Shanti: A Short Story About a Mother’s Yearning for Care
Last Updated: November 27, 2023
Welcome to an emotional story about a mother’s loneliness, yearning for a little care from her son. Eager to explore more? Read on for a touching short story about mother.
Shanti’s body has become a skeleton of bones. Wrinkles and senility are visible on her face. All senses, hands, and feet have become weak. Now the situation is such that she can’t go anywhere and lies in a bed. There is no desire in her mind except to find a little care from her son Gopal.
Shanti’s husband died when Gopal was only five years old. Shanti did everything to fulfill Gopal’s wishes. Day and night, she worked hard in the field and had cows and buffaloes. Shanti used to peddle milk door to door and deprived herself of the taste of milk to earn sufficient money. Whatever money she earned by selling milk and crops, she would spend that on Gopal. She never thought about her wishes. Gopal’s education was her only desire since it was the source of her liberation from all problems.
Gopal is a teacher in a high school. It is not wrong to say that Gopal’s position and capability are a fruit of his mother’s laborious work. Gopal has forgotten the suffering and scarification of his mother. He has lost himself in his wife and children. His wife’s spiky nature doesn’t hurt Shanti that much as Gopal’s words. Shanti stays alone in the room all the time, and nobody goes to meet her. Today, a month later, Gopal has knocked on his mother’s room.
Gopal – Mom, are you ok?
Mother – You are watching how my life is passing in a lot of fun! Finally, after one month, you got time to talk to me.
Gopal – Why are you angry. I have no time nowadays and remain busy with my work all day and night.
Mother – Have you time for your wife and children, or you also do not have time for them?
Gopal (shouts angrily) – I have come here to see your health and needs, but your words are a satire on me.
Saying it, Gopal goes out and closes the door with fury. The mother is watching her son with utter silence and compassion. She is lying in her bed. The night is dark, but there is no sleep in her eyes. How can she sleep? Who can guess what is going in the heart of a lonely mom?
Works Cited
1. Attribution to the featured image for this post: Kumawat, Shashank. Woman Touching Forehead. Pexels, 25 Oct. 2015, https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-touching-forehead-12971/. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.