Knowing that this issue is supposed to be a dedication to Women, I knew it would sound crude to blow our own horns. So, I thought of asking a guy I know to speak about the women in his life. And here is a short account of what he said, largely edited for constraint of space.                                       ...                                                                   ... 

Whoever named nature as Mother Nature could have only been a man. Nature and women have so much in common. Nature offers so much even at dying conditions and after so much abuse we have put it through.  And more importantly, hardly cares what we give in return.  We use and abuse as we see it fit and yet, we are never betrayed.

Nature and mother have that in common, regardless of what you put them through all they want to give is happiness.  My mother has been integral in everything I do in my life. All the love I am capable of giving came from her.  Her prayers have seen me through everything from my first day at school and my recent viral fever.  And in all my 28 years I am yet to see her sleep. I am clueless as to what her favorite food is. She has not crossed Chennai except for temple visits within Tamil Nadu. She has never desired anything more than a silver Ganesha idol since the day I started earning. She continues to be my emotional pit stop whenever I need her wherever I am.

 

Grandmother is a special person for every kid. I was blessed to have both my grandmothers living in the same house. I was pampered to the core being the only son much to the ire of my sister.  They were instrumental in seeding my love for books with bed time stories and Hindu literature.  I was quite devastated when they passed away and even my mother was not able to console me for weeks. I miss them very much till date and can only wish that my kids get that special care the way I did or even better.

 

If there was ever a person in my family I hated, it was my sister. She was just too much to cope with. Perfect in every sense and the pride of my father.  The fact that she was elder did not help one bit. She always set the benchmark for me to follow, which I never did, much to my father’s dismay.  She sang, danced, was always within top three of her class and was good at sports as well.  She outdid me comfortably in every possible thing. In spite of having so many activities, she always had the time for me.  I still can’t ignore the fact that she did my biology records the day before her CAT exams. Now, a successful entrepreneur, a loving wife and caring mom she never ceases to amaze me.

And as for the gals in my life, there have been a few. But I never ever saw even a blip in their eyes, while the light in her eyes filled my life with immense happiness. She is the synonym of love in my life. She put up with my flirtatious nature through college. She withstood my indecisiveness with incredible patience when talks of marriage started between us. The comfort level we share and the feeling I experience from spending a moment in a day with her cannot be explained through verses. She cares and comforts me like no other person, though she is hardly aware of it. Her shiny eyes and warm smile keeps any problem I have or might encounter light years away.  The confidence and trust she has in my ability as a person is incomparable. There are a million times when I question myself if I deserve her unconditional love and understanding.  She is undoubtedly the best person in my life and always will be.

I finally realize why every father wants a daughter. And why it seemed like my father loved my sister more than me. When a boy grows up to be a man surrounded by so many women who shower love and affection, share their intellect and care unconditionally, no wonder that he ends up wanting his first child to be a daughter. And so do I.