Mother's Day 2021

Mother’s Day can be a bittersweet occasion for some people, depending on multiple factors in their lives.

Nine years ago, three years after my mother’s passing, I accepted an invitation to a women’s conference which was held in a big auditorium. When I arrived at the venue, I was pleasantly surprised by how well attended it was by the number of vehicles that were already in the parking lot, with some still arriving.

I walked into the building in search of the friend who had extended the invitation to me. The place was buzzing with excitement, laughter and embraces as friends and loved ones located each other. There were already many groups of women chatting in clusters amongst themselves. It did not take me long to notice that most of the people in attendance were with their grandmothers, mothers, and daughters. Oh, dear! What had I done to myself? As I watched families of up to four generations deep in attendance, I felt a pang of pain in the deepest part of my heart. The scab on a wound that had been healing quite well seemed to have been ripped off, exposing the wound once again. At that moment I regretted my decision to attend.

This meeting that had been held at the beginning of the year had brought my sense of loss since my mother’s passing back to the surface. When Mother’s Day rolled around that year, I was still feeling the loss and did not have it in me to join in the celebrations. Since that time though, I have made a conscious decision not to allow my sense of loss to deprive me of the privilege of honouring the most influential woman in my life. I now celebrate her every year.

This year I have been reflecting on the acts of love I witnessed from my mother. My mother’s love for her children was palpable. She looked out for us in every situation, supporting us through our daily ups and downs. My siblings and I always knew we could go to her with anything. I remember her sitting with us at our kitchen table, helping us with our homework or just keeping us company and encouraging us to maintain our focus.

She loved her family and my father’s family openly and encouraged her children to be loyal and loving to each other as well. Now as adults, we enjoy strong familial bonds because of her teaching and example.

Our good health was my mother’s top priority, which in part was evidenced by the wholesome meals we enjoyed daily. She also kept our home clean and orderly and encouraged us to respect our own space and others’ spaces as well. More often than not she would remind us of the importance of cleanliness by repeating the saying, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” to motivate us to uphold a high standard of presentation. We were also expected to be decently groomed when we showed up to the table during mealtimes. As frustrating as it was then, I laugh about it now as I recall how my mother would give us an inspection before we left the house to socialize with friends.

My mother’s work ethic both in and outside our home was admirable. She taught us the benefits of honest work by example and encouraged us not to shy away from it either. She also instilled honesty in us throughout our childhoods. Honest conversation has remained a staple in my family to this day.

I appreciate the lessons my mother taught my siblings and I and how she positively influenced our lives. So, this Mother’s Day, I would like to say “Thank you mother for your love and the positive influence you’ve been in my life”. To all the mothers and mother figures out there, thank you for your love and care. I hope your efforts do not go unnoticed by those you serve.

Happy Mother’s Day!