Who Am I?

(with Absolutely No Self-Doubt, Promise)

I am a mom. I’m not just any mom—I’m the mom. You know, the one who can tell when something is off with her kids even if they’re three rooms away and speaking in a code only they understand. I’m the mom who can recite the entire contents of my child’s lunchbox or even the syllabus by heart, and yet, somehow, still forget where I put my own keys or why I had come out of the room leaving my work. (But, hey, priorities, right?)

I am a wife. And let me tell you, I’m the good kind of wife. The one who can make a mean batch of spaghetti, bake the best Swiss roll in town and remember your anniversary without the help of Google Calendar (most of the time). I’m the one who will pretend to care when you tell/explain to me about your latest gadgets’ updates, or the new releases of Bollywood even though I’m just silently counting down the minutes until I can return to magzter reading or the new project plan I’ve been reading or working on in secret. Sorry, honey, but I think we both know who’s the MVP of this relationship.

I am a true friend. You know, the kind who will drop everything if you need a shoulder to cry on or a last-minute ride to café to pour your heart out or rustle up scrumptious meals at a drop of a hat. I’ll listen to your rants about your difficult relatives or the adolescent child for hours, even if I secretly don’t know what you actually do for work or what triggered the meltdown. I’m that friend who’s genuinely happy for you when you get that promotion, new job or relocation or an assignment—while internally thinking, “Okay, but who’s going to help me get through this program plan now?”

I am a caring human being. I’ll ask you how you’re doing, and then actually listen to your answer. Not just the polite, “I’m fine,” but the deep, soul-searching response that makes you feel like we’re about to start a therapy session together. I’m the one who’ll probably end up caring too much and texting you a little too often just to check that you’re still okay—because apparently, I’m the human version of a safety net.

I am, admittedly, not fake. I’ll wear my heart on my sleeve, which, to be honest, is often a bit soggy because of all the emotions I feel. I can’t fake it. If I’m upset, you’ll know. If I’m overjoyed, you’ll know. If I’m tired, you’ll definitely know—because I’ll be on the couch in gypsy clothes, holding a cup of coffee (or maybe tea most of the time) as if my life depends on it. It’s not glamorous, but it’s real.

And yes, I care too deeply. I’m the one who’ll get attached to your dog like it’s my own, or your problem as if the skies have fallen on me because that’s just how I roll. I’m the person who cries at the end of every Pixar, soft romcom movie—even the ones about toys and more if it’s about animals—and then questions why I don’t get a “Mom of the Year” (Na, Century!) award for that emotional investment.

So, in summary: I’m a mom, a wife, a friend, a caring human, and a full-time feeler of all the feels. I can’t promise I’m always put together, but I can promise that every piece of me is authentic. And if you ever need someone to cry with, laugh with, or just send a meme to, even a dumb joke, I’m your girl. No fakes here, just a whole lot of real—and a bit of mascara smudged from my last emotional moment (imaginary in this virtual world for make-ups never my cup of tea but a real threat to what I’d be found with if I did use it).

As I near my birthday in a couple of hours, the first emotion to hit me was humour, then came honesty (as it always does) and finally came the will to freeze another year gone by in words.

A Year Older, A Year Bolder
With laughter and love, I face the year,
Embracing the moments, both far and near.
Through all the feels, the highs and lows,
I’m still me—just with more glitter and glow!

#WhoAmI #SelfPortrait #MomLife #WifeLife #TrueFriend
#Authenticity #RealTalk #FeelAllTheFeels #EmotionalMoments
#LifeJourney #BirthdayReflections #AYearOlder #HumorAndHonesty
#CandidWriting #HeartOnSleeve #CelebratingMe #MomOfTheYear
#LifeInWords #EmbraceTheMoments #FullTimeFeeler