We cannot place a value on our mothers. They are priceless

By Mata'afa Keni Lesa 14 May 2017, 12:00AM

And so it’s Mother’s Day once again. Today is a special day for all the mothers of this country and when it comes to such a day, we all have mothers and different stories to tell.

Indeed, whether you are young, old, the Prime Minister, a farmer, a fisherman or the Head of State, we all have women who nurtured, taught, inspired and helped us to become the people we are today.

In other words, no matter who we are, what we do and where we are from, we wouldn’t be where we are if it was not for the love and care of our mothers.

We live in a world full of problems and challenges. 

And the relationship between mother/son/daughter and father is not immune from these tests. As a matter of fact they can become very tough at times so that the relationship is not always smooth sailing. 

Such is life though. What’s a journey without challenges?

But there is always a special bond between you and your mother that overrides everything and anything. It’s a bond formed and developed over nine months during the pregnancy before you and I knew anything or anybody else. 

It’s bond formed and strengthened by the love of a mother.

For nine long months – and sometimes longer – a mother slaves over giving life to you and me, her unborn child. It’s love that makes her tolerate the pain. It is love that stops her from being so careless to the point the foetus is lost prematurely.

As men, we’re not going to pretend that we understand what it feels like to walk around with another life in our bellies. Which is why we salute all the mothers of Samoa and the world today. 

It is probably fair to say that the role of motherhood is not acknowledged often enough. When we talk about the development of women, we often talk about jobs, positions, education and other issues. It’s okay but none of these would be possible if it wasn’t for the role of motherhood.

We often pay lip service to its importance and we rarely really sit down to acknowledge what it takes. Do we know the cost? Do we know what it requires? Do we want to know?

That’s why days like today are important. Some people say that days like Mother’s Day – among others - are out-dated and have become a boon for businesses to exploit members of the community through the commercialisation of the celebration. They’ve got a point.

But here is the issue, if it means it’s an opportunity for all of us to sit down and say thank you mom – since most of us are too busy to say it anyway – then days like today are well worth it.

We repeat, the role of our mothers in nurturing us is perhaps the most important role in the world. 

Why? Well, they are nurturing the future. Everyone who has become a someone came from a loving mother. The point is that life is impossible without caring mothers.

Why? Where would you be if they didn’t care?

Would you have lived if they didn’t love you? 

Now I’ve heard this question a few times. How do we measure the success of a mother?

It’s a tough one, to be honest. And the answer would vary between people.

Personally, I think the measure of a mother is not the number of university degrees she has. It’s not the powerful positions she holds. It’s not the flash house, new car and the expensive clothes she wears. 

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying mothers shouldn’t have any of these. If would be great if they do. 

But not all mothers are the same and we cannot measure them with the same measuring tape. In my humble opinion, the measure of a successful mother is found in the quality of life of the people she raised. 

It’s found in whether her husband and children are happy. It’s found in whether she has provided a platform – whatever level that is – for her family to grow physically and spiritually. 

It’s found in how she has contributed to the development of her extended family, church, village and country. And around all of us today are such mothers. 

Young and old, every mother in Samoa has contributed one way or another to the development of our country. 

Some might have contributed more than others but that’s beside the point.

Ladies and gentlemen, whether your mother is a cleaner, farmer, weaver, a lawyer, doctor or the C.E.O. of a government department or a multi-national company or simple housewife, take time to say thank you today. 

Take the time to acknowledge them and tell them we appreciate what they’ve done.  

Our mothers are priceless. We cannot thank them enough. 

On that note, the Samoa Observer Newspaper Group wishes all the mothers of Samoa a happy Mother’s Day. 

Have a joyous Mother’s Day, Samoa, God bless!

By Mata'afa Keni Lesa 14 May 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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