My hubby met, rather reconnected with me, while I was in the midst of chaos of divorce proceedings. Needless to say he has seen me through my best and worst so far. My panic attacks, my rage, self doubts, self loathing moments, he has seen me through them all. And I truly love the man!

He is not too good with my rants and conversations. But when he sees me getting frustrated with the system of education that is failing kids and parents alike for example, he will quietly play me a podcast of Seth Godin for me to find inspiration and calm my thoughts. 

He will appreciate my food experiments…even when the harissa is bit much; encourage me on my random explorations be it colouring, reading or bread baking; he’ll even get me a kitchen aid or pencil colours from across the continent! But ask him to find a sock for the child, pull out the clothes for ironing, locate a medicine or anything in the home — he will give me a look only a puppy can beat. 

Mostly he will try to be an equal partner, even make his own coffee or breakfast (even if its boiled eggs); but now that his mom is visiting, the man in my home doesn’t seem to be the same. The new age male feminist, my “love partner” (As Anne of Green Gables would define) has turned into an older version of my nine year old:

Maa, paani. 
Maa, coffee.
Maa, isko garam kar do. 
Maa, achar dena. 
Maa, yeh wahaan rakh do. 

It is absolutely incredible what mothers are to their children. 
No matter what age.

The toddler in my home, the soon to be teenager and the almost forty year old — for them all, its Maa, mummy, mamma. 

My friend was trying to convince her little one to go to her dad while she brought her a bottle of milk. 
Nooooo, she screams back. 
Why, says Mom? He is your dad!
Yes, but only Amma is the greatest! the little one quips. 

That sentiment is something you cannot erase. 
Maa knows how you like your favourite dish. Maybe it is your favourite only because she makes it. After all my version of my mom’s ‘nigerian soup’; it is never the same. It just somehow misses, “Maa ka pyaar”!

Good husbands are an incredible asset to any woman; they are gift of good parenting!
Only for now, my hubby is my immovable asset.