Things My Son has Taught Me

The last few months have been stressful, to say the least. Life has taken an unwanted, though expected, turn, the effects of which might never go away.

Amidst all this, if there's anything that has kept me going, it is my son. The tiny, naughty, playful little angel who keeps my world so beautiful and full of sunshine. And when I look at him, there's so much that he's taught me all along.

Smile - Smile, no matter how bad or blue the world around is. It's amazing how easily a little child can crack into a smile instantly. While there isn't much that you can do to change situations or people, you can change your perspective and mood. And all that starts with a little smile.

Never give up - A baby learns things, little by little and by never giving up. Yes, there are moments of frustration and anger too, but he keeps struggling until he has mastered the art, be it rolling and flipping, sitting up, crawling, standing or walking. The sad thing is that as we grow, we lose our perseverance and start giving up way too easily. Looking at my son these days trying to stand and walk is a delight, and a reminder that patience and perseverance always pay.

Sing, like no one is listening - And lots of singing we, mother and son, do. No longer do I care whether my voice cracks up at a high pitch or the fact that I am only mumbling the lyrics I barely know. We sing and have our own fun, all the time!

Forgive & forget - Who says a mother never makes mistakes? Of course, she does. Or for that matter, anyone else who's with the baby. But the baby never remembers and the next moment, it's all about love and hugs for him or her. While we adults keep way too many grudges and, in the process, lose out on valuable time and beautiful relationships.

Live and love the moment - It's all about this particular moment for my son now. If he wants to sleep, he'll sleep and if he's hungry, he'll want to be fed. There's no planning anywhere. So, even if it's 3 am in the morning and he decides to play a while, he'll play. When he grows up, he too will get caught in the maze called life and fret and worry like we do.

Take it easy - The house is a mess, the dried laundry needs to be put away, sleep is now a luxury and I haven't done my eyebrows for over 2 months now. But every moment with my child allows me to sit back and truly enjoy 'the' moment. The colorful stacking rings and the tumblers are more important now than coordinating my dress with the right footwear. All because my child loves playing with these and I'd crawl under the bed in an expensive dress to fetch the one that rolls in there. And despite all the mess and my imperfections, my child loves me nonetheless. While I bask in the moment, I let go of things that can be put off for the next day, just to be with my child. Does the next day come? Who cares. .. as long as I get every moment of my little one's childhood.

Childhood is absolutely amazing, but seeing your child grow is an eye opener. Yes, life teaches, but your child is the greatest teacher. As you become a parent, not only do you look at life differently, but also learn so many things about yourself that you've never known. You are the strongest and the most vulnerable with your child.

Every moment with my son is a treasure and everything else can wait. And my son inspires me to be a better human being, little by little, every day :)

Will be back with more. Till then, take care and stay precious :)