I wrote this many years ago, before I became a mother myself. I wrote this for my mum and mother-in-law and gave it to them one Mother’s Day. While I was writing it, I couldn’t use my experience as a mother because I had no idea what it was like to be one. So I thought about my Mum and the sacrifices she had to make for us, the years she spent taking care of us, the times she most probably wanted to strangle us for being so ungrateful and rude and annoying. I thought about how she raised us and the exhaustion she would have felt. My Mum had a lot to carry on her shoulders, but she remained strong for us. She didn’t burden us with her worries.
I didn’t see it at the time, but looking back I realise how incredibly strong she was. She still is.
So this is for my Mum, who I love dearly and will be forever grateful for what she did/still does for me.
Now I am a mother myself, this piece is even more meaningful, and I hope any other mother’s who read this know how incredible you are!
A Piece of You
Being a mother is the hardest job in the world. It is constant work; you don’t get to finish at five o’clock.
You don’t even get paid to be a Mum. There’s no manual; you learn as you go. You discover the true meaning of selflessness, forgiveness, patience, and endless love.
Sometimes your dreams get pushed to the back for the dreams of your child. Sometimes your child’s dreams become your own, because of your desire to see them succeed.
You devote your time and money to ensure they grow up happy and healthy.
You are many things all rolled into one: a nurse, a teacher, a taxi driver, a counsellor, a role model, a playmate, a confidante.
Your child has your heart; they carry it around with them wherever they go. You are always needed, even when they grow up and move away.
The thing is, sometimes being a mother can be frustrating. Sometimes it is a thankless task, and your child may not understand how committed you are to them.
You’ll clean up after them, while they just make more mess.
You’ll correct their manners, their grammar, and their respect for you and others around them.
You’ll pick them up when they fall over.
You’ll cuddle them close when they need comfort.
You’ll nurse their broken heart when they find love and lose it for the first time.
You will go through extraordinary amounts of pain to bring them into this world, but you’ll still smile because you now hold a piece of you in your arms.
The pain doesn’t end there, though. You will constantly be tested; you will realise the limits of your patience.
Being a mother is the hardest job in the world, but it is also the most rewarding. The journey your child takes you on will show you how amazing you are.
You brought a new life into this world; you raised them and taught them everything you know.
There will be many milestones – their first smile, first laugh, first crawl, first walk, first day of school, their graduation, their wedding and then, finally, their own children.
And you’ll look on with a sense of pride because you know your guidance and love have brought them to all these points in their life.
You’ll look on and know that you’ll take this job over any in the world.
When your child looks at you and all you see is love, appreciation and gratitude reflected in their eyes, you’ll know it was all worth it – every single moment brought you here.
There comes a time when you stop holding your child’s hand, and drying their tears. Sometimes your words will fall on deaf ears, and no one listens when you speak.
You will learn that you need to let them go in order for them to come back.
You will learn that their mistakes are best learnt firsthand; you can’t shield them from pain, but you can be there when they need someone to understand.
It’s true, being a mother is the hardest job in the world, but somehow you manage to make it look so easy. You possess silent strength, sheer determination. Everything you do is done with no expectation of something in return.
Your beauty lies in the fact that you don’t fully comprehend how your actions shine as bright as you.
The truth is – you don’t realise what an impact you really have.
Three generations of mothers: My mum, me, my nanna, and Emmy.
Hello& welcome to my blog, What If Warrior
Here you will find my multi-topic blog, told from my humble point of view. I write from the heart; for me, self-expression comes easier through written words. If you would like to read more about my inspiration for this blog, click here.