…And when she came in her room and progressed towards the bed for a short nap, she saw an envelope placed on the bed-side table. It read, ‘To, My First Expert’. Her face was brushed with bewilderment and she opened it, to find a letter which read, ‘Mom- a title just above Queen!’. She recognized the handwriting, but decided to read through.

“Dear Mom,

I know you must be puzzled when you first saw this letter in your room. You know how introvert I am when it comes to expressing my heartfelt emotions. But, I didn’t thought of presenting you with anything better than this, on an auspicious day, meant especially for you! 

Why My First Expert? Well mom, you’ve been my mentor since childhood and nurtured me well. I won’t say that you imbibed me with saint qualities, but you have inculcated me with the best of culture and responsibility and helped me grow into a well-mannered individual.

You’re my first teacher, #MyFirstExpert,
I owe every beauty I own to you
and thank you for the million ways you taught me
to be happy and show gratitude.
For me
you aren’t just a blood relation,
but a lingering memory.

I remember how you used to host challenges where you judged the best newspaper reader between me and Abu and this activity, gradually built my vocabulary, imagination and creativity. I remember, how you used to buy school books of my grade in Urdu language, as you were an Urdu literate, to understand my curriculum, so you could teach me and make my studies seamless and perfect. I was too small to realize why you used to study those Urdu books, but with time, now I understand your efforts in making my education better!

There is no way to be a perfect mother,
and a million ways to be a good one.

During my teenage years, you started teaching me to cook and appreciated every effort I made, which in return, helped me get better. I literally hated it and threw tantrums when you would take me to buy grocery on weekends. You would send me and Abu to pay the bills at times or buy some kitchen items from the general stores. I disliked to stand in long queues to pay the bills or collect a receipt from the store, but I failed to understand your intentions to make me self-sufficient and independent. Now, I do realize it!

Being a mother is learning about
strengths you didn’t know you had and
dealing with fears you didn’t know existed.

There were times when we differed in opinions, but you kept calm and made me understand the reality of situations. At times, you let me be on my own and quench my curiosities and then there were times, when I failed with my perceptions, but when I looked back, you were still there for me. You wanted your little birds to fly with their young wings and face the reality of life on their own, sometimes.

Apart from building our imagination, empowering us with education and self-sufficiency, and strengthening our confidence, you instilled the virtues of truth, compassion and empathy in us. I remember that one incident when I was 10 and left the newspaper improperly after reading and when you saw that, you told me that we should be responsible towards everything and I should leave the newspaper the way I expect to find it.

I remember how you used to make me and Abu plant trees, every summer, in our locality ground. Out of inquisitiveness, I once asked you, why do we do this and you replied that we should not always think of making our lives better, but try to leave something better for others too. That moment, I learned that indeed success is not by measure, but by the creation of happiness for others!

You always taught us that we must treat everyone equal and this lesson is significant for me. We never referred our house-maids or local vendors with name, but used the siffix ‘aunty’, ‘uncle’, whenever we addressed them. You always made us believe in God, instilled the beauty of hope in our hearts and made us trust in the power of prayers! 

Mother is a verb!
It’s something you do.
Not just who you are.

Apart from these beautiful memories, I remember those blissful times when we played hide and seek under the sun, danced in the rain and made paper boats to sail in the shallow and narrow streams on the ground, learned mesmerizing hymns and songs together, and enjoyed every moment of life and accepted it the way it came.

Thank you Ma for being there with me in every aspect of life and teaching me the best lessons to live a beautiful life. I am glad to have you as my mother and thank you for making me a self-sufficient, independent, responsible, content and a successful person. 

The pocket of my thoughts
have many a memories of you-
#MyFirstExpert
each being a sweet lesson
which adds essence
to the meaning of my life.

This letter is no less than a gift for you mom. With these words and memories, I wish to convey to you that your efforts and perseverance have succeeded. This letter is a reflection of the best virtues you taught me and how beautifully, they helped me evolve into a better person. 

Ammi,
Thank you for the beauty of life
you gifted me.

Thank you for the values
you taught me.

Thank you for the optimism
you imbibed in me.

Thank you for giving me the
wings of courage, faith, perseverance and wisdom
to conquer the journey of life.

Thank you for instilling in me, your reflection
which I may pass on to my generations
and keep your words alive.

Thank you for being my first expert,
in every sphere of life.

You are Motivating
Optimistic
Thoughtful
Honest
Extravagant
Reliable

Love,
Your Daughter”

Her eyes were brimmed with tears of joy and they slowly dripped on the letter, making the ink blot to make the words fade and mix with each other, which made the writing illegible. But, that didn’t mattered to her, because with every passing moment, her heart filled with an untitled happiness and her face was painted with extreme joy which deciphered her success, known only to her!