Happy Mother's Day!

Mother’s day is a beautiful tradition! Not just in the USA but also all over the world people celebrate it and I personally love this tradition.  What our mother’s have done or are still doing is remarkable. I grew up without a father but with my Mom (Ami), growing up everything was a struggle even for the basic needs. I admire how my Mother raised 5 daughters, our grandmother who lived with us and died in our home, and also one of my cousins who moved into our home when she was younger. There were 8 people living in a two-bedroom house. My mother raised my cousin like her own daughter. I remember growing up people would ask my sisters and I how many sisters we had and we always said 6. I still wonder how my Mother took care of everyone with the limited income and never complained instead always thankful to God.  

Growing up in Karachi I never heard about Mother’s day but once I moved here I started getting to know what Mother’s day was about. In the culture I am from Mothers are highly respected people. Anything they need or say, it doesn’t matter what your age is you will never talk back to her; you just do what she needed as fast as you can. Growing up I have seen how my Mother and uncles treated my grandmother with the up-most respect. When she entered into the room everyone would rise from their seat and waited until she sat down before they did for respect.

            Last year in April 2013 when my Mother had a massive stoke, we all got scared and thought we would lose her. But because of her strong will and the fighter she is, she is still with us. She is fully paralyzed and her condition is getting worse but we feel blessed everyday she wakes up. But as a family we know based on her condition she won’t be with us too much longer. I have talked to many people who have lost their mothers and every single person said the same thing, it’s not same after their Mother is gone, it’s like a hole that never gets filled. I don’t know how I feel when the time comes but I feel extremely blessed I got the privilege to know my Mother and I know God gave me the best Mother in the world.

            There is another person in my life that I also call my Mother, she is my ex-husband’s Mother. It’s part of the culture to call your husband’s Mother your Mother as well. At the beginning if feels strange because she isn’t your actual Mother. But with time and experience you do get close to each other. When I first moved to the States I was 18 years old and had just finished high school. I didn’t know what the marriage role meant or how to be a daughter-in-law. But my mother-in-law whose’ name is Hawa bi Hussain said to me 24 years ago, “You are like my own daughter”. And I am proud to say until this day 24 years later she still treats me like her own daughter. Even during my divorce she didn’t take anyone’s side and continued treating me like family. To this day she calls me every week to check up on me, asking how I am and if I need anything. I feel very comfortable with her.  She is caring, loving, sensitive, understanding, supporting, mature and the nicest woman I know. I feel very lucky I have two remarkable women who I call my Mothersin my life. On this Mother’s day I wish both of my Mothers a Happy Mother’s day and to all the remarkable Mother’s out there!