Rising to the challenge

BEING a mother is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had, and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed. – Linda Wooten

MUM does not have bionic ears, and my family members sometimes need to increase our volume when we talk to her. But, when it comes to her grandchildren, she can hear the slightest sound made by them. In the morning, when the grandchildren shut their room doors, she can hear it from her room with the door closed, and will quickly go down to the kitchen after them to serve breakfast. Mum hasn’t got the best vision; she finds it difficult to even read a restaurant menu. But, when I can’t find something, however small it may be, she can find it easily. She is the lost-item locator.

Mum is forgetful. If not for her pill cases, she would forget if she has taken her medication each day. But, when it comes to the birthdays of her children, children-in-law and grandchildren, she won’t forget.

One of my comfort food is fried rice. When I am really stressed, suddenly I would receive a Whatsapp message from Mum telling me there would be fried rice for dinner. How does she know that I am stressed? It’s a gift from God.

Some say that all mothers have that same instinct. I didn’t believe it until my sister and sister-in-law became mothers.

For being so helpless in the kitchen before, my sister is now the “sous chef ” of the family. She single-handedly baked a birthday cake with Minecraft-themed decoration, prepared desserts and finger food for my nephew and his mates on his big day. Even the drinks were Minecraft themed! Cooking is not her thing yet, for her children’s sake, she just did all this and became Wonder Woman to them.

Recently, my niece was invited to a costume party for which she was to dress up as a doctor.

I remarked, “That’s easy, you can find the costume in Toys R’ Us.”

But my sister confidently said, “I will tailor-make it for her.”

My eyes grew as big as a gold fish’s and I asked, “Sure, bo?” because she had never touched a sewing machine before.

But she did it! She sewed a lab coat, complete with name tag and pockets, just like the real thing. She did this over a week, by burning the midnight oil.

The smile on my niece’s face, wearing the coat to the costume party, was priceless.

Mum always said that I will not know the feeling of a mother until I become one myself. I guess that’s true.