First Kiss

Drenched with the sweat of her own swelled up perspiring body she had been laboring for about twenty-four hours now. Shooting up and down in a wave-like motion following her labor contractions she valiantly surfed through the tsunami of her pains. Her cervix dilating to an unimaginable ten centimeters. She was ready to let a whole watermelon out, if that meant the only way to alleviate the writhing cramps and unbearable convulsions.

The Doula's inspiriting calls worked like a snake charmers 'Pungi' (Musical Instrument) who tries to seemingly hypnotize a cobra. Like you sweep each grain of dust with a broom and heap it up in a dust pan, she amassed all the crests and troughs of energy streaming inside her germinating body. Mustering even the last iota of superhuman strength she gave her final push screaming out loud, one last time.

A slippery bundle of flesh and blood emigrated out to this world of light and air. As the loud shrieks of long labor met their peaceful end, much awaited thin cry of this new born filled the room with festivities. “It’s a girl, it’s a girl!” The whole team of doctors, nurses and midwives working together in the labor room recited in one voice. The umbilical cord was snapped victoriously by the new father.

Instantly, this newly breathing life was brought to her (a new mother), and placed on her full bosom. She was all battered and messed up after that marathon scramble for life – both her own and the new life's whom she had just given birth to. Both were exhausted in this cause and effect relationship of contractions and push. She put her shaking hands on the damp frothy-skinned back of her baby girl, an extension of her soul in a fragile body that came out of her own. This alien like newly arrived human was still crying filling her lungs with vital oxygen, learning to survive, and surviving at the same time. Her tiny but mighty heart galloping faster than a derby race horse. You could see her whole body trembling and vibrating with every breath and every heartbeat. She (baby) too was settling down after this star war kind of encounter. Eventually, to top it all with a calm layer of reassurance, she (mother) smelled the wet and curly fine hair on that miniature head. Parting her dried up jaded lips she kissed her trophy – her hard earned baby. Formally stamping the just born relationship of a Mother and her Child with that First Kiss.

Dear Readers, 
This was my effort to paint a portrait in words, of the moments when a mother and the child are born. It's a new birth of the woman too as a mother, and is anything but easy. In spite of that humongous fight against all odds, a completely drained out winner - the Mother, brings smile on her dead tired face and celebrates her positive outcome by her first kiss to her baby. This enduring act reaching parallel to Godliness makes her a miniature Goddess for her child. I dedicate this post to my mother and all the mothers in this world on this Mother's Day. A big salute to their warrior spirit tough as steel and loving heart soft as clouds.

Happy Mother's Day!

May 12, 2019

Love,

Alka Tiwari.