To Be A Mother and Have A Mother

You see one of the beauties of being  a mother is having a mother.

I walked into the house last night to a feverish son.He seemed dull and drowsy, not the blithe chap that greets me at the door with a dance and questions of  “Umeniletea nini?Umetoka wapi" and whatnot. My mother had called me earlier in the day yesterday asking whether I had given the little boy candy the previous day.I reluctantly said I had and she informed me that the young lad was in trouble since even she had bought him candy during the day and he’d developed tonsillitis.The woes of being an only grandson in a home.You get candy treats in plenty but the results are such things as these..tonsillitis and fevers:(

My mother had given him some paracetamol to deal with the fever and we’d decided we’d go to a doctor the next day.Once I got home I was more than willing to release my mother of the duty of monitoring and nursing my son  and was planning  to share my bed with the lad through the night.My mother being the care giver she is, insisted that she would have Jeff sleep over in her bed. “You need to rest,” she said. “And besides  you wake up to go to work when it’s still dark why would you want to interrupt the boy in his sleep?” she continued. Albeit reluctantly, I obliged.(Besides I was a tad scared! It sounded more like a  command than a request-The woes of being a mother who has a mother.Woi!)

So we slept and my mother monitored my son all night.She woke up four hours later and gave him another dose of paracetamol. Once it was morning I woke up and and went straight to her room.His fever had subsided.I’m now at  work calling them every thirty minutes .”Relax he’s alright,” she is saying, “We are at the hospital.”

I sit here and write this thinking of how blessed I am to have my mother. How blessed it is to be a mother and have a mother.Sometimes she is like the husband I don’t have. It takes me back to another moment when she selflessly was there for her grandson and I.

Two and a half years ago right after delivering my son I had my end of year exams in a week’s time.My mother took such great care of Jeff and I. She ensured that he fed on the milk I’d leave behind as I went to sit for my papers.She ensured I had enough fluid  intake and was feeding right too for the sake of the baby and I. She even taught me how to breastfeed! She was my Florence Nightingale to say the least. She prayed for me and still does.Those prayers have been such a blessing to all of us.She financed my needs  and my son’s while I was still in school (I suddenly  feel so old). I will forever be indebted to my mother.Now I am on my feet and it gives me such joy to get into my wallet, shop for her, fuel her car occasionally and pay the house bills. Such fulfillment.

Every one of you reading this whether married or single have had your mother come through for you in one way or another when it comes to your children.

When you and your husband have needed  ‘us’ time you may have  shipped the kids off to your mother’s house.

 When your newborn comes and you are so overwhelmed with the new experience sometimes you just call your mother to share with her,cry and even laugh.Just to feel like a child again.

When you need  to plan for your kids’ finances you have occasionally called up your mother to find out which bank account to open to save up for your children’s needs both present and future .

Sometimes when the kids are being hard headed just like you in the days of your juvenile you may have called your mother to let it out on her or even to  tell her you are sorry for having been so silly back then,for planting such bad karma.

In all of us lies a child.A soul in need of care and love.Sometimes lost,in need of direction,in need of insight from those that are wiser.And that is why I insist- it is such a  beautiful gift this one…TO BE A MOTHER AND HAVE A MOTHER.