My Superwoman....!

This one's about someone who was omnipresent in my life. Life without her, I could never imagine...so much so that I assumed that she would always be there, just a phone call away, just a ride away. I took it for granted that she would be there when I needed her to pamper me, to make that special dish which i could just call and demand, to generally gossip.....I'm talking about my grandmother...

My grandmom passed away three months back....and for me she will always remain a superwoman...who never gave up and lived life to the fullest. She lived alone for almost 31 years - my grandfather passed before my mom was even married and with her two daughters settled into their own lives she didn't want to cause any hassle. But not once did I ever hear her say "Why me?" For someone like me who gets scared of even their own shadow in the dark, I always asked how she managed to stay alone, didn't she ever get scared of ghosts (my most primal fear), "Its all in the mind, there's no such things as ghosts" ....she would always tell me.


With my mom working, we (my sis and I) spent most of our childhood with her. Going to her place after school to eat the hot snack she would make or on the weekends when we would inform her of the menu we wanted the day before and there it would be...ready even before we reached.....She loved to cook..and experiment...I don't think I'd ever have half the enthusiasm she did to entertain people at an age more than double mine. I don't think I've ever eaten or even heard of a cake being made of yogurt instead of eggs except the ones made by her. I've done so much with her...long walks in the morning, watching "The Bold & the Beautiful" and "Santa Barbara"..infact she introduced me to the world of soaps...watching cricket matches...she making sure I studied too in the midst of all this. I think she was more excited than anyone else when I got my Xth results....
Oh and she loved movies....She would want to watch all the new releases and ensured she read all the reviews at least. So she had all young friends..some her daughters' age, some her granddaughters' age and she'd do all that she could to help anyone who needed her help....be the judge for all the society events and with her enthusiasm even a participant in some!!!


I think one of the values that I learnt from her and can never forget is sharing...she taught us to share everything...no matter how much it was...even if it was one single grape left...I think she'd break it into half if she had her way...!! And she was fiercely independent - whenever we'd ask her to stay over at our house, she would hardly stay for 2 days and then get restless, say she had to pay some or the other bills and go home..."I'll stay alone till I can manage, then finally will have to come here anyway..." she said


In the past 2-3 years, she suddenly aged...she moved in with my parents. She hardly spoke that much and got a little stubborn as well...but for me I always remember her as the enthu, ever efficient "Aaji"...


Today when she's no longer with me, its still very hard to believe it...and as I sit here and type this with tears in my eyes...I know that I have my guardian angel..my Aaji watching over all of us...always....Thank you Aaji and we will miss you always....