The Online Citizen A Community of Singaporeans
Sunday, 9 May, is Mothers' Day. The Online Citizen pays tribute to them through your stories. If you would like to submit a story, a thank you or a tribute to your mom, please email it to us at: [email protected] . The closing date is 9 May midnight. Our last story will be published on Tuesday, 11 May.
Here is our first story, written by Raymond Anthony Fernando.
My mother's eyes
Those of us who enjoy listening to the music of the 60s' will definitely remember English singer and songwriter Russ Hamilton's all time favourite, “My mother's eyes” .
The opening lyrics go like this:
“One bright and guiding light
That taught me wrong from right
I found in my mother's eyes”.........
Whenever I hear this song on the radio, it brings fond memories of my dear mother. Some of the virtues which I have inherited from my mother, Mrs Pearl Rodrigo, an Eurasian, include kindness and resilience. My mother is able to withstand extreme hardships when facing adversities.
[The author is pictured above, 2nd from right. His mother is 3rd from the left.]
Mom has a soft heart and she inculcated good values in all her children. She taught us how to feel for another human being. She taught us the true meaning of love. I remember mom often giving some of her delicious cooked meals to the rubbish collectors when she observed that they were poor and were doing a job that many would not undertake.
I guess I must have inherited mom's resilience and this virtue has helped me tremendously to care for and love my wife who was stricken with schizophrenia at the tender age of 17.
Mom is one person that does not discriminate. When I told her that I intended to marry Doris, a Chinese who has a serious mental disorder, mom never discouraged me from taking her as my lifelong partner.
“It does not matter what illness she has or what race she belongs to. So long as you love each other and can take care of her, you have my blessings,” mom assured me.
Mom passed on her culinary skills to my wife, enabling me to look forward to a sumptuous meal everyday. Through the art of cooking, my wife has managed to produce not one, but two successful cookbooks.
My mother's compassion for my wife has equipped me with patience and understanding. She taught me how to love a woman unconditionally. Many a time when my wife suffered a relapse, mom would comfort me and she gave me lots of encouragement as well. She also taught me the power of prayer.
“Son, Doris has been a good wife, so bear with her disorientated state. She is behaving in this manner because she has suffered a relapse. She will get well with treatment. When you married her, you vowed to love her in sickness and in health,” mom would encourage me. “Meanwhile trust in God and offer your sufferings to Jesus. I will also pray for her speedy recovery.”
Through her support, love and understanding, my mom has played a major role in helping my wife recover after she returned from the hospital.
I would like to sum up my feelings for my mother and all mothers in this poem which is fitting for Mother's Day:
A Mother’s Love
When a child is crying
A mother will dry those tears
When a child is in pain
A mother will feel the same
When a child is hungry
A mother will sacrifice her own meals
When a child is troubled
A mother will share the burden
When a child is sick
A mother ensures that the recovery is quick
When a child has no answers
A mother will find the solution
When a child falls in love
A mother will give her blessings
When a child has a family of her own
A mother knows that the family seed has grown
Raymond Anthony Fernando
@copyrightraymondfernando
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Mother's Day picture from in.com.