Being a parent

A bad mood and a teary spell strengthened the bond between me and my two and a half year old. She toddled up to me, put her tiny arms around me and said, "kya hua?" Then she walked up to her father and asked, "mere bacche ko kya hua?"
I was weepy, but something blossomed in my heart. I know for sure that I can never be alone as long as I have my daughter. I don't know what it would have felt like with a son, but a daughter makes you feel special almost as soon as she figures the world out. Mommy is mommy, even if she is called an irreverent but loving "mishu." One hour after this incident, I read about the honor killings in Delhi. I am no stranger to the darker side of our strange society but God help me understand the psychology of parents who have it in them to actually hurt their kids, no matter what the provocation. Honour seems to be closely related to religion and caste. Hinduism is all symbolism. We have characters who set an example in the way relationships are to be managed. Krishna, Vishnu's most powerful avatar, bows to the mother in the form of Yashoda completely. Hw can people who have worshipped this relationship be foolish enough to believe that the rules of man are bigger than the rules of God? Anyway, forget divinity and its symbols. How about simply being human? Children will never tow their parents' line blindly, unless they are mentally retarded. Its up to the parent to simply express his opinion, list the pros and cons of the child's decision and then be there, unconditionally, when the child needs a shoulder. Being a parent is the height of being human. As far as giving birth is concerned, all animals can do that. You just need to have sex. But parenthood takes a lifetime to perfect. Its the purest form of worship. I thank God for my baby. She is a miracle i witness everyday. Her large eyes, so much like deep pools, her perfectly formed mouth, her soft curls, her peaches and cream skin, her dimples, her honeyed voice and most of all, her instinctively nurturing demeanor make life so rewarding. I don't know what i did to deserve her. But here she is. She'll be a lovely woman one day and I will watch with a smile as she soars high…