HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY.
Yes Friends, let’s wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mothers out there; good, bad and indifferent, because they are indeed the salt of the earth and the glue that keeps families and societies together. Mothers perform the most important function in the reproduction of all living things, that of child bearing, which we recently saw was cursed with physical pain and trauma upon our first mother, Eve, for her part in the sin of disobedience towards our God. But like real troopers, most mothers stoically bear the unholy pangs of childbirth. And though they claim never wanting to endure such terrible pain again, most forget about it in the joy of the newborn and endure it again and again and again. Why? Because the joy of celebrating the new life is much greater than the memory of the pain of bringing it into this world. Let us give sincere thanks that that’s so, else we’d all be doomed to one child families. (smile) And having borne and nourished the young within them for however long, they’re also entrusted with the vital task of feeding, nourishing and nurturing them through their early years. Some mothers do it until they’re old and grey. In many families too, whatever the child learns depends mostly on what the mothers teach them, since they are the ones who usually deal with them the most. So there we have yet another aspect where the mother is the guiding light. Over the years it evolved that the mother stayed at home to look after the family’s many needs there, while the father went out and earned their keep. However, with the hustle and bustle of modern day society, where our wants and needs have exploded, where the prices of those things have also gone through the roof, but our wages have unfortunately not kept pace, it’s become necessary for the mother to also go out and earn a living. So now, many are saddled with not only the physical child bearing and nurturing aspects, but in addition must also earn a wage to assist with the economic side. Sadly, the burden of child rearing and house keeping are still born mostly on the shoulders of mothers, except in families where there are smart, sensible, caring, appreciative men. Fathers would be well advised to help mother in her duties of mother and house keeper else she won’t have the time, energy or inclination to fulfill his most desired role, that of wife. Consequently we have mother playing the major roles of child bearer, nurturer, house keeper, which includes chief cook and bottle washer, wage earner and wife. And many egotistic and foolish men expect them to play all at the same time, including when they’re pregnant, and to play them with essential vim and vigour. And yuh know what Friends, a lot of mothers around the world do it without any complaints, while the macho man lazes around drinking and watching the tube. No wonder Deborah, the first female judge of Israel, could celebrate in song, her victory with Barak over their enemies. ‘The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.’ Yes mih people, she’s claiming that village life had grown non-existent and or/boring until she stepped up to the plate and mothered, nurtured them back to life. It’s also interesting to note how we refer to things and places from where we’ve come or are at the forefront of our endeavours, like the Motherland, the Mother ship, the Mother lode, even the Queen Mother. That’s because they are important in giving us a sense of belonging, of where it all began, like satellites around a central body that you can come from or go to for help, advice and encouragement whenever you find yourself in need. That’s the kind of role mothers’ play in our societies. But unfortunately, though mothers are of such great importance in all societies, many still don’t recognize their great worth and still oppress and suppress them. Domestic abuse is still rampant all over the world. Even in our modern societies, where mothers play such a humongous role, they aren’t treated as well as they ought to be and their efforts aren’t properly recognized and valued. Just consider all the housework they do in a normal day, with young children underfoot. Most men wouldn’t be able or willing to handle it. It’s impossible to quantify and put a true money value on it. Yet we still refuse to show them proper appreciation for their superhuman efforts. Then sadly, we have the recent explosion of single mothers working at more than one job to support their children. That makes it even more difficult to raise them properly since they’re either seldom at home or too tired. Luckily I had the benefit of a single mother working two jobs who found the time to nurture me, and also the advantage of growing up in a close knit, sort of extended family which existed in most places back then. My mother would hear about my escapades before I’d even completed them and I had to listen to adult advice because that’s just the way it was. But all of that has changed now; the extended family approach has disappeared with the big city, selfish, style of living. Anyway Friends, in whatever kind of society we live, our mothers are very important, so let’s make a sincere effort to treat them better, with more respect and appreciation, less abuse and neglect. And I’d be amiss if I didn’t sing the glowing praises of the six mothers I’ve had in my lifetime. Yes Friends, over the years, at each critical stage of my life, I’ve been blessed with a strong Christian woman to guide and nurture me. Without their LOVE, encouragement and help, I don’t know where or what I’d be today. Thank you Lord for that! Sadly, five of them have already gone to be with Him, only my biological mother, Molly, is still alive. Oh Mols sugar, I can’t sing your praises enough, for after hearing some of the horror stories about other mothers, I realized that you are surely one of the best, if not the best. I can discuss anything with her and she won’t judge me, although she disagrees with my stand. And up to this day, though my children consider me an old man, she considers me her baby, and still gets on my case. Thanks ‘M’ for the kind, caring, responsible person you’ve taught me to be. I’ll try to do you proud. Much LOVE!…Mother…the God given source of earthly succour and sustenance…
SCRIP-BITS 