Mothers’ Day Special STAY HOME STAY SANE 13 🌷

When I was a little girl, I would always follow my mom to the market. We were not well to do and thus at times, we went marketing without a single cent. This was because mom would then owe the stall owners or provision shop money and pay them when she gets her salary. This was to make sure that we had enough food on the table.

Back then, we won’t picky about the food we ate. Regardless of whether the food tasted great or not, my siblings were still grateful to our mom for providing for the family. At times, we even had to borrow from our uncle to get by.

My mom faced so much hardship as a wife and mother. She didn’t even have a day of rest for her confinement after giving birth to each of her children. Upon returning home after being discharged from the hospital, she would immediately return to work. This could be reason why in her old age, she often complained about body aches and pain. Even till today, she would at times experience intense abdominal pains which affected her appetite and sleep.

In the olden days, women often are married off without much knowledge of the person they were marrying or the family they were marrying into. My mom was asked to marry her first husband under such a situation. It was an arranged marriage in her hometown. After a week from the wedding, her husband went back to work, out of town and mom had to take care of his family, doing all the housework as well as the farm work on her own. That kept mom busy in the day and she could only return in the evening, to continue with more work by preparing meals for her in-laws.

Many years later, mom’s in-laws decided to give my mom her freedom. My mom was then recommended to my dad and they came to Singapore. Her life still wasn’t easy as she had 7 children. It was not easy raising so many of us. It was often a case of owing others money including kind neighbours.

My mom is a very kind and helpful person. Though her marriages were not easy, she helped others like my 40-year-old uncle and my brother to find their life partners and happiness.

I would like to OMAK (Observe Merits and Appreciate Kindness) my mom for all the hardship she has gone through for the family. Now that everyone in the family is married and has their own family, she is contented.

Though mom had a hard life with aches and pains, she never hit any of us when we made mistakes but always advise us not to make the same mistake again. It was my eldest sister who would beat us if we failed our examinations.  

Mom was also very resourceful, she sold durians, chickens and rambutans to support the family. I thank my mom being an excellent mother. I am grateful that she brought me into this world.

After I became a Buddhist and learnt the Lamrim from Shifu with my Dharma friends, I realised that the many obstacles I have in life are due to my own past doings, my Karma. However, I believe with the blessing of the Triple Gem, my life will get better day by day with my accumulate of merits through doing good and clearing my obstacles through repentance.

Whenever I visit my mom, she would be very happy and smile from ear to ear. She would often remind me to visit her whenever I have more time as she is getting old too. I too wish to do the same. However, with COVID-19, we are unable to do so. As her daughter, I can only do more virtuous deeds like chanting and dedicate the merits to my mom.

Through the weekly BW Monastery’s blessings puja, I pray for her good health and that the Triple Gem would bless her with longevity and life after life of higher status. I also dedicate the merits to her karmic debtors, our ancestors and hope that the COVID-19 pandemic will soon pass. When life is back to normalcy, I hope to visit my mom at least 3 to 4 days a week.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! I love you!

Love, Audrey

S15G027E

7.5.2020