Second childhood

My mother just returned from the engagement of her nephew and had a good time with her siblings and mother who got together after a long time. I spoke to her this evening and she was full of stories and incidents that made me feel part of the scene and reinforced that strong family feeling.

I wanted to specially know more about my grandmother who is really old and looks even more frail in the photographs they mailed me. Amma said she was really hard of hearing and never responded when you asked her a question and then went on talking in a rush of words long winding sentences completely out of context!!

My mother said paty had given away all her silk sarees when tatha died but felt very bad not to have one for the wedding. Wanted all her sarees back now. Much like a child who arrives all dressed up colourfully wrapped gift in hand at a friends' birthday and doesnt feel like parting with the gift!! Amma and her sister went shopping for my grandmother as she was unable to go out with them in the chennai heat. They got her a couple of sarees in the rush of the engagement and guests and hundreds of activities. But when amma gave them to her, paty actually flung them aside and said she didnt like them at all.. My mother was justifiably dissapointed and felt terribly bad about this. Her face fell at once and everyone around who witnessed this felt bad for her too. Which probably made her feel worse.

A few hours later, while everyone was preparing for bed, paty came along to where amma was and sat down beside her.. She told her she didnt realise how angry she got but now after thinking about it she feels bad she reacted that way. Amma explained that she should tell her what her specific preferences were and she would try and go back to the shop and get her something she prefers. So paty told amma what she prefers and amma went back to the shop and got her something close and both were happy...

Sometimes, I think as we get older we behave more like children and I only pray that when amma is that old I can have the same patience she has with her mother today..