Chris apprehensively climbed up the shaky stairs of the house he grew up in after many years. Their loud creak under his weight went unnoticed by him for his attention was suddenly focussed elsewhere. His eyes caught a glimpse of the place where the nameplate used to be and, unknowingly, he felt a stab in his heart. Had he lost everything he was entitled to?
He pushed the unlocked rusty door open and, along with the thick whiff of dust, felt his entire childhood envelope him. Everything was in its place, but a dead stillness prevailed. “I should’ve been here sooner.” he said out loud, evidently with a pang of guilt. Yes, he had achieved what he had set out to, but was everything lost along the way?
He clearly remembered the leather armchair where his mother had sat when he went to bid her adieu, years ago. He wanted to leave the boring, unpredictable life of this small town and soar high to fulfill his dream of becoming an architect. His mother, alone and protective, wished he found a dream closer home. They argued and sparred, until one day he packed his bags and left.
He hadn’t once looked back after that. His calls to his mother, long and frequent at first, had reduced and then stopped altogether. She often complained about her deteriorating health and begged him to visit her but he always had something else to do. The call from their local priest few days ago was the jolt he hadn’t prepared himself for. His mother was gone.
He completed her last rites impassively. Someone had shown interest in buying their old traditional timber home. He too felt no need to hold on to it anymore. His final trip to his house was to collect any personal items his mother might’ve left behind. Although, truthfully, he wasn’t sure what he would do with them. Wouldn’t it be better to just give them away too?
A purposeful walk through the house brought him face-to-face with a tiny closet he never knew existed behind the curtains in his mother’s room. “Has it always been there? How come I never saw it?” he wondered. He pushed it open to have a closer look and what he saw brought a catch in his throat.
There were rows of shelves covering half the height of the walls carrying his old toys, clothes and several building structures he made as a child. The cast from when he had his hand fractured lay next to them. He smiled seeing his mother’s ‘World’s best son’ scrawled over it. His old cycle, his favourite toy casio, his beach set, even his old ragged shoes, it was all there, neatly kept and maintained. It was like a peek into his past.
On the opposite wall were numerous pictures of them together, from vacations, his birthday parties and even in their backyard. There were cut-outs from newspapers and magazines of the buildings he had designed, his interviews and his pictures. Here too there were lines like ‘So proud of you’ ‘Looking handsome’ ‘I knew you would do it’ scribbled across them in his mother’s unique handwriting.
He didn’t realise when tears started rolling down his stubbled cheeks. She had managed to keep a part of him with her even though he thought he had left. Could he ever get his lost part back or even dare ask for it? He picked up the cast, scribbled something on it and kept it back carefully. Nothing in the world could describe him better. ‘World’s best mom’s son’ was what defined him and he wished he had known it sooner.
This post is as an entry for #TellTaleThursday with Anshu & Priya
Oh, poor Chris! He realised how much his mother loved him but too late now! It’s a very beautiful story, Varsha, and something that kids of today should understand. Parents love their kids even when they scold or punish them.
Beautiful take on the prompt, Varsha. Your story is something that happens to a lot of people, when they let life rule over relationships.
A reminder we all need from time to time.
Yes it can be very emotional to discover how much his mother loved him. But everyone has to moved on in life. He moved on forgot / neglected his family. He should not have. But it happens. You nicely captured the emotion he is feeling now and his mother felt earlier.
Beautiful story but bitter sweet at the same time. We do often take people near and dear to us for granted that we sometimes miss out on the little things they do for us.
Nothing can be comparable with parents love. Really that poor guy realised his mother’s love too late . You have portrayed the story so beautifully. . Amazing Varsha..
Such a beautiful story that touches your heart. As parents we realize the scope of a parent’s love but also that nothing can captured for ever
You beautifully portrayed the story. Its sad that he realized his mother’s love late but glad he realized. Lovely read
What a sweet story! It really touched my heart. Moms are really the best, I feel like giving my mom a tight hug after reading this 🙂
Well, my concern is not that he’d known it sooner but how long he gonna remember it?
The problem is not lack of emotion but unawareness. Tears do roll down one’s cheek but one isn’t aware of them. The whole notion that emotions make one weak or intellect is superior is turning humans into zombies.
Varsha, you hit the nail on the head. 🙂
Hi Varsh,
This is a beautiful post. Relationships are the pillars of our life. Without meaningful relationships, we tend to have a hollow life.
Thanks for sharing, have a good day.
Amazing prompt and loved this beautiful story. Mom and child is always the most precious bond. You have expressed it really so well.
Such an emotional piece it was, I just loved the blog, it so relatable, now a days this is actually a true story for many. Loved the story I am definitely sharing this across.
Okay this made me cry…. We get so busy in our lives we forget how badly our Parents need us but they never forget us… ❤
That’s such a beautiful story for this promot. Their is a beautiful bond between our relationship…and it’s precious.
You write so well. It’s such an emotional story. Loved reading it.
Just Wow! Such an emotional and beautiful story!! I wish he knew this earlier but now it is very late.
Oh, what a tale. I loved reading it, I got so emotional reading it, beautifully written.
Beautifully opened. Loved reading the story
It’s a beautiful story Varsha, I am happy for your writing. Wish you publish your own novella soon. Love the way you captured such complicated emotions very swiftly.
A heartbreaking and thought provoking take on the prompt Varsha. I loved how emotional scene you created. A true story for most, as they chase ambition and ignore family
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful course we always miss the relationship you share with our parents specially relationship between of baby and mother .
Certainly heart touching story. I wish all sons and daughters read it before its too late
So well you write…emotional and bittersweet. Truly parents are the best…one must treasure them always
This is really amazing article n really heart touching… Ttuly a amazing story
really touch by the story . Mom will be mom her care and love will never ends
I just loved reading this piece, it just touched my heart. I am going to bookmark this link and share it with my friends!
Beautiful one. Life is really unpredictable and sometimes we get too involved in it. loved reading it.
This is really touched my heart. I am like her only and I think all the mothers do the same. They always care about everything related to their kids. Wonderful post.
This is such a touching story Varsha. Life can be unpredictable aND moms are the best