Sunday Shenanigans - 11 May 2025 

"HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY"

The Best Mothers' Day Gift for a Fauji Mother of  Bhaaratmata, is the Ceasefire Declared Yesterday ... if it Lasts ... 

 (Mothers of children in military service walk a tightrope between immense pride and deep fear; there's pride in their children's courage, sense of duty, and service to the nation, but this is constantly shadowed by anxiety about their safety and well-being. It demands extraordinary bravery on the part of such Maatas of Bhaaratvarsh, in letting their children pursue their own path, even as it involves risks to their lives and limbs. This Sunday's Shenanigans is a tribute and paean to the Fauji mom ... pass it on to your grand-mom, mom, wife, sister, daughter, or any other relative, if she's one; else, pass it on to any other Fauji moms you would know)

This Mothers’ Day, as the world celebrates the boundless love, warmth, and sacrifices of mothers everywhere, let me turn your hearts and thoughts to a special kind of mother - the mother whose child wears the military uniform for national security. These are the women whose love for their daughters and sons is matched only by their courage, whose pride is shadowed by a quiet, ever-present fear. They are the silent sentinels of our freedom, bearing a cross few can comprehend 

For every soldier who stands guard at our borders of land, sea and sky, there is a mother who stands guard at home - her heart torn between pride and worry. She has raised her child to be gentle, to cherish life, to heal and not to harm. She has taught her/ him that it is wrong to hurt others, that kindness is a virtue, and that peace is precious. Yet, when the call of duty comes, she must summon the strength to let them go, to send them into a world where violence is sometimes necessary, and where the lines between right and wrong blur in the fog of war

No mother dreams of seeing her child march off to war. Yet, some do so willingly, their patriotism woven tightly with their love. Others do so reluctantly, their hearts heavy with the knowledge of what may come. But all make the same sacrifice: they give up a piece of themselves for the security and integrity of the nation. They live each day with the ache of absence, with the dread of a knock at the door, with the hope that their child will return - not just alive, but whole

These mothers carry a unique burden. They must reconcile the values they have instilled in their child - the sanctity of life, the evil of violence - with the reality that their children may be called upon to take up arms, to defend by force, and, if necessary, to kill. It is a paradox that weighs heavily on their souls. They pray for peace, even as they prepare for loss. They hope for their child’s safety, even as they accept the risks. They grieve for every life lost, on every side, knowing that every fallen soldier is someone’s beloved child

I take the opportunity this Mothers' Day, to honor these mothers - not only for their love and their sacrifice, but for their resilience and their grace. Behind every uniform is a mother’s heart, beating with hope, pride, and unspoken sorrow. Let us thank them for giving the nation their most precious gift, and for bearing the burden of freedom with quiet dignity

PS. Here's a confession: While I was in the in the Navy, these thoughts never crossed my mind ... now that I've a son in the Navy, I can imagine and appreciate what goes on in my wife's mind ... and what would have gone on in my mom's, whilst I was in uniform ....