ON MOTHER’S DAY, A TRIBUTE TO MY GRANDMOTHER

If birth and death are the start and end, respectively, of earthly life, then every day is Mother’s Day. Many are blessed to be nurtured and cared for by the mother as they grow up, some are not. Many are blessed to recognize and honor the love they receivefrom the mother, while some are forgetful or get drifted away in the haste and hurry of life. The ultimate truth remains – life starts with the mother.

Our gratitude to our mother, our respect for the mother’s sacrifice, should not be limited to a single day. But if the world has decided that a day on the calendar should be reserved for us to vocally announce the love for the mothers, I understand it. But the rest of the year would be the real testament of our true feelings for the mother.

On Mother’s Day, I celebrate my maternal grandmother (deceased) – the real matriarch of the family. She was not tall in stature, but had a big heart. She was soft-spoken, but firm and determined. Of all the things she knew, the most important one was the difference between right and wrong. Seasons changed, but her strong will to do what is just, throughout her life, did not. My grandmother followed the natural human instincts to protect and care for her biological children. But her love extended well beyond the nuclear family, reaching many lives through her engagement in philanthropy. From extended family members to strangers – many have been touched by the kindness she had in her heart, and the generosity that guided her actions. My grandmother was not frugal – she extended both her arms to give as much as she could, and God abundantly resupplied her with strength and means to continue helping people. Most importantly, she did all these in a way that elevated people and helped them realize their potential, and not be foreverdependent.

My grandmother was a firm believer in life, and kindness for all people. She believed in the acquisition of knowledge from territories well beyond where she lived, and encouraged the expansion of one’s horizon by understanding the diversity in this world. She was a person of faith.

While she is no more, she continues to guide me.

I hope this day is a day of love and respect for the mothers who protect and nurture, and help enhance the spiritual well-being of the people in this world.