‘A mother’s love is more beautiful than any fresh flower.’
– American physician, philosopher, and author, Debasish Mridha
Happy Mother’s Day to you all, my friends. Today is a special day to recognise and honour mothers and mother figures.
I wonder when was the first Mother’s Day celebrated in Malaysia but in the United States, it was first observed in 1908. The idea sprang up from a group called the Mother’s Day Work Clubs, a group in West Virginia that took care of both the Confederate and Union soldiers during the Civil War. A woman named Anna Reeves Jarvis founded the group.
Mother’s Day is celebrated every year on the second Sunday in May but the date varies from year to year.
While many Malaysian families are observing Mother’s Day today, some have, in fact, celebrated it a few days earlier perhaps because of convenience.
My younger sister, who works in a Chinese restaurant in Johor Bharu, told me a Chinese family honoured their mother a few days ago by bringing her to the restaurant for a sumptuous sit-down dinner. They also shared a bottle of wine with the lucky lady.
Pampering your mother with dinner at a restaurant is indeed one fun way of celebrating Mother’s Day with the most important woman in your life. Indeed without her, where would you be?
If you are looking for memorable ways to celebrate Mother‘s Day, how about surfing the Internet for ideas?
One website I went to suggested the following ideas – breakfast in bed, giving flowers, giving your mother a day off, throwing a surprise party, spending a day together, surprising your mother with a lovely gift and pampering her.
If you cannot afford to buy an expensive gift or throw a lavish party for your mother, don’t feel sad or bad. I’m sure she will understand.
Personally, I am happy with whatever my son and daughter-in-law decide to do on Mother’s Day. It is okay if they want to bring me out for lunch or dinner. It is okay if they don’t have time to do so on that day.
To me, every day can be Mother’s Day. My son and daughter-in-law have been bringing me to lunches or dinners regularly on ordinary days and special days like my birthday and public holidays.
Yesterday morning, they took me out for breakfast at a coffeeshop famous for its laksa in Padungan. I thought it was an early Mother’s Day treat.
Just imagine my surprise when I saw my niece, Ah Hong and her boyfriend there. With them were my former sister-in-law, her daughter, her son-in-law and her granddaughter.
Ah Hong, who works in Singapore, had just landed in Kuching City with her boyfriend. She is back for a short holiday and has decided to come back in time for Mother’s Day today.
Everyone in the family knew that Ah Hong was coming home for a short break and they decided to surprise me by keeping her visit a secret.
That, I think, is the best Mother’s Day gift for me this year. You see Ah Hong treats me like her mother; she grew up in my house and studied in Kuching from kindergarten level until diploma level.
Everyone loves Ah Hong, especially my grandson, because she is kind, loving and generous. I’m sure she has Mother’s Day surprises today for all the mothers in the Liong family.
While I look forward to a happy Mother’s Day today, deep in my heart I grieve for my mother, maternal grandmother and one of my maternal aunts who have passed on. I pray for their souls and may God grant them eternal rest.
Mother’s Day today also brings painful emotions for one of my nephews whose mother left him when he was just a few months old. Since then, he had been taken care of by his grandmother (my mother).
Now in his early 40s, he has been looking for her all these years. He hopes to meet her someday just to thank her for giving birth to him. I pray that one day, God will grant his wish.
This nephew, who lived in my house and studied in Kuching, also treats me like his mother. He and his wife often bring me out for lunch or dinner. It is their way of thanking me for all I have done for them.
I salute Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Kuching for distributing 100 pieces of Mother ‘s Day cards and flowers to vendors at the Petanak Market yesterday.
The party said the programme aimed to express love and gratitude to fellow mothers in conjunction with the Mother’s Day celebration.
It pointed out that mothers were among the earliest and most important educators and guardians in our lives.
“They play a very important role in society and the family because they teach children how to behave, repay kindness and be kind-hearted so that children can succeed in society in the future.
“They are selfless for us and we should be grateful for all the mothers,” it added.
Thank you, SUPP Kuching, for encouraging the public to show their love and respect for mothers.
Meanwhile, the SUPP Pelawan service centre is offering thermal flasks to female voters in the Pelawan constituency.
Eligible recipients can go to the service centre from May 13 to 15 with their identity cards to collect the gifts. What a way to remember this year’s Mother’s Day!
In conclusion, once again, happy Mother’s Day to you all, my friends. May it be memorable.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
