If I ever had to put my mum and my mum-in-law together amidst unknown strangers, trust me — with just their basic behaviour towards me anyone would have them mixed up!
With mixed up, I mean that you would think my biological mum is my mum-in-law because she has always treated me with rules and strictness, plus she usually nags me about everything I do. I’m thankful my mum trained me for the worst-case scenarios of life but I’m also happy that I’ve been blessed with an angelic mother-in-law, knock on wood!
She treats me like her daughter
Before I got married, I was often told to 'enjoy my mum’s house' and the comfort zone I was in — because after marriage, mums-in-law will usually make you feel like you want to go back home.
However, I can say I'm blessed to prove that notion wrong. My mum-in-law has been my pillar most of the time — always supporting me even with the smallest mistakes I make.
She treats me more than she would a daughter and she never ever even complains if I treat myself to a few hours of extra sleep. She also pampers me every morning with a cup of tea.
She has comforted me during my migraine attacks and massaged me gently to sleep at times, while I cried in pain with my head on her lap.
She is heaven-sent
My mum-in-law’s perspective in life and ever-giving nature is commendable. She practices unconditional love in many ways and I'm proud to say that she is the one soul I can share anything with.
Although she is reserved by nature, and usually not someone who embraces physical affection, I have recently managed to break down that ‘wall.’ I now often find myself giving her constant hugs when I feel I need some motherly warmth.
Mum-in-laws are often reasons for distress in other people’s lives but mine is completely heaven-sent. She was a total help when I gave birth to both my babies, and often pampered me with all the right food and advice.
She was also my emotional pillar when my postnatal imbalance got the better of me. She was a great help with the birth announcement invites and stayed up late many nights, supporting my perfectionist nature.
My mum-in-law has always been so encouraging and she would always make herself handy, helping me in any way she could.
Her knowledge often astonishes me because she is also well-read and has even helped my kids in their reviews for exams. My children are very fond of her too, and have enjoyed learning a lot about our Hindu culture and celebrations from her.
She is a giver… she is my mum
My mum-in-law is a woman of many abilities and gifts but what stands out most of all for me is her being a generous giver.
The sweetest experience I had with her lately was on my birthday, when I awoke with a terrible migraine and was not only feeling low but also very disoriented. I had a discourse to attend with her and wished for a particular sweet to be made but was in too much pain to request for it.
After the discourse, she removed a dish from a plastic bag and it was exactly what I had wished for! Apparently, she had taken extra effort to make the sweet dish earlier that morning.
I was so overwhelmed by this gesture that I actually walked up to her, hugged her, knelt down and laid my head on her lap, sobbing uncontrollably.
That was just one of the many times when I felt that her love for me was so obvious.
My mum-in-law is my MUM. She is one lady I look up to very much.
I hope to gracefully age like her, and have the same giving and loving nature that she has.
To my mum-in-law, and to all the mums reading this, Happy Mother’s Day to us all!
Watch this video to see my beautiful family doing a flash mob with my mum-in-law on my birthday. Indeed, it was the sweetest day of my life, so far!
What’s your relationship with your mum-in-law like? Let us know by leaving a comment!