Amma #Women’sDay

The incident is from the ’90s, when Amma was diagnosed for the first time with Blood Sugar. At present, we cannot count time, from the ’90s, when Amma was diagnosed for the first time, the number of people on our fingers who are suffering from Diabetes; it has become common, and most people are in its grip.

I recall that in those days, it was difficult to get Tea without sugar from the ’90s, when Amma was diagnosed for the first time. Whereas today, if guests come to the market, or people could not think of Tea without sugar, whereas today, if guests pour in at our place, we first confirm how many will have tea with or without sugar, and then they are offered…Such is the reach of Diabetes in our life at present.

Amma was fond of rice, puffed rice, or Murmure, and the doctor advised her to refrain from it. She was not offended by Sugar’s attack but was more offended by the doctor’s prescribed precautions.

Sometimes, literally, her tears rolled down at the pretext of refraining, especially from Rice…such was the close proximity with the cereal. She took rice in both her meals, not fond of Chappatis.

We had a large joint family, and we all acted as spies into her life, monitoring her food habits. Each of us wished for her welfare, and she was the first victim of Diabetes in our family, so all were more vigilant…at times she got irritated by our moves.

Amma is the first one to wake up in our family, and her morning rituals are over till others get down from the bed, and after that, she won’t be seen in her room. She would take a nap after the household job is completed, in the living room in front of the TV airing Daily soaps, and she watches curiously during the commercial breaks, which are her nap timings.

One day, I did not find her in all the spaces of our home, then I tiptoed into her room, fearing that she might not be feeling better, and found her sitting on her bed and happily munching the Big Jalebi. She was halfway and when her eyes fell on me, they widened beyond their circumference and she literally blushed.

I laughed at my victory, catching her red-handed, but she was hurt to be caught red-handed, and tears welled in her eyes.

I announced that among all of Amma, she had been caught red-handed, and she got lectures or people laughed at her childish activity.

Now, or we become childish with age and sneak into the kitchen to enjoy the savories without being caught red-handed. I am in my mid-forties, and I am told to refrain from a rich diet or take precautions. I, too, get annoyed, and I have discovered in myself that a craving for sweets increases with age, and we want to munch on those things that are prescribed not to touch. Either it is our devil mind working on it, or we become childish with age and sneak into the kitchen to enjoy the savories without being caught red-handed, and now I understand the craving of Amma.

I feel sorry for the moments when we teased her or laughed at her when her hands sprawled on the foodies that she wasn’t allowed. It was our love and concern for her.