Sweetheart, I Hear You

Dear Daughter,

Our journey together continues beautifully, marked by moments of joy, challenges, and growth. Reflecting on our shared path fills me with immense warmth and gratitude. Let’s pause and take a trip down memory lane to the moments when understanding each other was our greatest challenge and deepest bond.

Sweetheart, when you were just two, I heard you clearly, even when you couldn't yet form words. Jab tum choti is bachi thi(When you were a little girl). I saw your eyes desperately trying to communicate, your gestures and gentle grunts striving to tell me your needs. I heard your silent messages, even if my guesses were wrong.

I heard your frustration clearly when my misunderstandings piled up, causing you to stomp your tiny feet in despair. My heart yearned to decode your silent language, promising quietly that one day I would.

Sweetheart, I heard your excitement when you proudly built a Lego castle. It wasn't mere excitement—I recognized it as your first taste of accomplishment, the delight you felt radiating to my heart.

Sweetheart, I heard your unspoken "Mom, I love you" when you wrapped your tiny arms tightly around my neck, showering me with those moist kisses. You didn't need words. Your love was loud and clear.

Sweetheart, I heard your silent plea every morning as you followed me around, waving goodbye reluctantly when I left. Each wave echoed loudly in my heart.

Sweetheart, I heard you. I knew you need my words of encouragement and plant the seeds of growth..

Sweetheart, I heard you. I recognized your need for praise and approval when you experiment in your own ways, no matter what the outcome is.

Sweetheart, I heard you. I understand your need for help, even in subtle ways. Sometimes, Maa needs help too.

Those early days were difficult. Your delayed speech worried me. Other children spoke easily, yet I waited anxiously just to hear you call me "Maa." My heart ached not just because of silence but because I lacked the tools to understand you fully.

I prayed fervently, trusting deeply in faith and divine timing. The universe listened. Gods listened

They heard me. 

They heard my inner turmoil and anguish. 

They heard me lament about being unable to communicate with my daughter.

They heard me wonder how a child who enjoyed singing, playing, painting, reading books, and dancing could not speak.

They heard me acknowledge the thief who robbed me of all my maternal joy when I compared my daughter's abilities to other children's.

They heard me and my tears.

One precious day, your words began flowing. You said "Maa," softly at first, then repeatedly with joy and giggles. You practiced proudly in front of the mirror, your exaggerated lip movements thrilling me. With "Maa" came a flood of other words. Soon, sentences filled our home, and the chatter erased my anxieties and doubts forever.

But life is cyclical. When you reached thirteen, I again found myself struggling to comprehend your emotions, desires, and sudden need for space. Teenage tantrums and hormonal changes echoed our early challenges. Yet, amidst this turbulence, my heart remained steadfast:

Sweetheart, I heard your need for personal space, even in your pushbacks and occasional defiance. I understood you were asserting your identity, even if it hurt sometimes.

Sweetheart, I heard your silent request for patience during your moments of emotional upheaval, even if they seemed irrational at times.

Sweetheart, I heard your hidden calls for encouragement and praise as you experimented, explored, and took risks. I was always ready to give it.

Sweetheart, I heard your quiet appeals for support and understanding. You didn't always say it outright, but I felt it deeply.

Slowly, after fifteen, something beautiful began to happen. You started feeling my emotions, understanding my perspectives. You realized my actions were not to oppose your dreams but to nurture them safely. You began empathizing with my boundaries and recognizing their purpose.

Sweetheart, through all this, my promise remains unchanged: I will always hear you, even when the world does not. I will hear you openly, without judgment, listening intently to your words—both spoken and unspoken.

My dear daughter, know this deeply: I hear you, I see you, and I love you unconditionally.

A Mother's Reflection

Understanding our children through their various life stages is complex, marked by emotional highs and lows. As a mother, I'm constantly learning and questioning myself—always a work in progress. My journey toward fully hearing you, dear daughter, is ongoing, filled with immense love and infinite patience. Together, we continue to grow, connected deeply by the whispers and shouts of our hearts.