From losing her mother at 16 and taking up the responsibility of her family, to being widowed at 32, this mother stood the test of time, battling every difficulty thrown her way, emerging as a role model for her daughter.
A mother’s love and resilience could move mountains. She may be quiet, but she is indeed a warrior, she is the anchor that grounds you and the fuel that drives you, to become the best you can be.
From losing her mother at 16 and taking up the responsibility of her family, to being widowed at 32, this mother stood the test of time, battling every difficulty thrown her way, emerging as a role model for her daughter.
Raised by this woman of steel, Nikita Shetty narrates why her mother is the ‘hero of her story.’
Speaking to the Humans of Bombay, she shares:
“My mom was just 16 when she lost her own mother to cancer. Her father was nearing retirement and was getting older and weaker by the day, so she decided to step up — she took full responsibility of her younger siblings. She began to work part-time while attending college and earned only Rs 100 a month. With that, she managed to buy the groceries and run the house. After graduation, she got a job with a diamond merchant––that allowed her to give her sister the opportunity to study with the money she earned. And when my aunt got married, it was my mother, her sister who gave her away. She was their powerhouse––a sister, a mother, a friend.
She had me a few years after she married my dad, but in 1999 we lost him in an accident. At 32, she was a widow…she never remarried. But she didn’t let that get in the way of giving me the best life possible. Six years after my father’s passing, we moved to a new apartment that we owned. All the formalities, the paperwork, the loans, she figured out on her own. She’s always been unstoppable. But besides being a working, independent woman, she’s a mom—and she’s always found ways to put me first!
As a child, I remember she would get ten days off from work for Diwali. And for those ten days, we were inseparable––it felt like a grand vacation, filled with snacks, movies and a lot of cuddles. She’s urged me to be independent and yet I choose to be linked to her…our bond is unbreakable. She’s strict and a bit old-school, and I’m untamable at times––but together, we make our differences work. She’s my best friend…the hero of my story.
I asked her once where she gets her strength from and she said, ‘The universe and God have guided me because I was always meant to be your mom.’ She’s managed to give me a life that not many can even dream of. I don’t know how she juggled so much—working full time and raising a child all by herself, but she’s given me a standard to live by, and if I become even half the woman she is, I’ll know I’ve done something right.”
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This story made me go down memory lane and recollect the struggles my mother gracefully battled to help me become who I am today. I know I haven’t acknowledged her enough. I can’t wait to reach out to her, give her the warmest hug, hold her hand and say ‘thank you.’
What about you?
(Edited by Shruti Singhal)
Feature image credit: Facebook/Humans of Bombay
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