As I looked into the eyes of my first born, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of immense love and euphoria which persists even today. As destiny would have it we were blessed with four daughters and our prosaic household turned into a Camelot. We treated our daughters with love and respect and instilled in them the values which were our heritage and which, we hope, they uphold even today. What they gave us in return renders me incapable of putting in words.

I can simply say I am blessed. My initial promise to myself was to give them so much love that it would remain with them like an aura throughout their lives. What I didn't expect was the love I got in return. If I looked after their well-being, they nurtured me with their caring. As I helped them in times of trials, they became unofficial custodians of my welfare. I wear that love like a mantle even today and have come to the conclusion that if you give love to a young child, what you get back is a passport to the bounties on earth.

Every night was like an unofficial celebration, as after dinner, all four would sprawl on our bed, talking about the day's events and laughing and giggling, enveloped in that halo of caring. Each night I slept with a smile on my lips and a prayer of thanks in my heart. During the time they were with us, I cut the social circle to a bare minimum. My daughters were my best friends and with great pride they too say 'our mother is our best friend'. But in the twinkling of an eye, they grew up. Through their adolescence, we were so involved we never realised the passing of time and then came the time for marriage. I became pensive. So soon? You nurture a child like you do a seedling; it grows up, it flowers and that flower becomes a bouquet in somebody else's household.

As the first marriage in our house took place, the question hitherto fore unvoiced became vocal. All daughters and no son; what will you do after they are gone? You never longed for a son? Well, we did desire so but we never complained and were more than happy with what life gave us. What do we do after they are gone? We bask in the sunlight of their love, was my simple reply.

Happily, soon after marriage, our daughter presented us with a blue eyed granddaughter. If we were euphoric when our daughters were born, the birth of a grandchild transcended all happiness. We were happy as well as humble. Humble because we were so blessed and happy because this blessing came in our lives when we were in our later 30s and could participate actively with our granddaughter.  She was the forerunner in the Olympiad of our progeny and we later had more grand-children. It was like deja vu. We were on the merry-go round once more and what happiness motherhood had brought, grand parenthood enhanced. My happiness was on an all time high, till they all left home. Then reality took over and our lives became more subdued once again. We had landed on terrafirma with a thud.

Life has turned a full circle and we have both aged. But even today, we are at the receiving end of their awesome love. Their care, their concern for our welfare knows no bounds. It is as though they are our parents and we their beloved children. Our health, our well being, the quality of life we lead are their priorities. It imbibes in us a serenity which borders on the supernatural.

When the entire clan gets together, our house reverberates with laughter and love. I forget that I am on terrafirma and feel as if given a glimpse of heaven. We never had a son but we have wonderful sons-in-law, which more than offsets this deficit. At times I forget I didn't give birth to them. I love them so much and vice versa. I reminiscence What is life all about? Is it wealth? Is it social status or is it love? For me life began with love from my own parents and siblings. I cherished it and merely passed it on. Daughters were treated like beloved princesses. They returned it and passed it on. If today, we live on an island of love and equate life with love, I think, we have done well. For me personally, life is beautiful. Not a single day passes without me being reminded that I have an anchor and a rainbow in my life. The stars are shining and we are enveloped in clouds of love. My daughters gave me that kind of serenity and we are in tune with the infinite.