Through the Thick and Thin

-
Everything seemed fine  
A few years ago.  
There was love,  
There was happiness,  
There was calm—  
Peace of mind and wholesomeness in life.  



She was a bundle of energy,  
The life of the family,  
Bustling around,  
Radiating warmth  
And cheer  
Everywhere she went.  


Then came a day  
When our joy doubled—  
A day that marked a change  
So strong,  
So deep,  
That life was never the same again.  


Months passed,  
And as our family grew in number,  
We welcomed a new member—  
Our newfound bundle of life.  


We were flooded  
With wishes and greetings,  
Gifts and flowers,  
And visitors  
All day and night.  

And then...  
When the rush died down,  
There was quiet.  
A new phase  
Unraveled—  
A phase that changed her for life.  


She was no longer  
The energy ball  
She used to be.  
She was tired,  
Drained,  
And weak.  

She had changed...  
A different person now...  
Or was it just a phase?  


Irritated and frustrated,  
She seemed.  
A new person emerged—  
One who screamed  
At the drop of a hat.  

A soul that once  
Radiated love and warmth  
Now seemed distant,  
Cold,  
And even lost...  
At times.  


Is this what it's going to be like?  
Is this what love is all about?  

Of course,  
There were those  
Tiny moments of joy  
That we would savor for a lifetime,  
Watching our little one  
Grow and reach milestones—  
One step at a time.  


But...  
What about us?  
Will we ever be the same again?  
Will our time return?  

Reality shook me  
As my mind imagined  
Horrible outcomes.  


I held my head in despair,  
Closed my eyes tight,  
Hoping the thoughts would  
Fade away.  
I could feel myself  
Scream—  
Drowning the noise in my mind.  

That’s when I felt a hand  
On my shoulder.  
I turned around  
To see my mother,  
Looking at me with concern.  


I hugged her close  
And broke down,  
Bawling like a baby  
In her arms.  

She calmed me down,  
Stroking the back of my head,  
Running her fingers  
Through my hair.  


"I think I’ve lost her," 
My voice trembled  
As I mouthed the words.  

She remained calm,  
Held my hand,  
Squeezed it tight,  
And said,  

"What if I say she is searching for herself too?"

She smiled at my confused look.  


"The girl has gone through a lot, my dear.  
Physically, emotionally, and mentally—  
Over the last year,  
Changes her body might take years to recover from.  

She needs you now more than ever  
To hold her close  
And just assure her,  
‘It’s all going to be okay.’  
So pull yourself together  
So that she can fall apart."

And...  
That did it for me.  


Things returned to normal—  
Slowly.  
And we got back whatever we had lost.  
We were happier than we used to be—  
A happy couple,  
Happy parents,  
And  
A happy family.  

But...  
Those lines have stayed with me ever since...  

"Pull yourself together  
So that she can fall apart."

Thank you, Mom .

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