The Soldier

By: Madhusudan Soni

She didn’t come with me to say goodbye when I was going to place my step for my career, the step which was going to take me away from her eyes. She came to the city but she didn't come to drop me off at another home. She didn’t want to show me her tears, she pretended she doesn’t care and showed like her heart is stone and it is easy to let me be away, but deep down I knew the feeling, she was crying inside, she was thinking how will I survive, what where and how will I eat?, how will I wash clothes? And there is so much inside her that she got lost and didn’t even realize we were calling her for the cup of tea.

She told dad to drop me off to the other home, so far away that it takes 2 days of tiresome traveling to come and meet me if they ever want. But it was something they can’t deny as it was a matter of career, she wanted to see me stand on my own, so tough and stable like an armed soldier standing with her to protect her. So tough that society does not dare to say a word against her.

Dad dropped me to the other home, the college. And it was the time when we looked at each other, waited for seconds but his toughness broke so I cried but for a few seconds, ego matters a lot though. At the other end, she knew I am away now, she also started to break now, the, however, the family supported her so she could forget, but it's hard..........

It was a year now, I used to get her call every evening, 5 minutes of talk and she could sleep with no fear. Now it was time to see her, holiday news on the head, and as soon as she came to know about this she broke, she was so happy to see me that she made early plans, extra snacks, and when dad asked what happened? She smiled and replied The Soldier is coming home... and on this site, I packed everything real quick and a surprise gift from my own salary of internship, yeah I had a small job title but big enough to make her more than happy, she is so naive that she was happy with just a good result, but it was an intern thing this time.

We were finally going to see each other, as soon as I reached the station she was already there waiting for me. And as soon as I stepped she said the only words .....My Soldier is back......... And it hit me deep inside so deep it was, it felt so precious to be that worthy in someone’s eyes, stand like a wall for someone and protect someone.

That's what the mother’s love is, she waits for you every time you leave home. When you go out to play with friends she worries and waits when you are school she worries and waits until you are back, and when you get a job to settle away and get married, she waits for the moment every day that you will come and sit with her, talk with her like you used to be as always, as a soldier of her.

Happy Mothers Day.