A MOTHER'S SACRIFICE!

Happy Sunday people.
I trust we are still taking our safety as seriously as we should.

Anyway I woke up this morning to a reminder that today is Mother's Day and initially I was thinking, are you sure this is not the second time we are celebrating Mothers' day this year?

Though I didn't want to mention this to hubby because yes we still miss having his mum around, but I know that whenever I talk about celebrating mothers some men always feel that we give too much credit to mothers while fathers mostly take second place in such celebrations.

I do not think we can celebrate our mothers enough, or do you? The sacrifices and pain they go through while raising their kids cannot be easily forgotten you know. Now that I am a mother, I see myself wearing the same shoes my mum wore more often than not.

So today I took so time to bake some snacks for my family since we had run out of it, one of the things I have enjoyed doing this period of lock down as I have previously shared with you. You can read more about my catering skills here

While I was kneading the dough, several images from the past flashed back in my head as I thought about my mum.

During my childhood days, I recall vividly how my mum was always in the kitchen displaying her skills either to serve us or to serve the public.

My dad is a retired Customs Officer so in those days he was almost always on transfer to one state of the Federation or the other and because we could not travel along with him, being a large family, we were practically raised by my mum, Mrs Esther Adanna Chukwuma Nwaozor. 

Without mincing words, she was both father and mother to my siblings and I, have I stated that I have 6 siblings? Okay now you know that my parents had 7 children, hahaha.

My parents also come from large families and so in our home while growing up, we lived with lots of relatives, uncles, aunties, cousins, yes, lots of them. They all lived in my family house and were all taken care of by my mum since dad was not always available.

By lots of relatives, I mean that there were times we were as many as 17 in the house. Yes it was an extended family living, like we were thought in Primary School Social Studies. These relatives came and left once they were settled. I had Uncles who even got married in my parents' house, had their own children and eventually moved out when they were finally able to get their own accomodation.

Sometimes I wonder how my mum was able to manage the cooking and feeding of 17 mouths at a time without complaining, I never really will understand that.

My mum had several shops and restaurants were she sold all kind of stuff especially food and snacks so I started early to learn these catering skills.

The period after I left Secondary was when I started running some of my mum's business, I guess that was when I embraced my passion for service and delivery. Whenever she was out of town I had to take care of the shop and make sure that the supply of food and snacks, especially, were not short.

From the time I graduated from Secondary School till the time I gained admission to the University was roughly 3 years and it was this business that kept me occupied. I was also in charge of recruiting and paying of her sales persons.

There were times I would wake up in the early hours of the morning to ease myself, sometimes 4 a.m, and my mum is already awake mixing, moulding, pounding, frying, all at once so that she can finish up and get my younger ones ready for school before heading to the shop.

Such times I am too sleepy to help but challenged that someone who slept as late as midnight is as active as that, so I just get some water to wash my face and join her.

I always prayed for God to bless my siblings and I so that some day soon, mum will just have to sit back, relax and enjoy the fruits of her labour without lifting a finger, and yes God heard and has answered that request.

Several times when I was in boarding house, far away from home, Rivers State precisely, mum would pick my younger ones from school on Friday afternoon, board a night bus to Port-Harcourt, arrive my school on Saturday for visiting day and still board a night bus to arrive Lagos on Sunday so she could take my younger ones to school on Monday morning. 

I really cannot tell all that my mum means to me, sincerely, words are insufficient but I do not take her love and sacrifices for granted especially when I think of the risks she took just to give my siblings and I the best.

Mothers are God sent and we cannot be grateful enough for having them in our lives. I know that this is a big shoe to fit into but I am not relenting in giving my best to my kids and every child that God places around me.

I hope you have a special story about your mum, or any woman that has made impact in your life and I would love to hear it in the comment section. Don't forget to call them and tell them how much they mean to you.

Shout out to all mothers everywhere. God Bless you and keep you, and may your labour of love never go unrewarded.

Happy Mother's day.

Have a blessed week ahead and yes I still do love you all.

#thistooshallpass#

#weshallovercome#

© Onyinye Udeh