Mothers are often tagged as stay-at-home or working and that for me is like the casteism of mommies; where each group is trying to justify why they are being so. But let me tell you all, don’t try to rationalize because you are ‘Just a “Mother”’.

When I was pregnant and working, I was told you are not focusing on your unborn child.
When I was on Maternity leave, I was told I am enjoying my paid vacation.
When I re-joined work, I was told I am being ignorant towards my kid.
When I quit the job, I was told I am being unjust to the effort I had put behind my career.
When I became a stay at home mom, I was told I am fooling around doing nothing.
When I started to do my own, I was told I am losing focus on the kid.

I have been through phases of being a full-time working mother to a stay at home mother to a person trying to maintain her identity while balancing the kid and family needs.

So, I just want to say, to all my fellow mothers.

Whatever you do all day; house chores, meeting project deadlines, cooking and feeding or paying EMIs; or anything else. In your heart, you are still ‘Just a “MOTHER”’.

A Mother who gets tired of running behind a toddler the whole day ensuring safety.

A Mother who is exhausted finishing her critical assignment at hand making sure she reaches home on time before nanny leaves.

A Mother who is putting all efforts to get the best and tastiest dishes but heartbroken when the munchkin rejects it.

A Mother who is worried if the day caretaker fed the meals on time or just put it away, lest are they maintaining appropriate hygiene.

A Mother who had suffered mastitis but still managed to breastfeed her baby for 2 years.

A Mother who had to give up breastfeeding due to unavoidable medical conditions.

A Mother who exercised well and maintained a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy still had to cut herself up for a C-section.

A Mother who endured labor for fifteen hours and teared herself up to pushed the baby out.

A Mother who is managing limited finances but still meeting all needs.

A Mother earning loads but anguished to leave the baby with another woman for a few hours.

This is just an iota of what a Mother can be and there are tons of pages to add and will take ages to read if I go on.

Whichever type you are, the heart is always heavy when the baby cries in pain, despaired to see their cuts and scratches, miserable if they are unwell, dejected when they are away from your eyes be it some minutes or hours.

But captivated when you hold them for the first time, delighted with their million-dollar cute smile, thrilled to see their first walk, allured by their clingy hugs.

This heart is full of mixed emotions, coz at the end it’s the heart of ‘Just a “Mother”’.