What I Like About My Daughter-in-law.

A daughter-in -law is more than a daughter. She is bound to you by ties of marriage as well as by the law. Now the law sounds to us  a bit intimidating. It culls up images of the court room and witness stand, lawyers and liers, a judge and a holy book. No wonder a woman feels a sense of grave forboding when she is  preparing herself to either don the bridal garb or inversely, using her search engine to pounce upon the most eligible of maidens for her dear son. Both ways the" -in law" tag has to be worn.

My daughter-in-law made it her primary duty to toss of the tag as soon as she entered the threshold of my life. The veil was off, the long skirts flung aside, the slow walk became a purposeful stride, and the soft whispering voice which is supposed to be the pride of a bride ,was supplanted by a cheery bright tone, a chattering that left me dumb for some seconds.

Apprehensions of how to pull along with a daughter-in -law,  who would perhaps be crooking an evil eye beneath her veil, whispering complaints along with sweet nothings to her husband who she would forget was my son too, and taking him away from a mother's empty arms forever, vanished in the onslaught of new emotions.

The next day saw us both putting up our feet on the divan seat and enjoying tea with noisy slurps. The tea was good though not the type I generally drank, but it was kind of O.K with me. She insisted I redo my hair and drove me down to her favourite parlour for a shampoo and dye, and facials and all the works.

I was like totally at her mercy, but I found myself enjoying it first a little , then whole heartedly.

The secret to a happy life with your mother-in-laws, dear about-to-wed-girls, is grab your mother-in-law by the waiste and pamper her for all she is worth.

Her long years of sacrifice and hard work will be amply rewarded.