A 5-Sec Cry and a 5-Sec Hug
All she needed was 10 seconds and a hug I considered powerless.
I heard the lock opening, and I knew it was her.
But I was so engrossed in my work that I didn’t budge.
With a bag full of fruits (for my nutrition) and another bag full of junk (for midnight snacking), she entered my room and said -
“Subah se bilkul acha nahi lag raha hai, kahin bhi mann nahi lag raha”, and burst into tears.
Roughly translated, it means — “I’ve been feeling blue since morning, and my heart’s all over the place.”
I don’t know what got over me, but I immediately got up from my chair and gave her a bear hug. It’s so unlike me. Because my go-to response to someone crying is questioning them.
What happened?
Why are you crying?
Tell me about it.
And the more they cry and don’t answer, the more I push.
Yes, I’m a bona-fide idiot.
Not this time, though.
And here’s the surprising bit. She broke out of that hug in exactly 10 seconds.
“What the hell?” I thought.
She broke out of her emotional spell and entered the “responsibility mode.”
The mode where she’s like — “I need to feed this irresponsible goof.”
Even though I’m capable enough. But they can’t help it, can they?
What baffled me, though, was the way she could express and let go of her pain in 10 seconds.
It takes me days of mood restructuring to get out of a sad state.
Was it the responsibility that replaced her emotions, or was it my 10-second hug that gave her everything she wanted?
I’m not entirely sure.
Here’s what I’m sure about — My work can take a back seat when she needs me. It’s as simple as that.
And this takes me back to my childhood. It reminds me of the times when she was engrossed in her work (writing her PhD thesis, to be exact), and I would throw a tantrum. Or I needed love, or I was hungry.
But for her, I was the priority. Even now, it’s the same.
She’s a professor with 35 years of experience and works at a top-tier college known in the entire country.
But if I need her during the day, she will pick up my call, regardless of where she is.
“Can I not set my work aside for a mere 10 seconds?”, I question myself.
She’s devoted her life to me and our family and has barely asked for anything in return.
This is true love.
It all boils down to the sacrifices, nothing more.
And for all the sacrifices they’ve made, the only thing they need is… a 5-second cry and a 5-second hug. Hug your Ma today and tell her you love her.
You just read a story that I share in my weekly newsletter Feel-Good Sundays. It is a weekly 2-course meal — a heartfelt story with a side of wisdom. So… Can I indulge you in a story that fills your heart on a nice, relaxed Sunday? Click here if you’re in.
