On Mom
I did not realise how much it actually takes to be a mom till I became one. When it happened, suddenly my respect for my own mom rose sky high. hahahaa. Actually, my respect for her has been rising ever since I started working and living on my own since graduation.
Basically my mom took care of my brother and I (who were brats), kept the home clean, took care of the big garden in our home, fed the chickens, turkeys and what-not pets that my dad and I had. And she had hot food on the table for every meal. She actually cooked 3 meals a day. And they were not simple meals... looking back. mom... so amazing..sob sob... how did you do it?
On top of that, she was constantly watching over my brother like a hawk --because he had a serious asthma condition. But she was wise. When it became really serious when he was about 5 or 6 years, she one day spoke to me privately. She said, "It's not that I do not love you. I love you both equally. But he just needs more attention." I understood. And because of what she said, when relatives later criticised her for "pampering" him and so-called "neglecting me", and even tried to tell me stuff like "your mom loves your brother more" - I was not affected, and knew these were untrue. She always took time to explain her decisions.
Actually, what's wrong with parents doting-without-spoiling on their kids? There's too much ungrace in this world. It may do them good to develop a foundation of grace and unconditional acceptance for who one is. - my two cents ;p
When I was 14, one day she visited me at boarding school and told me that she had decided to venture into the hawker business at SS2. So she won't be able to visit me weekly anymore. (She had to take 2 buses to just visit... during the reign of the mini buses in KL). I felt sad that I won't be able to see her except during holidays. The boarding school regulations allowed a student to go out - a maximum of three times per semester. But she just went and did what she had to. The children were growing. Alimony inconsistent. School fees and living expenditure increasing. What was a single mom to do? She just rolled up her sleeves and did what she had to do then. She just turned 41.
Her food business was almost a one woman show. She sold fantastic tom yam soup (unknown during days), Hong Kong porridge and fish head noodles. I went to help during the holidays. To me, it was fun - but to her who worked from 8 am to 3 am every day, it was not. But she kept her cheerful countenance on. I wonder how she did it.
I seriously wondered. With that small business, she worked for a few years till it was secretly sold away by desperate beings. hahah. That is another sad story. My mom did not hold grudges as she said, she understood their desperation with a sick child in tow.
I guess that was her strength. Her ability to forgive. Her gift of being able to just let go of the past and not feel bitter about it. I believe that is God's gift of grace for her to live on. I really thank God for my mom. Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I love you. I too want to live with an unoffendable heart. :) Thanks, Lord, for giving me Mom as Mom!
Basically my mom took care of my brother and I (who were brats), kept the home clean, took care of the big garden in our home, fed the chickens, turkeys and what-not pets that my dad and I had. And she had hot food on the table for every meal. She actually cooked 3 meals a day. And they were not simple meals... looking back. mom... so amazing..sob sob... how did you do it?
On top of that, she was constantly watching over my brother like a hawk --because he had a serious asthma condition. But she was wise. When it became really serious when he was about 5 or 6 years, she one day spoke to me privately. She said, "It's not that I do not love you. I love you both equally. But he just needs more attention." I understood. And because of what she said, when relatives later criticised her for "pampering" him and so-called "neglecting me", and even tried to tell me stuff like "your mom loves your brother more" - I was not affected, and knew these were untrue. She always took time to explain her decisions.
Actually, what's wrong with parents doting-without-spoiling on their kids? There's too much ungrace in this world. It may do them good to develop a foundation of grace and unconditional acceptance for who one is. - my two cents ;p
When I was 14, one day she visited me at boarding school and told me that she had decided to venture into the hawker business at SS2. So she won't be able to visit me weekly anymore. (She had to take 2 buses to just visit... during the reign of the mini buses in KL). I felt sad that I won't be able to see her except during holidays. The boarding school regulations allowed a student to go out - a maximum of three times per semester. But she just went and did what she had to. The children were growing. Alimony inconsistent. School fees and living expenditure increasing. What was a single mom to do? She just rolled up her sleeves and did what she had to do then. She just turned 41.
Her food business was almost a one woman show. She sold fantastic tom yam soup (unknown during days), Hong Kong porridge and fish head noodles. I went to help during the holidays. To me, it was fun - but to her who worked from 8 am to 3 am every day, it was not. But she kept her cheerful countenance on. I wonder how she did it.
I seriously wondered. With that small business, she worked for a few years till it was secretly sold away by desperate beings. hahah. That is another sad story. My mom did not hold grudges as she said, she understood their desperation with a sick child in tow.
I guess that was her strength. Her ability to forgive. Her gift of being able to just let go of the past and not feel bitter about it. I believe that is God's gift of grace for her to live on. I really thank God for my mom. Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I love you. I too want to live with an unoffendable heart. :) Thanks, Lord, for giving me Mom as Mom!
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