“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.”
When God created the world, he first created a man, not a woman. But soon after, he realized a woman’s existence would be important in infinite ways; as a mother, sister, wife and so on. Out of these, her role as mother is probably the thankless, toughest and arguably the most satisfying. A mother gives birth and nourishes her child till the child grows and becomes independent.
From feeling nauseated with morning sickness, walking with heavy swollen feet, and gaining bundles of weight while having to comply with dietary restrictions, a woman unwearyingly bears a child for 9 months inside her womb. At times she feels so sick that even water does not reside in her stomach. The fluttering of her tiny baby inside her is a miraculous gift of her life. Those fluttery kicks change her sense of who she was and who she was becoming. For her, it is an unbelievable fact to feel those tiny innocent heart beats.
As having recently undergone the experience, I can say that becoming a mother is an experience that can only be self-experienced and not be described. A mother begins to find joy in the smallest of things and her child’s birth re-awakens the child in her. Holding and embracing her children are precious gifts in a woman’s life. Watching her angel smile in their sleep, squeal with delight, nuzzle against her chest, mimic funny sounds and learn amusing things; they see innocence at its best.
A mother eagerly waits to watch her little one roll both ways, wiggle forward on the floor, get up on all fours, sit unsupported, take its first few steps and speak its first words. A mother finds heavenly bliss when her little one runs its soft and tiny palms gently across her face. At the same time, her heart bleeds when she sees her child in pain.
Many a time, when circumstances demand, she may have no choice but to leave her kids behind and work far-off to secure their future. She might go to bed on an empty stomach on several occasions but not until she is assured that her children are well fed.
As years roll by, children grow and understand the world with wisdom provided by their mother. When they turn to their youth, they look out for their own future and life. Many a times, they find a companion, settle down and forget their past, thus failing to remember the numerous sacrifices and hardships that their mother might have gone through. The same mother who once rocked her children to sleep is then sent to an old age home as she has become an expensive liability. This is probably the toughest phase in her life but a mother will unceasingly accept her children’s will in silence. In this day and age, few children take care of their mothers in both good times and bad and do not realize the importance of showering their mother with love during her old age, when she is helpless. A mother only seeks to find happiness in her children’s eyes and considers it a loss of life when her children are away from her.
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…A mother knows that neither time nor money can bring back the sweet memories that she has spent with her child….
A mother knows that neither time nor money can bring back the sweet memories that she has spent with her child. She knows that one day her child’s sweet sounding babbles, gurgles and other innocent expressions will be a thing of the past. Yet, she would consider herself lucky and blessed to have experienced every little beautiful moment of motherhood.
Not until we become mothers one day, do we really begin to appreciate who our Mother really is. Tears roll down my cheeks when I think of my mother today. I regret that I had often treated my mother like a superwoman – a gourmet chef, a doctor, a chauffeur a disciplinarian and a patient person who readily put up with all my tantrums. Today, as I reflect on my childhood, I realize how selfish I had been when I had taken her for granted in many ways.
As a little school going child, mummy would wake up early morning; prepare breakfast for the whole family taking into consideration the likings of her fussy children and I know I have always been the fastidious child. Every morning my mummy wasted an hour of her precious time trying to get me out of bed. I would say “Only 5 minutes more mummy”, as if those 5 minutes of sleep took me to a deep slumber.
After sending me off to school, she faced the most challenging question of “what to cook?” every single day. She silently slogged in the kitchen to prepare tasty meals for the family keeping in mind the likes and dislikes of all. I, as a child thought cooking was a piece of cake that involved a concoction of spices added to boiled meat and vegetables. I often grumbled upon seeing what I thought was a boring dish but was indeed a yummy sardine fish curry. I would refuse to eat on several occasions and my mother would silently prepare another meal for me. Oh, I could slap myself a dozen times now for being so fussy. I did not care to think even once of the staggeringly high temperatures in the kitchen which rose as high as 47 degrees during the peak summers in the Gulf, causing my poor mummy to literally get baked in somewhat of a furnace. Yet she did it all for me in silence with unfaltering patience.
Mummy was always there to encourage me when I made a mistake; although sometimes it’s hard not to show disappointment (I am sure I’ve done that). “Mummy why don’t you work and become a teacher in my school?” I often asked her. It was only later that I realized that she made me and my sisters her first priority which thereby caused her career goals to take a backseat. Indeed I was very lucky that my mother was there to greet me with deep warm hugs every afternoon and fervently listen to my stories of the day including stories of incidents that took place in school.
Today, as a mother of a beautiful angel myself, I realize the weight of my mother’s love. I realize that mummy was a very strong person, and begin to wonder if I can I ever fit into her shoes. Today she is my best friend and I depend completely on her advice for decisions in my life. Her love is unselfish and enduring come what may. She is always my inspiration & strength.
Mothers are special. Maybe you consider an aunt of yours or a sister as your mother who sacrificed her life for your betterment. Make this Mother’s Day the most wonderful day of her life by returning the same embrace and hug she bestowed on you. Show her you care and give her your love forever. We must not forget our mother no matter what we are, what we do and where we are. Let us understand our mother’s pain when she needs us the most.
I would like to share this beautiful prayer with all of you on Mother’s Day –
Lord, thank you for creating us women. We may be mothers raising children today, or mothers now sharing our love with our grandchildren. We may be women who have not had children of our own but have loved other little ones. Or we may be mothers who lost children to death, miscarriages or abortions, or maybe we don’t know the whereabouts of our offspring. We may be mothers whose children have gone astray and we’ll never hear the words, “Happy Mother’s Day.” We may be moms nurturing an unborn child, or single and raising children in difficult and trying circumstances.
Lord, we all wish to thank you for giving us your love. For without your love we cannot be the mothers you intended. It is your love that nurtures, comforts and gives us lasting peace. You give us the patience, kindness and guidance to be mothers. And when we fail and become angry and upset, Father, you give us a gentle nudge to get us up on our feet again. You forgive so easily.
So, on this special day, Lord God, our accolades and praise go to you. We thank you and ask for your blessing on us as we continue on this path of motherhood, in whatever form it takes in our life at the moment.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Author: Vandana Menezes- UAE
