Abhilasha

     
Vineeta, Abhilasha & Chai


When I met little Abhilasha, I was a teenager and living with my parents in Borivali, Mumbai. I clearly remember a happy, smiling, gurgling and chubby 8-month-old baby who looked like a little doll to me. Her mother Vineeta is my cousin who has been living in the States for a long time. The next time I saw my pretty and gentle American niece was in 2016 for my niece, Anushree’s wedding and I travelled with my sister and daughters to Kerala. Nearly two decades had passed. So yes, I don’t know Abhilasha a lot but I am delighted that she replied when I asked her to tell us a bit about her mother Vineeta.


So here, from the pen of Abhilasha, is a young mother’s ode to her own mother:


“Many of my fond memories of my mother occurred when my brother and I were in the back seat of her car. Over the years she spent countless hours singing Hindi songs with us, playing us audiobooks, explaining the news to us and simply talking with us as she drove us here, there and everywhere. In our little on-the-go version of mother-daughter socialization, Amma taught me how to appreciate language and music, how to digest the world around me, and even how to regulate my emotions. Traits that are core to my sense of self even today.


One quality that I love and admire in my mother is that she's grounded in reality. This extends to much of her way of living. Rather than ignoring the flaws of her loved ones, she keeps them forefront in her mind, taking each person she knows in whole with every interaction. She loves art and stories but only when they are not too fantastical -- her preferred book and drama genre is murder mystery and her favorite subjects to paint are her family and friends. Another trait that I love is her caring nature. From last minute materials for school projects to middle-of-the-night phone calls about an aunt's medical concerns, Amma is there for people at the drop of a hat. When friends are struggling Amma makes sure to regularly check in on them and offer help.


My perspective on my mother has definitely changed as I have aged. I have always loved and admired her but only in the last few years have I begun to understand her. For example, I am 32 now and my daughter is about to turn 1. My motherhood journey has barely begun and I am already developing a deeper knowledge of and gratitude towards the mother I was blessed with.


If I could gift Amma one new skill/habit it would be meditation. Having two children, a demanding full-time job and a working husband occupied all of my mother's mental energy. I think developing a meditation habit would help Amma organize her thoughts, express herself more easily and be at peace in many ways. “


The most delightful thing about these tributes is that they are giving me a chance to reach out personally to family. I’ve always been one to admire family members who bring others together and now for the first time, I feel that I am in that role.



#motherhood #mother #tributetomymom

#maman 



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The tribute that Anushree wrote for her mother is Anushree & her mother Shreedevi - tribute 10 - family Mother's day compilation


You can also read Vineeta's tribute to her mother Shreedevi here


Vineeta & her mother Shreedevi - tribute 4 - Mother's day family compilation


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