MOTHER

" Hello , Charlie? How are you my son? Have you eaten? " The voice was still crystal clear in Charlie's ears as he slowly steps towards the hospital. His eyes glistening in the cool winter morning, was getting ready to see the sight he was least prepared to see. His mother, the only blood relative he was left with, the only person he resonated the word 'Family' with, was gone. She was the only person who raised him after his father died serving in the army. From that moment, his mother never wanted him to join the army and always nagged him for his passion towards it. She tried scolding, being cold to him and even moved cities, just to get him out of the shadow of his martyr father. As he walks towards the mortuary in his army uniform, he remembers the words her mother said when he disclosed the fact to her that he also joined the army, " I guess patriotism runs in the blood. But son, you shortened my lifespan now. You have given me a 100 more reasons to worry. I guess I failed to protect my son. But I'll smile for you, so you don't worry about me. I will cheer you and pray for you. So do one thing for this old lady. After I die, make my grave close to you. And tell me everyday what you did. I won't be seeing you enough after you join army. I just want you to meet me everyday after I die. "

Remembering these words, a tear emerges from the ever so dry eyes of Charlie. In front of him was the smiling face of his mom, smilling even when the body is lifeless. She kept her promise to smile, even in the direst moment of her life. He grabs her lifeless hand, to feel once again, the warmth of her body, the shade of her love, but it was all lost. Lost with the person who loved him the most and cherished his existence as a gift. He took her mother with him to where he was posted. To honour his mother's wishes he buried her in a forest close to his camp under a tree. On the bark of the tree, with his knife, he carved his mother's name, ' Marie D'Souza ' and pinns a photo of her holding him, from the good old times of past, above it. " Isn't it beautiful here mom? Just like you wanted. Now you rest here. I'll come everyday and tell you all about my day. Finally you are free to not worry about me. " He smiles while the tears never stopped dripping from his eyes. He finally does a salute, remembering all the hard work, all the extra jobs and all the places this extraordinary women worked just to make her son smile. " I will cherish your memories with all my heart for the rest of my life mother. " He then moves back to his camp.

One day after the another, he make sure to return to this place and tell everything to his mother. He never left a single detail, good or bad, he talked to the tree with the same enthusiasm he used to, whenever he was allowed to contact his mother. As he lied down under the tree, he could feel the warmth of her touch and the calming shade of her shadow above him. He wished dearly that just for once, magically, he could hear her, the voice which was his heartbeat. But in his sane and tactful mind, he knew, it's just a wild goose chase. Years passed, and like time abandons everything from the past, he also abandoned going there everyday. First the frequency became alternate days, then once a week, then once a month, then finally, he visited only yearly, on the day she passed.  On that day, he prayed to her, and talked to her, telling all the things happened within the year. As he moved up the ranks, and got posted in different places, this yearly tradition also got shelved. His work and ambition took the centre stage in his mind and the fond memories were left in the darkest corner of his heart which were never explored again.

A long time passed. Charlie, with his wife were strolling in the park. Suddenly he feels someone tugging his hair, " Ouch.... ouch... Aye Marie. Stop pulling daddy's hair. What do you want now? " He struggles to losen his daughter's grip who is sitting comfortably over her dad's broad shoulders. " Papa look! " She points her small and tender fingers towards the big screen outside the park's entry. A news reporter was narrating about a terrorist attack on the military camps, Charlie spent his youth in. His look suddenly changes as his phone starts ringing. " Sophie, take Marie and go home. I will be late. " He instructs his wife and picks up the call. Soon enough, he  was in his millitary uniform, holding his gun, in a helicopter, which is taking him to the other side of the world. He is a captain now, so he, along with his lieutenant, devise a plan on how to push the terrorists into the forest  so the camps and civilians are safe and the medical unit can start treating people. Everything goes according to plan. His unit push the enemies into the forest by cover firing quite easily. The terrorist move just as they thought and even without much of the resistance. Charlie starts  feeling ominous about all of this. "Something is wrong Lieutenant. We have to capture one of them to get some answers. They are shooting not intending to kill. More like luring us! " They capture the closest terrorist to them, disarm him and along the gunfire, Charlie asks, " What's all this for? Give me some answers or I'll shoot. Make it quick, I don't have time to waste in a warzone." As rain of bullets are getting showered from both the direction, Charlie needed answers to process the situation. The terrorist smiles, " We wouldn't be here if we were afraid of getting shot. Even we are dying where we live right now. It's our only hope to survive. But I am confused. How can you bring your unit into the forest, not knowing how many we are? " Saying this, his grin widened and and along the numerous gun shots, his laughter was crystal clear for Charlie. He knew he messed up as bullets start piercing through his comrades from another direction. They were ambushed! The unit was being cornered now by the terrorists. Backup was on it's way but he could feel, his unit was being annihilated. " Take cover behind the trees! " He shouts for his unit and jumps towards one. As he rolls towards it, he hears something falling right in front of the tree.  He glances to find a grenade thrown right in front of his tree. " This is it I guess. This tree cannot save me from a grenade soo close. " He screams , "GRENADE!" And closes his eyes with his back against the tree, bracing for impact. He was ready to hear the bang that ends his life. But all he hears was.... 

" Hello Charlie? How are you my son. " His eyes still closed, he thinks his mind is playing tricks before dying. The final moment, he only thought of his mother. Finally he was going to meet her. " Don't be so careless, pick up your gun, your backup is here. " Hearing this, he pops his eyes open. He was unharmed! He turns around and realizes the fact which was close to fantasy. The tree in front of him was still standing, and somehow absorbed all the grenade's impact from point blank range. He looks at the tree as time slows down for everone but him. The tree had a name scribled with a knife, ' Marie D'Souza ' and a knife, he remembers as his with an unrecognisable piece of photo damaged with time. " Mom! Mom! " Even in this hectic moment of gunfire battle, he breaks down crying. " Now is not the time my son. Get a hold of yourself. " The familiar voice originated again from the tree which was being showered by bullets , slowly getting trimmed and nicked by the bullets. " I am sorry I was not able to keep my promise to keep you by my side. I am sorry I neglected you and moved on with life and never visited here. I am soo ashamed and yet you saving me. " He bursts into crying. His men calling him from behind, but he was too shook to even move.   

" Son, a mother doesn't want anything more than to protect her own children. I don't want your money, your care or even your love. A mother is happy when her children are happy, even if it means being far away from them. Be happy, I will be happy. Thanks a lot for sharing time with your mother after I died. Those moments you talked to me sitting here, were the most memorable moments of my life. And finally I got a chance to be of some help to you again. Now be the man I know and cherish the moments we spent together. Protect yourself and the ones you love. " Charlie grabs his gun. With a revitalized heart  and appropriate timing of the backup, the terrorist attack was subdued and the terrorists surrendered.  Apparently these terrorists were attacking for the medical supplies of the camp and hence were forcing in their way to capture the camp. They had a serious infection outbreak in their circle and the only secluded camp they could harass was this. 

MOTHER, AMMA, MOM, EOMEONI, MAMAN, MAMA, OKASAAN. All these words from different culture represent  an energy. Females are born as little girls. But when they start recognizing themselves as mother, another form of energy enters their bodies.  A mother becomes the one person in everyone's life who is the unconditional source of infinte love. People try to find and understand true love, but little did they know, it was the first thing they experienced coming into this world. The warmth and love you get which smoothly caress you when you first come in contact with that women, is what true love feels like. When time flies by in this hollow space of life, people tend to forget this and all her care becomes a complicated cases of nagging.  But whenever you are in pain, the first thing that comes out is Mom. The first person you wish to save from a burning building is your mom and the only thing that can tell you that everything is okay in life even if you are a mess, is your mother's smile. Mother is the first gift for us by the god. So cherish her. Even if she is not there anymore, even if she is not your real one, even if she is just someone who cares for you. If you give the word 'Mother' to her, you give her the energy to put your life, your happiness and your sorrows in front of herself. Be happy, because there is a person called mother, who will be 100 times more happy if you are happy and 100 times more sad if you are sad. 

" Happy Birthday Mom. I hope my writing explain my love for you better than my actions. I wish to see you smile more and be happy. We wish to be the reason for that. Love from Papa, Parth and me "