We must be tested by fire.

Have you ever realized the role of our mothers? Do you think their roles are as easy as we think?  We never feel the pinch of others unless we are tested by the fire. Human beings are the one of the funny creatures on this planet who laughs at others tears.

Unwittingly I have substituted the role of my wife for last one week. I nearly vomit everything at the end of the week. My wife was then attending training on health at Khasadrapchu MSS, Thimphu. This is her first National based In-service program (NBIP) on health after working as a school medical officer for last four years.

My task for the day starts as early as 7 am in the morning. After feeding breakfast for my two elder kids, I had kept my hawk-eye on time with my 2 months old son on my lap. He cries now and then and never allows me to stand on one position.

Her first session ends at 10:45 am and should be back in the hall at 10:55 am. There was only 10 minutes of break for her avail her share of elevenses and feed our baby. The break for lunch starts at 1pm and ends at 1:30 pm. So our son hardly got about 20 minutes to suck nourishment form his mother. The entire program for the day gets winded up only at 6Pm in the evening.

On second day I had questioned her about slashing of break time. She told me that the training must happen for 12 days but due to budget constraints the authorities had merged the program to 6 days. But the content of the program was never compromised.

We have rented a flat in the heart of Khasdrapchu town to accommodate ourselves. At the end of the week we paid Nu. 2000 to the house owner extravagantly. We have to be extravagant by default not by choice. There was nobody at Khasadrapchu whom we know them. Even if there was someone known to us, their home might be too small for us. Indeed we one of the biggest modern family.

I am a father of three kids yet I haven’t taste the role of mothers until recently. I believe before we make complain about the taste of food to our wives and mothers, we must put our feet into their shoes. Do not return home as a managing director, but as a father. Though your wife may not be a bread winner but her contribution at home is always enormous.