The gift that keeps on giving

One the greatest challenges I’ve ever had is to encapsulate the meaning of my mother in 500 words or less. because even though I was birthed by one mother, Charlene Foster, I’ve been blessed by the love of several others

Up until October 2008, I could always boast that I had 3 mothers . There was my Mom, Charlene; Grandmother Maude and Great Grandmother, Gertrude. These 3 women have formed and nurtured various parts of my character and personality in many ways. My mom is responsible for  much of my professional journey, my passion for the arts, connecting people and nurturing the youth.  My grandmother, a former teacher , was a friend, confidant and disciplinarian. My great grandmother, also a teacher and the matriarch of the family was my moral compass and personified link to God. Even in her absence, I still hear her voice humming her favourite hymns at the crack of dawn or her reassurance that God will get us through any trial or tribulation because “If HE brought you to it, HE will bring you through it”.

Mothers are truly The Gift that continues to give. Nothing compares to a mother’s love. I grew up without my biological father and unfortunately for him, by the time he connected with me, it was too late because the love I had from my mothers was so complete that I never regretted not having his or even missing it.

A Mother is LOVE. LOVE is Life Orientation Value Experience. Sadly, we sometimes do not see it or appreciate it because through it all, our mothers often ask for so little, receive less

In this fast paced world with so many challenges and conflicts, Mothers are our solace, our refuge and in so many ways, our life source. It’s no coincidence that the planet we live on is called Mother Earth

To all Mothers, thank you for your Love, thank you for your sacrifice. To the single moms, the adoptive moms, the moms who stay with abusive dads, the HIV positive moms, the chronically ill moms, the professional corporate ladder climbing moms, the traditional moms, the grandma’s and the great grandma’s, the teenage moms, the trying to make ends meet but my kid never sleeps hungry moms – I salute you. To the brothers, let us remember that if it were not for our sisters, there would be no misters and if it were not for our mothers, there would be no brothers. So let us respect all women because they are all important in our lives and all potentially, and most eventually, Mothers. The greatest gift you can give her is LOVE.

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