My Mom is 83 years old. Though some of her faculties are down, she is as active as a 60-year-old would be. I and my wife ensure that she always felt wanted and needed and in fact burden her with work so that she is active and feels important. She is the engine on which the house runs.

I normally spend time having a conversation with her while going to the office or at the dinner table. Unless it is absolutely crucial, she rarely bothers me with any of her work. She does talk to my driver of 17 years to take her out to the market, temple or replace the batteries for her hearing implants etc.

Mom is also extremely sensitive to my behaviour and keeps a watchful eye on me. For the last month, I have been travelling a lot and am extremely stressed out. She noticed it though I never discussed it with her. My wife, knowing the issues at hand was stressed too.

Yesterday, I noticed that the volume on her TV was loud. When I checked with her, I realised that her hearing implants had conked. I was aghast and took them to the clinic only to be told that one of them needs a repair and has to be sent back to the factory. The other implant with a new battery was fine.

I brought the lone implant with a new battery and gave it to her. And the moment she put it on, her expression was a sight to behold. She was relieved, happy and had a big smile. She was missing the conversations and her TV for a couple of weeks now. She was nodding her head to all our conversations though not hearing them. But she was determined not to bother me. And as soon as she put on the implant, her chatter started. Happy, delighted and enjoying her life!

Such are moms. Each one of them is similar. They wouldn’t bother you and think they are burdening you. It is for us to talk to them, watch over them and understand their needs. It is for us to keep a watchful eye on them, exactly the same way they watched us when we were children. It is for us to make them feel loved, wanted and important. And whatever our compulsions, it is on us to ensure that they are well taken care of. And we cannot win anything in the outside world while failing our moms.