Hello Friends @ AsiaOne

Another Mother's Day is here. As both a mother and a daughter, it is obvious that when the children celebrate this special occasion with even the most usual flowers, kisses and gifts, mothers must confess to a certain deep joy.

My mother is super because she is a walking miracle; always steadfast and supportive. She started work as a lived-in amah at a tender age of 15, with the British army. She blended very well with the family; which is testimony to Mother's good spoken & written English language (although she did not have a proper education). She also took up sewing jobs and baby-sitting over the years. My bothers & I got to see Mother only once a month when she came home with the family allowances. The old-fashioned mentality of "girls don't need to study so much" affected me as my chance for higher education was lost to my eldest brother. I felt emotionally overlaid with feelings of resentment and misunderstanding towards Mother. We survived a period of great upheavals in the family. Mother's enduring patience and self-control made me realized that family life needs constant maintenance and care. Mother took pain to explain the strength of chemistry linking family members, whilst preserving each individual identity. Slowly but surely mother and daughter relationship became stronger after I gave birth to my daughter and Mother handled my confinement eagerly. Her relentless effort, gracious care and unselfish attentiveness won me over. I regret taking Mother for granted and at her expense for many things. I am remorseful and so grateful to my forgiving Mother as she shared her wise thoughts: - When there is a natural catastrophe, the trees which fall are the ones which cannot bend in the fierce wind. We must cope with unimaginable disasters of illness, death and betrayal. We should be flexible to bend in the wind and stand upright; not easily uprooted and not collapse in the face of lost hope. In sensible truth, my wonderful mother merits loving compliments and definite accolade of praises.

With warmest regards,
Mah Yoke Lian *