Your side of grass as well as mine
Hey Mom,
I have never written letters to you so umm this is bit weird for both of us. It’s not that I never felt the need; it is more about me considering this as a futile activity. Now don’t ask me why, you know it very well! If after asking, telling, explaining and arguing for hours, I wasn’t able to get my point across then what can a letter do? Yes, I know that everything that you do and say is for my own good but Maa, listen to my viewpoint as well. No, this is not a complaint letter. This letter shows you my side of grass which according to you is always greener. Now that we are cool on that, should I speak, I mean write?
I understand that you have many people to answer like Pa, relatives, grandparents, your friends, society and those four people who have no work other than observing me and talking about me. (Yes, I am talking about your regular taunt, “Haye haye, char log dekhenge toh kya kahenge”.) Likewise, even I have an audience to answer, say like my friends, their friends, colleagues, boss, that special friend, friends and some more friends. I can’t always give them an excuse of not being well while I cancel the plan every time! I can’t possibly announce to my date that I need to be home by 10 PM (Yes, I go on dates. Now, don’t get your BP high, I am not running away with anyone.) C’mon Maa, we stay in a Metro that is relatively safe and is known for not sleeping at all. You can’t possibly expect me to be at home when the night hasn’t even started. Here, the party is just warming up and I am all set to leave because I don’t want to disappoint you. See, I do that all the time. You should be happy to have such a dutiful child and in return relax the deadline once in a while.
I have male friends. When I say friends, they are ‘friends’ and not something else. I share everything about all my friends with you (except for some minor details that is okay to not share but trust me that are chotu details. Like really!) Thus, you don’t have to go all CBI on me, the moment I take my male friend’s call. I have nearly the same equation with them as you have with the Uncles in the society (Not exactly, but yeah somewhat there. Okay, I do flirt around unlike you, but then this is my age to do so!) And please, stop giving me that silent treatment over trivial matters. It is so not Mummy-like behavior (Umm, maybe it is, but then you are my Maa. It doesn’t suit you! ) These are just some of the issues for now. Trust me there is a huge list!
I am in my 20’s now Ma, at my age you were married! I know I am still a baby to you but not to the world. I like that you baby me, but it is time that I have the right to take decisions as well. You know, I have never aliened you, for Ma, you are my star! I understand that you worry about me. Every single tear in my eye, sign of stress on my face, every second that I am late, worries you. I know I am your world. I know you can’t sleep till the time I don’t. You want me to be safe and happy always but it is the same with me, Maa. My grass is the same. You are my world as well. I worry about you as well. Every extra work that you take up, late meal that you have, moment that you are low, affects me as well. You are my first and last role model. I hate fighting with you. I want to keep you happy all the time. However, if I have a viewpoint, you have another and we are always at loggerheads, none of us are going to be happy. You have a society to answer just as I have mine. I don’t want us to keep on fighting and hurting each other always (The fighting bit is not really going to change, but the hurting bit, yes please!)
How about we strike a deal? How about we reduce this gap and be answerable to each other only? I don’t know if it will work but atleast we can try. Can we?
Think about it while you make yummy dinner tonight and I promise I will come home early.
Muaah,
Your Love,
Shatru Ladli
Shatru Ladli is her mum’s enemy i.e Shatru as well as her beloved i.e Ladli. (Psst this is my pet name kept by her among the 10,000 other awesome yet embarrassing pet names)