Two loving Mothers

The child slept in the make shift cradle attached to two trees. It was tied with a rope from one end of a tree to another tree both standing nearly four feet apart. The child’s mother earned her daily wage by making various things out of clay. She made small toys in the shape of dogs, cats, lion, birds and into various other forms of beasts.

She moulded the clay in her clay maker which she worked manually. She was so engrossed in her work that she forgot about her child in the cradle made of soft cloth. She herself forgot to eat most of the time being completely involved in her clay work.

It was not her fault. She did that to earn money and live with her child with the necessary comforts of life. She worked hard; turning the clay into different shapes, putting them out in the sun for two days or more until it was completely dry and then painting onto these clay figures – eyes, ears, nose, mouth and attached colour coded broomsticks for horns and teeth and soft thread for hair to highlight the overall feature of the toys of varied shapes and colours.

She was blessed though with a quiet child who cried only when hungry but otherwise was silent and sleepy as though the child understood what her mother was doing. The mother was glad too that her child was not bothering her much because her work required complete attention to detail. People wouldn’t buy her art if they noticed any defect be it a minute one. Her hard work would only count if they were spotlessly perfect.

Every feature had to have a detailed perfection. She toiled the whole day to make her creations as perfect as possible but being human, she made mistakes and had to redo the whole process but though it was pain and hard work yet for her, it coined out to be a way of getting a good life in the future.

She wanted her child to live in the comforts she had always wanted and for which she had dedicated her whole life.

The nature played an angelic god – mother to the hard working mother’s sleeping child.

She sang a lullaby to the child whenever the child was awake and restless. A lullaby that the child’s mother, busy in the worldly things did not have time for.

Everyday the child’s mother would swing the cradle a few times uttering loving words to her before continuing with her work and would come at regular intervals to check upon her sleeping baby.

The mother worried little about her child as she slept peacefully with a tiny smile playing on her lips. She never wondered why her child always slept with a beautiful smile on her face but why wouldn’t the child, having been lulled to sleep by the greatest mother of all beings: Mother Nature.

When the entire nature sang sweet melodies for the child, why wouldn’t the child sleep peacefully. The melody which came from the heart of the nature and the voice of a mother. The child who had been sleeping in a dark world for nine months was welcomed into this world of light with arms wide open by another mother who vouched to protect her.

The trees, the wind, the sun, the moon, all played with her when she lay awake in her small cradle. They themselves took various forms and neared her cradle and as soon as she raised her tiny hands to catch them, they disappeared.

The child giggled and made her mother come running toward her. Seeing her smile, the mother’s heart filled with joy. In this way, nature took care of the young one as well as her mother, for, some years ago she had welcomed the same young mother into her arms as a baby.

The trees branches held together the ropes that tied the cradle to itself tightly to prevent any mishap from happening. For if anything was to happen, she wouldn’t be able to forgive even though she wouldn’t be blamed as she was the silent unseen protector of all creatures.

The wind gently swayed the cradle acting as a rocking tool. The child with her eyes open surveyed the new world that she was in with her tiny eyes. A world where she would soon learn to walk, talk, run, work, grow up and produce her next generation, who just like her will be care for and nurtured by a mother other than just herself.

The trees shed their leaves slowly and covered the child’s body. It became a warm blanket for the child to roll around in without hurting herself. The sun shined brightly but the trees provided enough shade to protect the child yet allowing her to see the sun smiling at her.

The whole world was by the child’s bedside. She was not lonely when her mother was not by her side. The nature gave her company when her mother was away and herself went away when the mother returned from her work and took the child in her arms.

At night too, the child lay next to her mother and whenever she looked up at the open, wide sky, the stars and the moon played around to bring about a smile on her face.

 A smile that spread the word of love all around.

The clouds too played a part in the child’s night dreams. It took various shapes: monkeys, birds, elephants, clowns and in its own language made the child smile and helped her have a peaceful night sleep.

The nature with all its elements works to make everyone around them happy and peaceful. They are present when we are happy and are also present when we are sad. Always by our side, an invisible force which helps us in our path and motivates us to achieve our dreams and welcome us in their world with a warm loving heart.

She carried only one wish, that we don’t forget her when we grow up and protect her as she protected us, for being in this world connected us to each other, heart and soul.      

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