One of my most favourite memories of my mother is when I was around five or six, sitting on her lap on a sultry afternoon while she told me stories about magical kingdoms where flying horses would pop up at every corner and fairies would come out of white roses to grant wishes to wandering princesses. I don't know whether it was her story-telling abilities or the sheer thrill of being cushioned in her arms – perhaps it was both – that kept me captivated, urging her to start another as soon as she would finish one. In retrospect I realize it was the security and love that I felt in those moments, moments that I never wanted to end and that I still long for now that she is gone.
A mother's love is probably the greatest mysteries on earth. Even among animal species it is obvious that no matter what, a mother will always protect and nurture her children. She will feed them even when she is starving and fight tooth and nail to keep them alive. She will teach them to hunt, fly, run or swim – everything needed to survive.
For humans it is not any different. Mothers all over the world will go to any lengths for their children. Just look at all those mothers waiting outside schools and colleges in the scorching heat, for hours on end – just to make sure that their wards can be taken home safely. Many of them stay at home, devoting their entire lives to take care of their children so that they can follow their dreams when they grow up.
Just watch those women carrying heavy loads at construction sites, slogging in factories for hours on end, cleaning and cooking in other people's houses, rushing to offices at the other end of town. Many of them are mothers whose second, more demanding job awaits them at home. While their male counterparts may indulge in a tea break or a little chit-chat with friends after work, these women are rushing, always rushing - to get home to their children.
As mothers our job is a little daunting – the way we bring up our children will determine how well adjusted they are as individuals and how they will face the challenges thrown at them all their lives. What's more, we are required to always set a good example. If we are cold, they may grow up cruel, if we are devious, they may become deceitful. If we are too indulgent they may become spoilt and if we are too harsh they may end up broken.
Responsibility, sacrifice, unconditional love - all this is part and parcel of motherhood. Yet rarely will you find a woman who regrets being a mother. It is through her children that a mother experiences pure joy, it is their love that gives her strength. It may be the hardest job in the whole world but it is also the most rewarding.