THE PRECIOUS MOTHERS IN MY LIFE

It is said, it takes a village to raise a child. To this I would add it takes several women to make and support the life of a man. In my case on this very important day, MOTHER’S DAY, I can surely speak of three.

My mother helped me succeed in early life. She is the single most important person who saw to it that I succeeded at secondary school when I was least bothered with it. I was more interested in cricket. What a marked difference her being after me to study in those early years has made! I now have three bachelor’s degrees, one masters, a second masters in its last semester of studies, and a PhD. To cap these I am a college lecturer in one of the best academic environments in the world. All because a mother laid the foundation.

My wife of thirty years (May 4th was our 30th wedding anniversary) has been as much a mother to me as a wife. Her unconditional love, care, support, and friendliness perfected the rough edges to my personality. I am a better man because of her. She is quiet, forbearing, understanding, positive, never doubting, never mean, never cribbing, never fighting, never whining, always pleasant, and always trusting. She is perfect. And because of all this I cannot think of a day in these thirty years when I regretted marrying her or did not want to return home from work in the evening. I wouldn’t be wrong if I said that she cares for me more than I have seen many mothers care for their children. Amita goes out of her way every day of her life to see that I am not in any discomfort or want. She’s been more than a mother to me for more than half of my life and for a time longer than my own mother has been involved with my care.

My daughter is stepping into a role I played for her in the early part of her life – caring for me. And in increasing that care with every passing week and month as I age and grow weaker, a child that grew in my arms is transforming into a mother who cares. She gets me my medicines from the pharmacy; keeps a close watch on my regular intake of my medicines; gets the select foods I ask for; and she’s the person I reach out to when I need any work to be done which I do not wish to burden my wife with. My daughter is gradually becoming a guardian angel to me as I slow down. She is in her facial appearance a blend of my own mother and my wife when both were young, and I have told my wife multiple times in recent private conversations that when I am old and close to the end of my life on earth I will see in her face my young mother and my young wife come to life once again.

A man’s life is built by the good mothers in his life. Without them men are nothing and cannot be the good and successful humans they aspire to be.

GOD bless all good mothers and motherhood.