Loving exchanges between mother & daughter

After my visit at Goloka Dham I spent three days with my 90-year old mother in her nice village in the South of Germany. Now, during the second half of July, the weather was beautiful and sunny

My meditation was to reciprocate with her loving and selfless service, which she had rendered to me when I was a child. Here and now, I could only offer a tiny token in return for her many years of dedicated service. Today our roles seemed to be exchanged - old age had forced her into a helpless and dependent condition, just as I had been helplessly dependent on her care and affection in my childhood.

Now I endeavored to cook nice prasadam for her - just as she had always cooked my favorite dishes....

And I had to fasten a bip around her neck to keep her clothes clean while eating - just like she had done for me....

I surprised her with her favorite milk sweets from Sri Sri Radha Madana Mohana's plate, just like she used to surprise me with my favorite sweets...

I drove her to the forest and across the fields in her wheelchair, just like she had driven me around in a pram....

Now she was the one who asked the same questions repeatedly, and I patiently answered them over and over again, just like she had done the same thing when I was a child.....

Now she told the same stories again and again, and I tireleely listened to them over and over - just like I had told the same thing repeatedly as a child.....

I took her to the doctor, just like she had taken me as a child....

Now, sitting in the waiting room, she asked me to tell a story, and I told stories from the Srimad Bhagavatam - just like I had asked her to tell stories as a child...

Now, every evening, I sat at her bed and read some meaningful thoughts from spiritual literatures to her - just like she had sat at my bed every night, for many years, and read a nice and meaningful bed-time story....

Now I gave her a foot massage - just like she had extended herself to console me as a child....

And I picked a bunch of wildflowers for her - just like I had always done as a child....
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One of her statements was: "Old age is not for cowards....!" And she remarked how in old age one becomes as helpless as a child again. And I responded: "Yes, so we can helplessly depend on the Lord and His devotees...."

The perfect loving exchange....

Your servant, Devaki dd