Her Favorite Gold Chain

Her "Favorite Gold Chain" glittered nicely in the afternoon glares of the sun. She was wearing it proudly. I couldn't understand why she always wore it with that great pride. I thought it was just a plain looking simple gold chain.
Any occasion in the family and there was this gold chain that she so lovingly took out from a small transparent plastic case. The case had a red velvet 'paper' placed in it. It had sort of become a part of her body. But there was always this bleak hope shining through her eyes, whenever she used to see her favorite gold chain.


I then noticed her looking at her reflection in the glass window of the famous jewellery showroom. Suddenly, she went inside and asked the salesman, "How much does a simple gold chain cost?". I wondered why would she want another "simple" gold chain? Why not some better chain or a nice necklace? On knowing the price, she smiled and quietly came out of the showroom. She looked back once again at her reflection in the window. But, this time I noticed that her neck in the reflection perfectly fitted the shape of the beautiful necklace in the display, as if she was wearing it in real. I smiled along with her and came back home.

I asked her, "If you really like that necklace, why don't you buy it?". "If you want a new chain, why not sell the one you're wearing and buy a better one?". She went quiet but her eyes became moist. She was strong. She still smiled and said, "The gold chain I am wearing is not real, it's artificial and who would buy this artificial chain from me?". She continued, "I don't want to buy a necklace either as I already have 3 diamond necklaces".

I couldn't wonder more, "Why would she wear an artificial chain when she possesses 3 diamond necklaces?". Ignoring my thoughts, she continued, "This is my favorite chain as I had purchased it 25 years back, in return of all the real gold jewellery that I had sold to buy food for my family, when my children were surviving in one meal a day. This chain always reminds me of the time when my 3 diamond necklaces were being cut and crafted so that they could shine brilliantly. The money I got from selling my jewellery was used to feed and educate them. This artificial gold 'colored' chain gives me strength, when I proudly see my diamond necklaces, i.e., my 3 children in front of me. I'm bejewelled!!". I hugged her tightly, we cried and there she was, proudly owning 3 diamond necklaces and I felt honored being called a 'diamond'. She was my mom!!

Every mother's real jewellery is her children, irrespective of whether her children treat her nicely or not. Wouldn't we all love to become 'diamonds' for our loving mothers (parents) by caring more for them and understanding their silence when what they only want is our happiness, their children's happiness? Lets take out just a little more time for them from our lives.