Wednesday 2 May 2007

Smiling Still

As the world celebrates Mothers Day*, sons and daughters pay tribute to their mothers, foster-mothers, grandmothers and, in some cases, step-mothers. Our mothers symbolise the essence of what is humane and honest. Whether we know it or not, our mothers are saints. My mother is the cornerstone of who I am today. She taught me to live and let live, she taught me to pardon and forgive, she taught me to be human.

I speak to my mother as if she were in front of me. I type the words and see her in my mind's eye. She is smiling still.
Never have I forgotten how I loved making you tea. You cherished your tea so much that I said I'll have them put a kettle on your grave. On your bed, you would sit on your knees, rocking back and forth, a Rothmans cigarette tightly held between your full fingers - you regularly look up, smiling at us, keeping us attached, no matter how upset they had made you.

Admired by most, oppressed by many, you remained invincible in your children. Everyone of them is testament of your manners. They all ask "How did they manage?" They thought they could get away with hurting you. They thought you weren't "as good." They don't see what you are made of. Every minute with you is a seed for the soul.. it grows as the heart grows.

Decades will pass by, we will pass away, but your legacy will survive. Your name is timeless. In every generation there will be You, and there will be Them.

All our goodness is from you. All our happiness is for you. All our sadness is a grain of sand in the desert that was your suffering. We venerate you.

We miss you dearly.
* This post was originally published on the 20th of March.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

This post is defnitely one of your best. And im glad to see your posts are coming back...not that I have been following closely or anything..

3eeraqimedic said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Little Penguin said...

anon,

thank you.. encouraging words.. and I appreciate your indifference.. :)

3eeraqimedic,

you'd be surprised at how valuable I consider your words to be.. it's a strange intimacy that bloggers have.. you know?.. what happened to your blog if i may ask?

Anonymous said...

I'd like to acknowledge this piece of work you have done for your mother. I think it is wonderful and I also think that all of us should post something up about our mother, no matter who she is, or how we see her, because no one in his or her sane heart would write something bad about a true mother... Keep it up hammedi, you make us keep our heads high when mention of our mother is present.

Anonymous said...

Hello,

Inspiring article on Mother. In the following Para, the last sentence “and there will be Them”, I didn’t get the meaning of this sentence. Could you please explain me the meaning? Thank you.

Decades will pass by, we will pass away, but your legacy will survive. Your name is timeless. In every generation there will be You, and there will be Them

Little Penguin said...

Thank you anon..

I guess what I meant -and it's entirely my opinion, others have the absolute right to extract whatever meaning they find fitting- is that her role as a mother didn't cease to dominate a pivotal part of our daily lives and our personalities and social interactions.. not just us, any mother will testify that her role goes way beyond feeding, cleaning and looking after..

Personally, I feel that the years I spent with her will safeguard me throughout my life and I sincerely hope I can plant in my children the seeds that she blessed me with.. I dont think it's far-fetched that ten generations down the line will remember her and say 'she single-handedly gave us what we have today'..

As for "Them".. everyone who failed to recognise or chose to hide behind the social facade.. the conformists.. the weak-willed liars who'd rather betray principles than give credit to a saint..

You hailed my writing as inspiring, it is she who inspires me.. and your words certainly flatter me.. thank you.

Lunar said...

This is truly miraculous! The way you described your mother is remarkable as I was able to visualise your thoughts.