This heart-melting ballad written, produced and performed by the world-famous singer Stevie Wonder, was one of the first few English songs, that I listened to. It must be the year 1983-84. I was a newly married gauche girl in my twenties who lacked the flair for English music. It was my husband, who introduced me to English songs for the first time. We both would spend our Sundays listening to country classics. Sometime during this period he also introduced me to Stevie Wonder.
Later on, this song became very close to my heart in more ways than one. But I shall tell you about that later. First, let me give you a glimpse into my childhood.
When I was little, there was this strange practice in our house. Our parents or elders in the house would never kiss or hug us kids. It was just not done. Neither would they tell us, how much they loved us. I remember, once day, I came home from school early and saw my mum standing at the kitchen platform, making some preparations for dinner. Out of some crazy impulse I threw my arms around her. I may be around fourteen at that time. She just shooed me away, admonishing me for being too “filmy”! I don’t think, she was behaving any differently than the mothers of her generation.
Telling your loved ones, that you loved them had not yet become commonplace. Parents would selflessly devote their entire lives for the well being of their children, moms would make countless sacrifices, would leave jobs after childbirth and would stay home to take care of their children. I remember, my dad didn’t think twice before foregoing his promotion for me and my brother, because it involved getting transferred to another much smaller city. He did that, just because he didn’t want our education to suffer. My parents never mentioned to us the sacrifices they had made in their careers to give us a near-perfect childhood. But at the same time, they never told us, how much they loved us either. Parents of that generation were never vocal about their love.
Similarly, I too never had the guts to tell my parents, how much I loved them, lest they consider me too “filmy”! Today this has become my biggest regret in life. I have understood one thing. Love is the most spectacular, indescribable, deep euphoric feeling, profoundly tender affection for another person. But what’s the point, if that person never knows, how strong these feelings are, unless you tell them. And we most certainly need to tell our loved ones, how we feel. We must make them understand, how important they are in our life.
In her last illness, my mom went into a coma. When I was sitting with her near her hospital bed, I remembered the song by Stevie Wonder. I JUST CALLED TO SAY, I LOVE YOU. I kissed my mom on her forehead for the first time in my life. I gave her a hug. I have no idea if she heard me, but I told her through my tears, how much I loved her.
I think, we must tell our people, that we love them.
: Mrs Leena Sohoni
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