Dear mothers...

My family has a pet dog who is a labrador, named Arya after Arya Stark of Game of Thrones. Each of our family members loves her and is grateful for her presence. While we enjoy her tantrums, she is peculiar as she is disinterested in food and wants us to feed her, no matter how delicious the food is. I treat her as my sibling, miss her the most when I'm away from home, and enjoy her tantrums when with her. So, feeding her is an extra job apart from taking her to walks, bathing her, cleaning the mess she makes, and buying supplies for her. Thus, we divided the tasks among ourselves as it is everybody's responsibility to take care of her.

About a couple of days ago, I took her along with me to my older sibling's place to meet her on her birthday. Though I had slept late that night, I woke up early, took her to walk, and got breakfast ready to feed her since she is used to specific timing for walking and breakfast. She refused to come near the bowl and started to growl when I tried to take her.  I just walked away from her, called my mom and I almost broke down. I was angry and complained to my mom that Arya is very adamant and arrogant. My mother told me that she could be missing home or could be still trying to adapt to the place and hence is refusing to eat. I was convinced. But I was surprised about why I reacted the way I reacted, after the call. No doubt, I love her. I was super angry not because she refused to eat, but because she disrespected the effort that I put despite being tired. I was angry because I could have slept a little more. 

It is offensive for any human when someone disrespects the efforts he/she puts. It could make us feel like we don't matter or our actions are insignificant. But it is something that we do to our mothers multiple times by refusing the food she makes or refusing to take/like something she brings. Most of us do it but what varies with each individual is the frequency. Often we take people for so granted that we forget what the other person could feel because of the actions we do. Don't you think it'll hurt your mother too? You might love her but the message you are translating through such actions is that you take her for granted. However, your mother loves you so much that, she ignores such refusals and never gives up on you. Won't you no give up on someone if your efforts are disrespected over and over? 

We have our own reasons to refuse and certainly, nobody intends to disrespect his/her mother. Even with nicest of intentions, disrespecting the efforts by refusing hurts. All we can do is just communicate even before she puts the effort. It is as easy as to just call up and say that you wouldn't be having dinner at home that night. It is as easy as to share your likes and dislikes even before she gets something for you. I believe that this is a way we could tell the mothers that their efforts mean a lot to us. 

Kudos to all the mothers who have been heroes for loving their children unconditionally. 

(Warning: I don't intend to say that cooking is a woman's job or a man's job. It is a life skill. I wrote this article based on my observation of how it works in most of the households around me. If your dad makes food for you, do the same to him. If your friend cooks for you, do the same. Whoever it is, what I am trying to talk about is respecting the efforts one puts for you.)