All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.
—16th US President, Abraham Lincoln
HAPPY Mother’s Day to all women today.
My friends, do you know that Mother’s Day is special for all women because it honours the nurturing, strength and mothering spirit, not just the act of biological motherhood, that influences society?
Unknowingly, some of us may think that Mother’s Day is just for biological mothers. No, Mother’s Day also celebrates maternal bonds, mentors and the village of women (aunts, teachers and friends) who care for others, acknowledging their important role in shaping lives, strengthening communities and providing unconditional support.
Hence, I’d like to dedicate my column today to all the women who loved me before, especially my late mother, my late grandmother and my late Aunt Catherine (my mother’s younger sister) and all the women who love me now, especially my younger sister, Ah Lan, my niece Ah Hong, my daughter-in-law Amelia, my nephew’s wife, Terisa and my friends, SML and Ms Kho.
I am who I am today because of their guidance, support and sacrifices.
My mother carried me for nine months and endured physical comforts such as nausea, sleepless nights and pain to protect, nurture and bring me into the world.
After that, she spent years, nurturing, teaching and caring for me, providing love and care without expecting anything in return.
She also taught my siblings and I to be independent from a young age. For example, I learnt how to cook rice on a kerosene stove when I was just seven years old.
My elder sister and I also learnt to take care of our younger siblings whenever my mother was not around.
When we were in primary school, my siblings and I learnt to walk from our home at Moi Hung Road to the bus station in the centre of Sibu town in order to catch the earliest bus to school
We would be on the road every morning before dawn. Our school, SUDC Primary School No. 4, was at Oya Road. After school, we would catch a bus home. We were very independent kids and did not trouble our parents. My father had no car, only a bicycle. In those days, in the late 1960s, life was relatively peaceful and there were no child-kidnapping cases.
My grandmother and Aunt Catherine also loved my siblings and I very much. We used to visit them in Kanowit, a town on the upper Rajang River, during the year-end school holidays. They fed us well and would share whatever food they could find on their padi farm. They never scolded us and like our mother, always encouraged us to study hard and make them proud someday.
Now, I am much loved by my younger sister, Ah Lan, my niece Ah Hong, my daughter-in-law Amelia, my nephew’s wife, Terisa and my friends, SML and Ms Kho. They call me, talk to me, bring me gifts and take me out to eat.
My friends, if your mother, your grandmother and aunts are still alive and you are married, where are you going to celebrate Mother’s Day today?
Not so long ago, you would probably choose to celebrate it in a hotel with the women in your life.
Hotels are good for Mother’s Day celebration because they provide a stress-free experience that blends luxury, relaxation and convenience, allowing the celebrants to really unwind. Their key offerings include special high-tea buffets, rejuvenating spa treatments and relaxing staycations.
Instead of cooking, families can enjoy delicious Mother’s Day brunches, lunches or high-tea buffets featuring local and international food.
Now fewer families in Kuching celebrate Mother’s Day in hotels. The city, designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, is now a vibrant culinary designation offering a vast array of food centres, cafes and restaurants.
With good food available almost everywhere, Kuchingites are indeed spoiled for choice with a vibrant dining scene ranging from bustling diverse food courts to cozy cafes, offering everything from local Sarawakian favourites like kolo mee and laksa to international cuisine.
I am not planning any Mother’s Day because all the women who loved me before have died. Come to think of it, my poor grandmother, who died in the late 70s, never enjoyed a Mother’s Day feast. In those days, a secondary school student then, I did not know about Mother’s Day. It was not deeply commercialised.
My mother, who died not so long ago at the age of 83 or 84, was more fortunate. By then, my siblings and I as well as my nephews were already working and had money to spend.
My mother loved KFC chicken and I have fond memories of enjoying special KFC meals, Coca Cola and kolo mee with her on Mother’s Day. The old lady really loved Coca Cola and kolo mee.
Before I sign off, once again, happy Mother’s Day to all women. May your day be relaxing and be filled with love.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at adelinel888@gmail.com.
