This is the story of my mother. She is a mother, who has witnessed death of her son. She was 56 year old when my 18 year old brother was diagnosed with brain cancer. She knelt praying outside the operating rooms, doing everything she humanly could in hopes of his recovery.

After struggling three and a half years, he passed. She was with him at all times, was beside him during his last four months in the ICU, when he lost his eyesight and when he was on a continuous morphine drip.

She not only witnessed his slow decline, but his pain, his struggles, his prayers, and his fervent desire to live. After his demise, she dusted herself off and stood up for herself but for her ill husband and devastated daughters. She stood as the shield to protect them from the loss of a loved one even when she herself was in deep pain.

She took care of my father and fulfilled all his duties and responsibilities. She did not complain for her loss, but instead taught her distressed children to accept the things the way they are and live life contentedly however possible.

Now that I am a mother myself, I can truly imagine her pain. It can be unbearable for a mother to see her child with a mild fever, but my mom had the courage to be strong for her children when my brother was fading fast.

After my brother’s death, she took a path of spirituality and became disciple of bhakti yoga through “satsangs.”

It has been seven years since she began living up to Bhagavad Gita’s teachings of ‘’selfless action.’’ She takes care of her grandchildren so that her daughters can pursue their dreams successfully.

Obviously, my mother has always been a superwoman for her children and super nani – grandma – for her grandchildren. She has loved all with her whole heart and is kind to every creature. She is no saint, but just a normal human being, and that’s how humans are supposed to live life peacefully.

She longs for her son, she cries, anger strikes her too, but she knows how to cope. She performs her daily responsibilities, goes to satsang, sing bhajans – songs – and enjoys company of her friends while learning to meditate.

In my opinion, this is revival in its truest sense. A revival from a state when you pray to God for life of your loved one, be willing to shoulder the burdens of others, be the pillar of support for your family, accept bad news gracefully, and devote your life to love.

By: Sapna Singh

Sapna is a yoga teacher and passionate about yoga philosophy. She is a mother of a 7-year-old and loves to write what she feels. Sapna is on Instagram!