Today, on Mother’s Day, I find myself reflecting on the remarkable strength embodied by the mothers in my life: be it my mother who is in her old age still helping my home to run and a great support for me as single parent in parenting Suryansh aka Avi (Kusum and my son), or Kusum’s mother who was such a strong support for Kusum in her fight with Cancer, and Kusum herself who despite her fight and struggle with cancer, disease and treatment side effects, even at the time she got partial paralysis, she always did everything for the great upbringing of her son. Their strength inspires me daily, reminding me of the boundless love and sacrifice inherent in motherhood.
When Kusum aka Vibha, found out she had stage 4 lung cancer that had spread to her brain, bones, ovaries, and adnexa, one of the first things we talked about with our doctor was how much time she might have left to live. Throughout her incredible seven-year battle with cancer, facing multiple setbacks, we always understood that stage 4 cancer couldn’t be cured, and that death can come anytime. So, Kusum and I would often talk about it, sometimes in a light-hearted way, and other times more seriously.
Kusum used to say she wanted to live at least until our Suryansh finished his class 10 board exams. For those reading who aren’t in India, in our country, class 10 exams are the first big national tests students take, along with millions of others. Class 10 is like the starting point for academic success and sets the foundation for the rest of the journey.
It seems there was a mis-communication and mix-up with God, in terms of figure 10. Instead of waiting until Suryansh finished his class 10 exams, which Kusum wanted, God misunderstood and took her away when Suryansh turns 10 years old.
That left me with another wish from Kusum still waiting to be fulfilled. Over the last five years or more, being a single father has been quite a challenge. Mothers are incredibleโstrong, skilled, and seem to have a natural knack for parenting. But we father, how much we try, we can never become as good as a mother. And when I sought help, it felt like all the support material found on internet was for single mothers only. They forget that single dads like me are out here too!
But, I’ve been fortunate to have amazing support from my family, friends and a son who’s just as amazing as his mother, which has made a huge difference.
After five years of when God took away Kusum, this month, Suryansh passed his 10th class exams with flying colors. He scored exceptionally well, way beyond what I could have ever imagined. But you know what? I’m not just happy because of his high marks. Grades have never been the most important thing to me. What matters most is his learning, his hard work ethic, his honesty, and the development of his skills. What really makes me happy is knowing that I was able to fulfill one more wish of Kusum’s.
Now, the question arises: “Should I let you go, Kusum, now that Suryansh has completed his 10th class?” And the answer is a resounding “No, I’m sorry, I can’t!” Because, truth be told, I can’t do this alone. I believe your blessings, as our guardian angel, have been guiding both Suryansh and me to this point. And as we continue on this journey, we need you even more, our angel by our side.
And hey, Happy Mother’s Day to you, my love, and to all the incredible mothers out there. And you know what? I think Happy Mother’s Day to me too!
Vivek
and Asia. 
Rise To Survive Cancer 