My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.
– George Washington, first president of the United States
The second Sunday of May this year, which fell on the 12th, was celebrated as Mother’s Day globally in honour of mothers to show respect and gratitude towards their sacrifices for their children and families.
My mom means the whole world to me. I am what I am today because of her. She embodies strength, grace and resilience, shaping not just my present but also the very core of my being. From my earliest memories of childhood to adulthood, her presence has been a constant source of comfort, inspiration and guidance.
When I reflect on my mom’s love I can’t help but appreciate American novelist Gail Tsukiyama’s famous quote, “Mothers and their children are in a category all their own. There’s no bond so strong in the entire world. No love so instantaneous and forgiving.”
Mom’s selfless sacrifices and boundless affection have given me the strength to go through the numerous challenges in my life. Most importantly, through her love and actions, she has taught me the value of empathy, kindness and perseverance, instilling in me the belief that every obstacle is an opportunity for growth.
From my childhood to adulthood, mom was there to help and encourage me to pick myself back up after each failure. Even now, she is my pillar and strength. She may be 83, but she has shown strength and tenacity throughout her life and it’s this trait that keeps her going. My three siblings find strength in her.
I have a confession; her unwavering belief in my potential has been a source of endless motivation for me. She encouraged me to chase my dreams, cheering me on through every triumph and offering solace in moments of defeat. Her faith in my abilities has been a constant reminder that I am capable of achieving greatness, no matter how tough the journey may seem.
I remember a time when my siblings and dad were very disappointed with me for not chasing their dream – not my dream though – of being a doctor, engineer or accountant which children of the very small Indian community in Sibu were pursuing.
I chose to go into journalism instead, and mom was the sole person in the family who gave her wholehearted support. Forty-three years later, I still vividly recall her words of encouragement: “Pursue what you want, the important thing is you excel in whatever you do and show the community what you are capable of achieving. Don’t let their negativity get the better of you!”
Thank you mom for those wonderful words of encouragement. I love you!
Beyond her role as a caregiver, my mother is a pillar of wisdom and guidance too. Her words carry the weight of experience, lighting up even the darkest paths that I had to go through. With her gentle wisdom, she gave invaluable lessons about love, resilience and the importance of staying true to oneself.
I am filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the woman who has given me everything – her unconditional love has been a guiding light, enriching my life in ways words cannot express.
As I reflect on her immeasurable impact, I am reminded that I am blessed to call her my mom, and I vow to cherish her always, honouring her legacy with every step I take.
To my dearest mom, I offer my deepest thanks and boundless love. You are the personification of all that is good in this world, and I am eternally grateful for the gift of your presence in my life.
Happy belated Mother’s Day!
Now, while we appreciate and praise our moms, let’s remember and appreciate the unfortunate ones out there, especially those in Gaza, who have to go through tragic moments after their homes were bombed by the Israelis.
These mothers – and their children – are forced to live in areas without water, electricity, sanitation, hospitals or bakeries.
I reproduce below an abridged version of a wire news report about Mother’s Day in Gaza headlined ‘Loss, displacement, and hunger’.
In tents deprived of the bare necessities of life, Palestinian mothers endure an indescribable tragedy in the non-residential area of Al-Mawasi, west of the city of Rafah in southern Gaza Strip.
After their homes were destroyed by Israeli warplanes, mothers, along with their families or what remains of them, were displaced to Al-Mawasi, an area devoid of water networks, electricity, sanitation, hospitals, or bakeries.
This region consists of sand dunes and farmland, where mothers grapple with the bitterness of losing loved ones, the agony of displacement, and the continuous devastation resulting from the brutal Israeli aggression since Oct 7 2023.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees estimated that 150,000 citizens were displaced from Rafah city after Israeli forces invaded the eastern part of the city, ignoring all international warnings.
Mothers long to return to their homes, even if they are in ruins, hoping to end their suffering caused by the continuous Israeli aggression on the Strip, which has resulted in the deaths of 34,971 civilians, mostly children and women, and the injury of 78,641 others, in addition to thousands of victims still under the rubble.
Inside one of the makeshift tents, Hanan Abu Jabal, 55 years old, a mother of eight children, feels profound sadness due to the loss of one of her sons in an Israeli airstrike.
The Palestinian mother, unaccustomed to the current suffering, finds herself displaced, deprived of water, electricity, cooking gas, beds, healthy food, or medicine.
“We live in extremely harsh conditions, where we find ourselves displaced and deprived of food, water, and clothing, facing the risk of genocide,” says Hanan, adding, “We are experiencing conditions we have never witnessed before due to this war on Gaza, where I lost my son, and losing a son means losing the soul.”
Another mother, Dina Mohammed, 55, covers her face with her hand, tears streaming down her cheeks, as she gazes sadly at a dilapidated tent set up on the shores of Rafah.
“We were displaced from Shujaiya neighbourhood since the beginning of the aggression, moving between several places before settling south of Wadi Gaza. Today, we live in harsh conditions, with extreme heat in the summer and severe cold in the winter, constantly exposed to danger from Israeli airstrikes and attacks from naval vessels.
“We suffer from a severe shortage of drinking water, living in abject poverty, with a scarcity of food and basic supplies,” she says.
Difficulties are exacerbated for many women who have lost their husbands and breadwinners, continuing the journey of searching for food, providing for their families, and protecting their children.
Mother’s Day may have come and gone, but let us all pay tribute to all mothers regardless of where they are. Moms deserve more than just one day of celebration; they should be celebrated every single day.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of tyui New Sarawak Tribune.
