Not All Superheroes Wear a Cape, Some are called Mothers

Dear future generation,

Let me tell you about a personality who shaped both my professional and personal life equally. A personality that’s inseparable in every household and yet, is taken for granted every time. A personality whose presence is as important as water but her contribution towards the household often goes unappreciated. There is just running on her toes to ensure everything is perfect for everyone living with her. I am taking about the famous personality – the housemaker or more commonly (albeit, insultingly) called housewife. The queen of the house who works hard for hours and wears out herself for her subjects. The queen is awoken by the household chores at 5 in the morning, has a hearty breakfast while making breakfast, exercises well while getting kids ready for school, has lunch at the big table in the company of her phone, relaxes in the garden while waiting for her kids to come home, reads while getting kids to study, finds joy in her working husband’s silent company, enjoys great conversations as she moves around to serve dinner and goes to bed peacefully as she kisses her children to a deep slumber only to dream about tomorrow’s chores. Such great life! Is it really though?

Ever since I was a kid, I have observed that, in every house, the man is looked upon as a superhero. Alas! We never looked at the superwoman behind him who makes sure the superhero doesn’t have to worry about the house. I constantly remember hearing a voice in my head telling me to work hard and become financially independent. A voice that reverberates when I need to revisit the reason why I have to work. A voice belonging to my beautiful housemaker, my mother.

I always had a flood of friends and after a point of time, I lost the memory of a friend waiting for me back home, a friend who puts her hunger on hold until I came down for dinner, a friend who gives up on her sleep just so she could keep me company while I studied late, a friend who made the greatest friend of all and yet, I always left behind.

Imagine having to do the same work every day like clockwork for 30 years. One would say it is frustrating and mundane but a housemaker works the same job without a promotion or a raise. All she ever thinks about is her daughter, so high up in her profession, she can get any job she wants and demand a salary she deems fit. People look for inspiration in books and stories, I got inspiration over a game of cards with my mother. The game rarely happens now, but the advice given by my mother with every move of card echoes whenever I go back to those memories.

Frustration eats her up, she snaps and lashes out on her daughter. The daughter, in retaliation, says ‘I have my studies, my friends, my job. I cannot sit around in the house like you!’ The daughter will hardly ever realize that what her mother does is the most difficult job out there.

Marriage is considered to be the ultimate goal of life for a woman. Of course, that was not the situation in my case. My mother had given me a strict warning saying, if I were to marry before I am able to earn, I would be issuing a death sentence to my independence. I found it to be too silly at that time but, growing up, I still carry that warning with me. Some mothers would like to see their daughter with a well settled family. My mother would like to see me in a big office working with brilliant people around me.

Describing the life of my housemaker mother would be like putting a hurricane in a bottle but if I were to try do so anyway, I would like to tell you that people with cool costumes and super-powers are not the only superheroes. A woman who nurtures you, dresses you, fights for you, kisses you to peace after a nightmare, shouts if you err, makes sure the household chores are done and no matter what you say, no matter how hurtful you behave, loves you unconditionally. Such a woman is also a superhero, only difference is that there are no DC comics on her.

Yours truly,

Present generation.

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Written by

- Chaitrali ( Associate Editor, RGNUL Cosmos)