My mom and I have had our rocky moments for sure. But traveling across the world to see me has changed everything I think about her and any issues we may have had. To come, she exercized everyday, lowered her cholestrol, found replacements to take care of my grandmother, read at least five books on India, saved money every month, and prepared so effeciently that her bags were exactly 49.6 pounds, just below the 50 pound limit.

 

She has offered help, told the kids no, made up games for them when I was tired or fed up, and looked sympathetically at me when I felt bad for losing my patience.

 

We took her to where Gandhi’s ashes were spread and there I remembered growing up watching her ironing clothes while watching the movie I thought was so boring. We took her to the Taj Mahal and there I remembered her loaning me her prettiest pearl earings knowing that I would probably lose them.  We brought her to the fanciest hotel we have ever seen (only hotel in the world with a view of the Taj from the rooms) and there I thought about her working extra hours to buy me a camera in high school. And I took her to a Balinese spa and there I thought about when I threw up really bad in elementary school and she held my hair up and put a washcloth on my forehead.

 

And now, when I see her, I will think about how she flew around the world to see me and my family in this place I love and feel lost in. How remarkable.