A “Mother’s” Sacrifice
The Definition
Who is a mother? In the traditional sense of the word, the first string of thoughts that would probably leap to one’s mind could be Birth Mother. Caring. Loving. Nurturing. Protector. Ride-or-Die Lioness. A woman whose sole purpose in life is to take care of you, no matter what. Throughout the globe, Mother’s Day has become an incredible celebration of this fierce lover of all; a woman who has dedicated herself wholly to us and our well-being.
The church, man and country sends out a clarion call on this special day for appreciation in its entirety for this selfless and loving creature. I’m here to tell you that things are not quite so simple and clear-cut
A Perfect Friendship Story
At the innocent age of eight, I met a precocious but fabulous child called *E.J. She was vivacious, spirited, loquacious and extremely fun to be around. Whenever we were together, we engendered our own world, created our own private realm free from responsibility – a place with no boundaries. As time passed on, she presumed the role of a mother figure. She happened to be only a couple of months older but she was definitely wise beyond her years. She gave me advice on the opposite sex, make-up, fashion, attitude adjustment (I was a very moody offspring) and even personal hygiene (without her guidance, I would not know how to insert a tampon into my va-jay-jay). She seemed to love me unconditionally, gave me a shoulder to cry on, a willing listening ear whenever I had a problem – she did everything but clothe me. She stood up for me regardless of whether I was in the right or on the side of error. She brazenly called into question anyone who dared to tease me or insult me. In essence, she was my second mother in almost every sense of the word (minus the obvious fact of actually birthing me from her loins).
Let’s Bring It Home People
The moral of the story is a mother can be any person who simulates the role of a conventional “Mum”, “Mummy”, “Mama” or “Ma”. It could be a sibling, a best friend, a counsellor, a neighbour, a pastor, a distant relative or a close lover. The individual does not necessarily have to be female. A single father could play both parts and we could even have more than just one in our lives.
So let’s give it up for all the “mothers” out there who have had our backs from sunrise to sunset, to those who are our ferocious protectors and our loving caretakers. This day celebrates everyone who has loved us in spite of our flaws, taught us to accept ourselves for who we are and believe in our truths.
Happy “Mother’s” Day to You All who have blessed us time and time again. May the days be ever in your favour.