A tribute to mothers
My letter is to pay a humble tribute to all mothers, as India celebrated Mother’s Day on May 8 this year (“Mother’s Day special: Sridevi, Tabu and other Bollywood leading ladies who honed their maternal instincts on screen”, Gulf News, May 08). Mothers are God’s best gift to humanity. Without them, nothing makes sense. A mothers is her child’s first teacher from whom he or she learns morals and manners. Mothers represent love and forgiveness in their true form; they are selfless and full of generosity. From the time a child is born, the mother nurtures him or her until her last breath. The play a meaningful role in the child’s upbringing. The world seems to have converted mother’s day into a social event. But, how many mothers get back the true respect which they deserve? I genuinely believe their contribution is often overlooked, so it is at least an opportunity to thank them.
From Mr Ramesh G Jethwani,
Bangalore, India
Life lessons
When we were children, all we ever wanted was to grow up. Now that we’re there, we wish nothing more than to go back in time. Being an adult isn’t as fun as we imagined it to be and it sometimes feels like a battle. The good thing that comes as you grow older, are the life lessons you learn. Sure it isn’t always pleasant, but these lessons are what define us and make us who we are. They say, “with age comes wisdom,” and I’m learning how true that is with each passing year. Ageing does have its benefits! When we were kids, we pretty much took people at face value. It takes years of experience to learn that people aren’t always what they seem and that what you see isn’t always what you get. I don’t just mean that in a negative way. I think we also learn how to be more empathetic. As adults, we finally realise that we don’t owe anyone an explanation for how we feel. That goes both ways, though. They don’t owe us an explanation about their beliefs, either. We’re all perfectly free to believe what we want without running it by anyone else first. We’re also free to avoid anyone who thinks things we find offensive. It’s very liberating! Family truly is everything. Nothing should stand between the bond we share with our family. Not politics, not distance, not even a significant difference in opinion.
We learn to value each other so much more. Also, you realise how little you control the people and events in the world around you. The only thing you can successfully control is how you react to people and these events.
I wish we had learned these little lessons a bit earlier. But, on second thought, life is all about creating memories, making mistakes and understanding them at our own pace.
From Mr Hari Shankar
Dubai
India cricket: CSK on the brink of elimination
It is painful to see the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, going down by 13 runs to enable Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to move ahead. This win would be a definite confidence booster for RCB. On an analysis of nearly 45 matches played so far this season, whoever conceded more than 30 runs during the last three overs, has invariably lost the game. Added to CSK’s woe is their poor fielding and catching. Ironically, best fielders like Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Santner have spilt catches, which even a novice would not miss. It is time Dhoni take note of these shortcomings and recovers soon to have an outside chance to qualify for the playoff place.
From Mr N V Krishnan
India
We each play our part
Our lives are woven into the fabric of the very tapestry that our Earth is. Just as we are unique, so is our Earth. When we destroy it, we are indirectly destroying ourselves. This world is plunging into disaster. From wars to deforestation, the vital question remains – How can there be progress if the world is no more?
The Amazon rainforests are being wiped away, one tree at a time. Climate change disrupts the very balance of nature, and in many parts of the world pollutants contaminate the water, soil, and air. Is humanity’s progress upward indirectly leading to its spiral downwards? Yet, hope is when we see beauty through the darkest times. It is the only way this broken world can be fixed, with hope. We can overcome every adversity that comes our way, one problem at a time. It’s time that every one of us steps up to play our part.
From Mr Siddharth Menon
UAE
