I felt hungry little late in the night. I had nothing but some left over rice. I scooped in little sugar and poured milk and mixed with rice....I was eating it and remembered no one else but my grand mom.
Everyone of us have that special grand-mom. She is mine. Her name is Rajalakshmi Chockalingam.
She is almost 80. She gave birth to seven kids with my mom being the second. She lost two of her kids and two grand-kids but dealt with it. As a mom I understand how tough was her battle.
I am not sure if other grand-kids can realize her as a "woman" because I am the only grown-up grand-daughter and I am the only grand-child who stayed closer to her & was grew up by her. Purpose of this article is to make her upcoming generations know the value of her beautiful soul.
I had grown up seeing my grand mom undergoing different phases of her life. Tough days weren't new for her. She is simple, elegant, beautiful in & out.
I recall those good old days where she fed me milk & rice for dinner. She told stories and said one-eyed man might come if I did not finish it :-D.
She dictated the budget of the month(milk, groceries, medicine...) and asked me to write. It was nothing but maths for me. Now I realize the value of it when everyone swipes the credit card as & when needed.
When no groceries were available, she plucked Black nightshade leaves(Manathakkali keerai) from the backyard and made soup(rasam) out of it with a side dish made of sesame seeds. All I did was, enjoyed the delicious soup. But now I know as a woman, I can manage any situation without being overwhelmed.
She knows the importance of being fresh & active. That one thing I am trying to follow is looking fresh but I struggle just with two kids!!!
She lit the lamp everyday morning and evening and offered flowers to the god. I used to argue that its an old-school tradition. I used to be a person who argues that there is nothing special in prayers. Now I know an everyday offering and prayers to god is a simple step towards happy living.
If she cooks, we can smell the aroma two houses ahead. Perfect quantity, perfect spices, perfect consistency, perfect taste...Only few people can bring them altogether and my grand-mom is outstanding. When I go to her place I ask her to make tomato-onion chutney and hot idlies. Her milk kolkattai is my another favorite that I can have all day. (mmm....now I am feeling hungry..).
She is emotionally soft and kind. She never expresses her anger/anxiety much. She knows no one but she has to handle it. She has that one simple goal - everyone to be happy & blessed. She proved Education is not must for a person to handle themselves. She is lot better than educated mean people I have met.
When I faced personal down times, all she said to me was to hold my head up and brave. We used to talk a lot after dinner...my school/college, family, problems, cooking, art works...what not!!
Now I am not near her. But re-call those discussions and talk to her over phone. Now being 90+ - all she needs is someone to re-call those good old memories. When we grow old, we live in memories.
That drop of tear I shed emotionally is not to be hidden because it has the memories of my grand-mom. My Grand-mom - My Blessing.
Everyone of us have that special grand-mom. She is mine. Her name is Rajalakshmi Chockalingam.
She is almost 80. She gave birth to seven kids with my mom being the second. She lost two of her kids and two grand-kids but dealt with it. As a mom I understand how tough was her battle.
I am not sure if other grand-kids can realize her as a "woman" because I am the only grown-up grand-daughter and I am the only grand-child who stayed closer to her & was grew up by her. Purpose of this article is to make her upcoming generations know the value of her beautiful soul.
I had grown up seeing my grand mom undergoing different phases of her life. Tough days weren't new for her. She is simple, elegant, beautiful in & out.
I recall those good old days where she fed me milk & rice for dinner. She told stories and said one-eyed man might come if I did not finish it :-D.
She dictated the budget of the month(milk, groceries, medicine...) and asked me to write. It was nothing but maths for me. Now I realize the value of it when everyone swipes the credit card as & when needed.
When no groceries were available, she plucked Black nightshade leaves(Manathakkali keerai) from the backyard and made soup(rasam) out of it with a side dish made of sesame seeds. All I did was, enjoyed the delicious soup. But now I know as a woman, I can manage any situation without being overwhelmed.
She knows the importance of being fresh & active. That one thing I am trying to follow is looking fresh but I struggle just with two kids!!!
She lit the lamp everyday morning and evening and offered flowers to the god. I used to argue that its an old-school tradition. I used to be a person who argues that there is nothing special in prayers. Now I know an everyday offering and prayers to god is a simple step towards happy living.
If she cooks, we can smell the aroma two houses ahead. Perfect quantity, perfect spices, perfect consistency, perfect taste...Only few people can bring them altogether and my grand-mom is outstanding. When I go to her place I ask her to make tomato-onion chutney and hot idlies. Her milk kolkattai is my another favorite that I can have all day. (mmm....now I am feeling hungry..).
She is emotionally soft and kind. She never expresses her anger/anxiety much. She knows no one but she has to handle it. She has that one simple goal - everyone to be happy & blessed. She proved Education is not must for a person to handle themselves. She is lot better than educated mean people I have met.
When I faced personal down times, all she said to me was to hold my head up and brave. We used to talk a lot after dinner...my school/college, family, problems, cooking, art works...what not!!
Now I am not near her. But re-call those discussions and talk to her over phone. Now being 90+ - all she needs is someone to re-call those good old memories. When we grow old, we live in memories.
That drop of tear I shed emotionally is not to be hidden because it has the memories of my grand-mom. My Grand-mom - My Blessing.
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