In this edition we salute a mother who’s working unerringly to make her children better human beings. There’s Kong making an entry back again to wonderful consequences and how appreciation changed the outlook of a team. Come with me…

I came across a survey in the New York Times which stated that American mothers are spending more time with their kids these days than they did in the mid 90s. That’s definitely good news for all those kids out there who feel deprived if their moms are away working. I decided to share this piece of information with Donna. As you guys know, Donna has a couple of teenage kids, Ethan and Emily. The brother-sister duo is probably the best behaved teenagers around. Yes, they do have their occasional fights, but I think that is a part of the bro-sis relationship. They remind me of my own relationship with my sister Liz. We used to fight a ton but the camaraderie is still very much intact.

I asked Donna how she managed to make Ethan and Emily so decent and disciplined despite working crazy hours. Her reply was simple, “I taught them to do things, instead of doing it for them.” I nodded in approval. I remembered that Donna did exactly what she’s talking about here. Donna made it a point to check if Ethan and Emily were doing what is expected of them. If they were doing it wrong, Donna wouldn’t react like a typical mother and fuss over them. Donna always wanted them to learn from their mistakes rather than be a hands-on mom to correct them. This has made the teens more responsible and more in control of their work and paths. Donna is really the epitome of modern motherhood.

Spring is colorful for all. The myriad colors of the bright season sprinkled over into the lives of Kate and Henry. As you guys know, Henry lives in Iowa but comes over to New York whenever he can afford the time. Despite hiccups, their long-distance love story is very much on. Kate does suffer from some of the blues of dating through a medium. There are times when Kate gets really upset that they cannot meet. Henry tries to dissuade her from calling it off because he’s optimistic about the future. He’s working in a company which has promised to transfer him to their New York branch pretty soon. It’s just that they have to live out this interim period. And they have thought of a nice way to do that!

When Henry was over here, Kate decided that they will do something fun. They decided to decorate the wall with flower motifs. It was Henry’s idea! Kate suggested that they get wallpaper of the flowers that they want. But Henry is a good painter and he offered to do it himself. But the painting is just an excuse! At the pace they are painting the flowers, the wall won’t get done in a year full of weekends! Kate may have to buy that wall paper anyway. It’s a nice diversion for the love lorn couple. Kate was heard gushing about how nice the painting was. I leave you to draw your own interpretations.

Sarah is scared of dogs! I didn’t note that till very late. The signs were there for me to read, of course. Sarah would curl up her legs on the couch when Kong made a lazy entry. Sarah would shift to some other chair even in the course of a meal when Kong walked in royally to claim his plate. It never occured to me that Sarah was actually running away from the dearest pet! Actually it’s not my fault as well. Sarah probably thought that I would take offense or something if I came to know of it. But I did and it happened very hilariously. It was one of those days when everything goes right for you, even the ones which you were not expecting to tick! We were seated at the table, toying with our food and analyzing hugs.

Sarah is much interested in psychology. Her knowledge is thorough and well-grounded in practical aspects as well. Sarah was telling me the different ways in which people hug and what they convey. Some are romantic, some are friendly, some are plain sarcastic. I heard some, most of it brushed over me. I was busy gazing at her long eyelashes as she talked excitedly. I had no clue that Kong had sneaked up beneath the table. Maybe he wanted to appreciate Sarah’s knowledge. So he licked her toe! The reaction was instantaneous. Sarah lunged at me and grabbed me in a hug that she had not defined earlier! Later, after the initial hysteria died down and much to Sarah’s embarrassment, I named it the “pet hug”. It’s fabulous! Try it!

Recognition in any form is a basic human desire. Whatever little we may do, we want people to realize the importance of that. The need to congratulate someone is more important when that person is close to you. I see very little of pats on the back and other gestures which make a person feel good about his actions. Someone who does that pretty consistently is Ryan. Ryan’s team is well-knit only because they have a firm faith in their leader. They know that Ryan will be the first one to congratulate them on a job well done. That sparks team spirit and then you have these guys ready to walk that extra mile for those welcome words of congratulations.

Not just at the workplace, we can sign up for this trend anywhere. There must be numerous times when your mom makes the usual dish exceptionally well. There can be that tough test that your child cracked without causing a sweat. There can be that little note and breakfast that your partner fixed before going for work. These small incidents in our daily life merge with the drivel, when they are actually moments that you can celebrate and frame in eternity. Moments stitch our lives and a moment well lived is worth a lifetime. Grab these special moments out of thin air. A little congratulatory gesture will not cost you anything, but it will mean a lot to someone close to you.

With Mother’s Day coming right up, here’s an Oprah Winfrey quote for all of you: “Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.”