Rest in Peace Kind Lady, My Mother-in-law

Mariamma Mathai, Rest in Pleace

I didn't know it would come so soon. So when wifey received a call at 4 a.m. from Kerala, we feared the worst. Her mother is "gone" said her brother-in-law. Such a simple word, for such a good person. She "went" without much fuss, without hospital tubes pinning her down, without the paraphernelia of modern medicine that does more harm than good, without a lot of people wailing near her bed. She died in her sleep.

I always had a great rapport with my mother-in-law. I received more love, attention, and attention from her than from my own parents. Truly. She was a good lady always ready to help and always defending me against my critics in the in-law camp. I have been fortunate in having such a lady as my mother-in-law. Alas, no more. Gone is the gentle querulous voice, the gentle admonition, the asking if I had food. Rest in please dear lady, you were always a kind and gentle soul.

Meanwhile, before I proceed to Kerala for the funeral, here are some pictures I took of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival.

John is @johnwriter on Twitter and John.Matthew on Facebook. He blogs here. His Youtube Channel Page. His novel Mr. Bandookwala, M.B.A., Harvard.