'Ittange Iruveno Hariye'

My maternal grandmother was widowed at 38 with 4 school going children and a pension of twenty rupees a month.
When she succumbed to her 2nd heart attack last year, she was 80.

She had suffered poverty, pain, humiliation, separation at various stages of her life.
What I find remarkable in her is not one day did she say 'Why me?!' or 'If only!'
She did not cry over her fate nor curse the stars.
'Itt hange Iruvenu Hariye' was her favourite phrase. That's the first line of a song in kannada which means "Lord, I will accept what you have given and be satisfied".

She could accept life as it came and was stronger for it. Instead of brooding over the past, she would live in the present moment. I find that my mother is very similar to her. She was 17 when she took on the role of a breadwinner. I find the same kind of strength in her that was in her mother. Acceptance, courage, wisdom, patience and hardwork.

I end up wishing I am at least 10% of what my grandmother was and my mother is.