If you ask me who is the most devoted person I know, without a shadow of a doubt I would mention my mother in law who is lovingly known as Aunty Archee. All the myths and jokes on mothers in law certainly do not apply to mine. On the contrary, she is the most sweetest, gentlest and most devoted person you would have ever seen.
For the past (almost) three years, I have seen her struggling in life without a word of complaint. When her mother was alive but unwell, she would attend to her mother's needs patiently. There was once when I was in Melaka for a visit, my mother in law was feeding her mother porridge, bit by bit and at the same time encouraging her mother to eat so she could get better. Appache was tired and a little grumpy, told off her daughter repeatedly she had enough but Aunty Archee lovingly told her mother that she needed to eat before she took her medicine and continued feeding her.In my mind, I knew that any regular person would have given up because she herself was tired due to lack of rest.Somehow that memory got stuck in my mind and many other incidents after that had further solidified the fact that my mother in law is indeed a saint.
She took it very badly when her mother passed away. I remember the scene in the hospital vividly when she was wailing for her mother. I couldn't do anything except hold her and try to comfort her. Like a little girl, she was calling out for her Amma. It was heart breaking. She was devoted to her mother. Even now when she speaks about Appache, it is evident how much she adored her mother.
Soon after, Pebbles was born and my husband and I thought it was good to spend some days in Melaka during my confinement. She was ecstatic when we were home. She willingly took care of Pebbles when I needed some rest and also painstakingly prepared my confinement meals without the help of a maid. She never once complained of aches although I have seen her wincing in pain at night when she finally gets to sit down and watch some TV.
Although she is completely besotted with Pebbles, she is very attuned to the sensitivity of her older grandchild, Shiv whom she has been taking care since he was a baby. Eight year old Shiv feels a little threatened whenever Pebbles is down but his grandmother never made him feel less loved. Once, he was unhappy with all the attention towards Pebbles and threw a fit but Aunty Archee lovingly explained to him that her grandchildren are equal and he should understand the fact that there hasn't been a baby in the house for a long time hence all the attention.She is definitely the United Nations in the house.
My mother in law's safe and secured world once again rocked when my sister in law (her daughter) had a heart attack in Singapore during a short break there. She was devastated but quickly recovered to attend to her needs as my sister in law moved into her parents' house for a short while. When we visited her, it was evident Aunty Archee was shattered and worried sick but she put on a brave front for everyone sake. She went about doing what she does best, devoting her time and effort to make her daughter well again.
The sure sign of devotion is obvious in the relationship my mother in law has with her husband. Uncle Indran in his hey day was a flamboyant and authoritative figure. Heart ailments and the amputation of half of his right foot have reduced his social outings considerably and he spends most of the time at home now. This had affected his jovial demeanour greatly and there are times he is moody and grumpy but Aunty Archee never once raised her voice at him in irritation. I always see her smiling and swatting at his knee in jest. Whenever they go out, she patiently puts on his shoe. Mind you, she is a 69 year old grandma, who has the regular aches but she always makes sure his comfort is her first priority. Just in the past one month, my father in law had been admitted twice in the hospital and both times, she opted to stay back in the hospital to take care of him. There was no proper bed for her in the hospital and she fell twice in the hospital due to lack of rest. She hurt her arm quite badly but continued to soldier on to care for her husband. She obviously does all this for her husband out of love and sheer devotion.
Every man would want to marry a girl like his mother but my husband once told me that nobody can be like his mother to which I did not take any offence simply because it is true, she has set the bar so high as a devoted daughter, wife, sister, mother, mother in law and grandmother of which I am afraid nobody would be able to reach.
Unknowingly, Aunty Archee practises Godliness and I am truly blessed to have her as my mother in law so I can continue learning from her.
My mother in law, Aunty Archee and my father in law, Uncle Indran
No comments:
Post a Comment