A mother’s reflection on growth, patience, and love
Motherhood has been a journey of quiet revelations. It has taught me patience in ways
I never imagined. I’ve learnt that it’s all right to pause, to falter, to shed a few tea
along the way. It’s all right to let my child see my strong emotions, to be “just a mom,”
and still nurture passions that extend beyond parenting. It’s all right to be loved, to be
questioned, even to be judged; for every shade of that experience has helped me grow
alongside my children.
Every moment has etched itself into memory: the day he mastered cycling within half
an hour, my heart swelling with pride and eyes brimming with tears; or the moment
I watched him dance on stage, his confidence radiant and unrestrained. In those
fleeting glimpses, I often find myself revisiting my own childhood and remembering
what I felt, what I dreamed, what I feared.
There is a fable I hold dear to, the tale of the wise bamboo and the lile sapling. The
mother bamboo shelters her tender child through every storm, whispering,
“Let your roots find strength in the soil.”
And one day, the sapling stands tall beside her, strong and steady. That story mirrors
my journey as a parent. Our love protects, but our patience gives roots.
As I watch my son grow, I know he will not remain a lile boy forever. Yet, I hope that
the same twinkle in his eyes – the one I saw the day he was born – will never fade. I
wish for him the courage to be street-smart yet the grace to remain honest and kind.
Parenting, I’ve realised, is not just about raising a child; it is about growing ourselves.
It is about learning to give our children both roots and wings: roots to ground them in
values, and wings to help them soar on their own.
By Smita Nagdev, Master’s in Psychology
A parent and human development professional discovering the art of patience, love,
and growth, one moment at a time.
