Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Retirement song for my MIL

              Christmas vacation 2014 was eventful. Everyday there was someone to meet, some place to visit, some wedding to attend to, and if there was nothing else on the schedule, we shopped. But the 23rd of December, we set it aside, for that was the day my mother-in-law retired after 35 years of service.

Maami had worked all her adult life, with never a proper vacation, and we wanted to make it special, but we didn't know how. Of course our pastors would be there to pray, all our family was gathering to partake in the feast arranged, but we wanted something really special. And then Prathap annan suggested it would be good if we could write a song and sing it in honour of maami when she came home escorted by all her colleagues. Thank you, annan for the wonderful idea. So somewhere between 12:00 am and 1:00 am of Dec. 23, I sat down and wrote this song. Being the season of Christmas, it's sung in the tune of 'Away in a manger'

Welcome home dear teacher, we welcome you home;
Weekdays or weekends do not matter anymore;
Good daughter, school teacher, virtuous wife and strict mom;
Hates teaching, loves gardening, painting and singing songs.

Dear amma, we love you, we owe you our all;
Pursue now your passions, given up for us all;
Jack of all trades and a true master in all;
Superwoman that's you, now its time to settle down.

35 long years of teaching has been paid off;
You earned this vacation, having worked round the clock;
Bless you our dear amma, you made us who we are;
For your endless-sacrifices, we thank you amma.

Andrew gave me valuable suggestions, and we showed this version to maama, my BIL and Co-sis. Timo got on the guitar, and after a couple of practices we all sang together when maami came home. And Ahem! everyone wanted to know who wrote the song, and I graciously accepted all praise. ;)