… to find your living room in chaos when you wake up in the morning, because it means your five-year-old was having a good time with his toy friends just before sleep

… to leave your unwashed laundry in the baskets and the washed ones in a pile waiting to be folded, because it means you were inspired to write a beautiful story or two

… to miss going out to work, because it means you’re lucky enough to be at home when your child returns from school, to be available at all his functions in school, to be near him to hug him when he cries and to take him out for a walk when he needs

… to find the kitchen unclean after last night’s dinner, because it means you got to sleep early for once

… to be envious of your neighbour’s always-clean house despite that she has two children and a full-day job, because all people are not alike, all kids are not alike, and all houses are not alike

… to find that your house becomes a mess again ten minutes after the maid cleans up, because it means your child is having fun cutting newspapers into shapes or mixing water colours on the floor or moulding clay into animals, and wiping his soiled hand all over the place, with a twinkle in his eyes that you love to see

… to be jealous of someone, because most often there will be something about you that they are jealous of, too

… to be referred to as a ‘house-wife’, because it means that your home is your topmost priority

… to be at home all day and meet people only through text messages, phone calls and social networking sites, because it means you don’t have to face the accusing glances and slicing words of your juniors, peers and superiors every time you leave office at nine or ten in the night

… to lose your heart over things you’ll never have, because if you don’t have dreams and fantasies, life becomes downright dull

… to feel alone and lonely now and then, because it means you don’t have to daily endure the smug looks of colleagues you are condemned to work with

… to have unexpected visitors when the house is at the messiest, though you have to push the toys and papers aside to make room for them, and endure their disapproving glances with an embarrassed smile, because it means you were playing and laughing with your child just before they came