MY FIRST LOVE

   

“Is this a long way?” asked the young mother as she set her foot on the path of life. And the Guide said:

“Yes, and the way is hard, and you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning.”

The young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, taught them how to pray, reminded them to do their homework. The sun shone on them and the young mother cried.

“Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.”

Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her arms. The children said’

“Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near and no harm can come.”

And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to her children,

“A little patience and we are there.”

So the children climbed and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms. And with this she gave them strength to face the world, year after year she taught them to hope but most of all unconditional love.

And when they reached the top they said,

“Mother we could not have done it without you.”

Days went on, weeks, months and years. The mother grew old, became little and bent. But her children were tall, strong and walked with courage. And when the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at stars and said:

“This is a better day than the last; my children have learned so much and now are passing the traits to my grandchildren.”

And when the way became tough for her, they lifted her, gave her strength just as she had given them hers. One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill they saw a shining road and a golden gate flung wide. And the Mother said,

“I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them”. And the children said,

“You will always walk with us, Mama, even when you have gone through the gates.”

And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. They could see her no more.

A mother is more than a memory. She is a living presence. She is the cool hand on your brow when you are not feeling well, she is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, she is your birthday morning. She is the life inside your laughter. And she’s crystallized in every tear drop.

A mother shows through in every emotion-happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, joy- and all the while hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life.

She is the place you came from, and she is the map you follow with every step you take. She is your first love, your friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you.

Not time, not space –not even death!

Happy Mother’s Day.